The Money Mustache Community
Other => Off Topic => Topic started by: MonkeyJenga on December 10, 2016, 11:05:09 AM
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*** This thread is for actions that oppose the current Trump Republican administration. If you want to talk about calling your senator to repeal the ACA or stop the Mueller investigation, you are free to start your own thread. ***
Stay positive and focused on specific actions. No slurring large groups of people, regardless of which side they're on.
Discussions of policy disagreements can be found here: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/
For those who feel overwhelmed by how much fighting needs to be done, I'll be posting small actions that can be done from the comfort of your bed. An email sent, a petition signed, maybe a phone call made.
Daily may be optimistic, but it's catchier than "Small Acts of Political Resistance A Few Times a Week."
Dec 10, 2016: Financial Conflicts of Interest
If you want to support Senator Warren's request to audit President-Elect Trump's finances for conflicts of interest, the woman who answered the phone at the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office said the most effective way to be sure my support counted was to email two administrators, Katherine Siggerud and Timothy Minnelli. There is a third email through which they are tracking people who were urging support for an audit.
You can send one email addressed to:
siggerudk@gao.gov, minellit@gao.gov, congrel@gao.gov
Subject line:
Re: Audit for President-Elect Trump's financial concerns
Dear Ms. Siggerud and Mr. Minnelli,
I’m writing in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren's request for an audit of our incoming President-Elect Trump's finances, to prohibit conflicts of interest that would prevent him from carrying out the responsibilities of the office without corrupt influence.
Sincerely,
[MONKEYJENGA]
If you prefer daily/weekly action items emailed to you, sign up with one of these sites:
www.flippable.org
www.wall-of-us.org
For those with financial stability, many of us have donated to organizations like the ACLU (https://www.aclu.org/), Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/), and NRDC (https://www.nrdc.org/?_ga=1.54379560.1648936613.1481392839).
Additional organizations to consider: http://jezebel.com/a-list-of-pro-women-pro-immigrant-pro-earth-anti-big-1788752078
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Posting to follow the thread. Did this one, but there may be future ones :).
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Good for you MonkeyJenga! Great thread!
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Posting to follow. Thanks for starting this thread!
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Following
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Following
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Following.
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I'm not sure what constitutes political action in the context of this thread.
I regularly participate in mobile patrol for my neighborhood, which pretty much means riding around i a car for two hours gossiping, as well as identifying street and alley lights that are out and reporting them as well as police presence and any oddities or situations of concern. It certainly taps into "fighting that must be done" since the onslaught of crime here is a rising tide.
I always wonder about those who think of Politics with a capital P as being only something at the national level. I also think that online petitions are laughibly ineffective.
The lowest level of political action in my city is at the neighborhood level. I am currently contemplating who I will support for Mayor and will get a sign for that candidate, once I decide.
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sent and following!
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Done.
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
That may be exactly what Pence wants: private funding for PP so the gov't can kill all public funding. :( Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.
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I'm not sure what constitutes political action in the context of this thread.
I regularly participate in mobile patrol for my neighborhood, which pretty much means riding around i a car for two hours gossiping, as well as identifying street and alley lights that are out and reporting them as well as police presence and any oddities or situations of concern. It certainly taps into "fighting that must be done" since the onslaught of crime here is a rising tide.
I always wonder about those who think of Politics with a capital P as being only something at the national level. I also think that online petitions are laughibly ineffective.
The lowest level of political action in my city is at the neighborhood level. I am currently contemplating who I will support for Mayor and will get a sign for that candidate, once I decide.
Politics in my local area seems to consist mostly of unending attempts to first resist annexation by the city and then (when annexation happened) to fight for de-annexation. I truly do not care either way. Financially it appears to be a wash for people in my neighborhood. The other neighborhood involved in the de-annexation attempt primarily consists of extremely wealthy people for whom city taxes would be much higher than the cost of replacing city services with their own police force, trash collection and so forth. However, whenever they need a photogenic person put forward to the press as opposing annexation, they come to my neighborhood. Then one of my neighbors complains that "People say that this is about the rich avoiding taxes but look at my house. I'm not rich."
We have also been urged to organize against the horror of people painting their own house pink and of an apartment building being built nearby. Sometimes local politics are the pettiest kind of politics there are so I understand why people would want to deal with larger issues than these.
Once I FIRE I intend to devote some of my time to making my corner of the world a better place. In my mind I categorize things like a neighborhood watch or helping with the food bank or keeping the neighborhood's public areas beautiful as being a good citizen rather than as politics. I'm surprised that you think of the excellent work you do with the mobile patrol as political action.
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In.
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
That may be exactly what Pence wants: private funding for PP so the gov't can kill all public funding. :( Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.
Privately funded or (more likely) criminalized.
Either way, I figured they'd be needing the funds in the near future to resist the coming onslaught. States are already trying to pass laws banning abortion in the hopes that a more conservative SC will overturn Roe v. Wade. Blergh...
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
That may be exactly what Pence wants: private funding for PP so the gov't can kill all public funding. :( Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.
Privately funded or (more likely) criminalized.
Either way, I figured they'd be needing the funds in the near future to resist the coming onslaught. States are already trying to pass laws banning abortion in the hopes that a more conservative SC will overturn Roe v. Wade. Blergh...
Blergh indeed. I'll add AAAGGGGHHHHEEEERRRRRGGGHHHHH! WTF!?!?!?
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Hi everyone! Glad to see people here.
Dec 11, 2016: Breitbart Google Ads
This takes less than 1 minute, but the consequences for Breitbart could be massive if enough people reach out to Google.
Here is the info if you want to participate.
Inspired by Kellogg's and other companies pulling their advertising from Breitbart, here's a fun action to take. From your laptop or phone, follow these directions and pass it along. Instructions below are for phones.
(1) Go to www.Breitbart.com
(2) Find a Google AdSense ad. It will have a teal triangle and an x in the upper right corner.
(3) Click on the triangle.
(4) Click "Why this Ad?"
(5) On the Google page that loads, Click "learn more" in the text toward the bottom.
(6) A page loads called About Google Ads.
Scroll down and click to "Leave feedback on the website you just saw."
(7) You are given a choice between "the website" and "the ads". Choose "the website".
(8) Check the box saying that the website (Breitbart) promotes racial intolerance. If you like, add a comment.
(9) Click submit!
If Google kicks Breitbart out of its ad network it will make a big difference to the company's bottom line. So tell Google to Dump Breitbart.
http://www.breitbart.com/
Comments are required when you do this through a laptop. I put this:
Breitbart and its hateful views should not be supported by Google's ad network.
Someone on FB wrote this out:
I've come across many articles on this site that unduly focus on the race, religion, or national origin of persons accused of crimes, as if to suggest that people who are Black, Muslim, Mexican, etc. are disproportionately criminals. Typically these articles provide questionable statistics or at best no context for why a national "news" organization would engage in small-scale crime reporting alongside national political coverage. The site also traffics in articles with very misleading headlines that predispose the reader to respond with anger. It would be hard to call these headlines intolerant on their own, and many are primarily aimed at political leaders, but there's a pattern of them generating anger towards people of color and organizations like the NAACP that promote the advancement of historically marginalized people. Folks on my social media outlets are using articles from this site to promote white supremacy, and I'm fearful.
A group called Sleeping Giants has helped get Kellogg's and other companies to pull their ads from the site (http://qz.com/848476/kellogg-is-the-biggest-company-yet-to-pull-out-of-brietbart-over-hate-speech-concerns/):
Sleeping Giants Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/slpnggiants/?hc_location=ufi)
Sleeping Giants Twitter (https://twitter.com/slpng_giants)
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
That may be exactly what Pence wants: private funding for PP so the gov't can kill all public funding. :( Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.
Privately funded or (more likely) criminalized.
Either way, I figured they'd be needing the funds in the near future to resist the coming onslaught. States are already trying to pass laws banning abortion in the hopes that a more conservative SC will overturn Roe v. Wade. Blergh...
Blergh indeed. I'll add AAAGGGGHHHHEEEERRRRRGGGHHHHH! WTF!?!?!?
The ACLU is also a big player in the fight to protect reproductive rights.
List of cases: https://www.aclu.org/defending-our-rights/court-battles?topics=182
Rundown on public funding: https://www.aclu.org/other/public-funding-abortion
YummyRaisins, I donated in Pence's name when I first heard about it! A large amount. It felt good.
iris lily, this thread is focused on national politics and state-level when it ties into larger issues. For one thing, I don't know where everyone lives and what their issues are. If anyone wants to start a local activism/volunteering thread, that would be a great complement!
Petitions are not going to be the primary method listed here. Direct contact to reps or businesses, as in the case with Breitbart ads, is preferred.
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Yes the ACLU is receiving a monthly stipend from us. That and NRDC.
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Yes the ACLU is receiving a monthly stipend from us. That and NRDC.
I know, that was not directed at you specifically. I included the NRDC because of you! I have not donated yet, but I will this week.
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I went to Brietbart and an add for Personal Capital popped up. So I deleted my account. Yes, it was a free service, but I refuse to interact with them.
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All of this so odd. What did all of you think when people did this to appose Obama? If Jeb Bush had won the election would you all be doing the same thing?
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All of this so odd. What did all of you think when people did this to appose Obama? If Jeb Bush had won the election would you all be doing the same thing?
I was frustrated with the folks who appose Obama, but functional democracy requires participation. Disliking the other side's actions does not mean that you do not engage on your own side. The right also votes. Does that mean the left should not?
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I went to Brietbart and an add for Personal Capital popped up. So I deleted my account. Yes, it was a free service, but I refuse to interact with them.
You should send Personal Capital a message telling them your reason for deleting your account. You can send them these easy instructions for blacklisting Breitbart from their Adwords campaigns: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1bwS7LdG3tt0TCSfzFgwZb0YW0JPK0fZ2dbbh2l7P3dY/mobilebasic
The Sleeping Giants FB and Twitter accounts note companies that responded positively to these outreaches. You can make a difference!
Blueskies, feel free to start a thread to debate the merit of these activities! I would like to keep the conversation here focused on the original intent, which is the activities themselves.
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I appreciate your doing this, Monkeyjenga.
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All of this so odd. What did all of you think when people did this to appose Obama? If Jeb Bush had won the election would you all be doing the same thing?
I was frustrated with the folks who appose Obama, but functional democracy requires participation. Disliking the other side's actions does not mean that you do not engage on your own side. The right also votes. Does that mean the left should not?
In a word: no. If Jeb Bush had been elected, I'd be pretty mute on the issue. Kind of a 'meh'. Sure, I'd be calling out climate change concerns - contacting my reps with my concern - to some degree. But I wouldn't be in total opposition to him.
No, Trump and his opening bid of cabinet appointments, and his glibness with Putin, is unacceptable.
This is not 'my team lost waaaah' whining. I'm not affiliated with a party, and I had no love for HRC. Trump is a thin skinned con man and he is unbelievably unqualified to be our leader.
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Following
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All of this so odd. What did all of you think when people did this to appose Obama? If Jeb Bush had won the election would you all be doing the same thing?
I wasn't a fan of Jeb's policies or positions, but he was at least trying to advance issues he thought were important mixed in with a healthy dose of political pragmatism. I understand it, even if I disagree with it. I can see how a reasonable person would disagree with me.
Brietbart.com, on the other hand, is the apex of yellow journalism, sexism, racism, and xenophobia. Brietbart and Bannon aren't coming from a position of reason or intellect. They are coming from a position playing to people's fears and hate. Appealing to those emotions is worst type of discourse, and only the worst people do it. Reasonable people don't read Brietbart. Bigots and bullies read Brietbart. I hate bullies and I hate their snickering stooges. Bullies aren't reasonable, they are just jerks.
Trump is a bully, and so is his stooge Bannon. Like most bullies, Trump is a coward. I don't like cowards much either. So screw 'em. Boycotts are a pretty weak form of protest most of the time, but I don't care. Bannon and his buddies are true POSs. I don't bother with scum like that.
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Please know ads that appear on Breitbart are due to your logistics. Because you use or search PC thats why they show up. Its not saying PC is okay with Breitbart. So i would not cancel your acct. with PC. But PC can block their ads from appearing on BB. And would ask them if they would be willing to do so.
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Did the Breitbart thing! Also did the Sleeping Giants (https://twitter.com/slpng_giants) thing with one of their advertisers!
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If you would like to speak directly to the electors, you can do so through this website (http://asktheelectors.org/). I put my voice with plenty of others urging them to be objective as that is their job.
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I'm trying to get my money out of the Dakota oil pipeline. Public pressure got our national bank and one other bank to sell their investments in the pipeline, but part of my public pension is still invested in it. With the way things are going, the money might even be lost before they have time to back out. Representatives from my county pension fund are planning to travel to Dakota later this month to see whether they should sell their investments, but I haven't heard anything from the state pension fund yet. Our indigenous people, the Sami, are working hard behind the scenes, so I hope it will happen.
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Vanguard funds own > 5.7% of Exxon Mobil (com)
Call vanguard and tell them to demand management stop funding climate change denial campaigns. I'll post some informative resources tomorrow.
Be clear though - you are NOT asking them to divest. You are asking them to represent shareholders and influence management.
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Posting to follow so I can work on this in the morning.
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Please know ads that appear on Breitbart are due to your logistics. Because you use or search PC thats why they show up. Its not saying PC is okay with Breitbart. So i would not cancel your acct. with PC. But PC can block their ads from appearing on BB. And would ask them if they would be willing to do so.
Sure. There was a cookie on my computer, and an ad company bot read it and inserted the ad on the Brietbart website. If it would have been a different computer, it would have been an ad for something else. Personal Capital has a contract with the ad company, which has a contract with Brietbart and a zillion other sits. It is very possible no one at Personal Capital even knows their ads are appearing there.
However, Personal Capital should have had Brietbart on the no fly list already. And canceled accounts are a lot more effective than threatening to cancel an account. Personal Capital is supporting--possibly through simple ignorance--anti-American shitheads.
These companies needs to start waking up. This racist bullying is not okay. Ignorance isn't an excuse. It is part of the problem.
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Please know ads that appear on Breitbart are due to your logistics. Because you use or search PC thats why they show up. Its not saying PC is okay with Breitbart. So i would not cancel your acct. with PC. But PC can block their ads from appearing on BB. And would ask them if they would be willing to do so.
Sure. There was a cookie on my computer, and an ad company bot read it and inserted the ad on the Brietbart website. If it would have been a different computer, it would have been an ad for something else. Personal Capital has a contract with the ad company, which has a contract with Brietbart and a zillion other sits. It is very possible no one at Personal Capital even knows their ads are appearing there.
However, Personal Capital should have had Brietbart on the no fly list already. And canceled accounts are a lot more effective than threatening to cancel an account. Personal Capital is supporting--possibly through simple ignorance--anti-American shitheads.
These companies needs to start waking up. This racist bullying is not okay. Ignorance isn't an excuse. It is part of the problem.
If you got a screen shot, I would love to bring this to their attention! I agree there should be better vetting of ad space in the first place, but I'd also like to give them the opportunity to get ship shape.
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IF YOU OWN VANGUARD ETFS with XOM in them (see below for partial list), please DON'T PANIC. Instead, do this:
Vanguard funds own > 5.7% of Exxon Mobil (com)
Call vanguard and tell them to demand management stop funding climate change denial campaigns. I'll post some informative resources tomorrow.
BE CLEAR - you are NOT asking them to divest. You are asking them to represent shareholders and influence management. Specifically you want management to STOP all climate change disinformation campaigns.
Ask for your fund manager, and request that they tell XOM management to stop funding disinformation organizations such as these: (http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/fight-misinformation/global-warming-skeptic.html#.WE4emKIrKb8)
- American Enterprise Institute (AEI received $3,615,000 from XOM from 1998-2012)
- Americans for Prosperity
- ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC received > $1.6 million from XOM 1998-2012)
- Beacon Hill Institute
- Cato Institute
- Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI received $2M from XOM '95-2012)
- Heartland Institute ($675k from XOM 97-'06)
- Heritage Foundation ($780k from XOM '01-'12)
- Institute for Energy Research
- Manhattan Institute for Policy Research ($635k XOM)
and these:
Donors Trust and Donors Advised Funds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donors_Trust)
Denial funding over time (source (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/planet3/PDFs/DonorsTrust.pdf)):
(http://i.imgur.com/2BJ65HLl.jpg)
Brush up on the NASA evidence website (http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/) and maybe throw in a factoid.
I'm not going to write up copypasta. I think heartfelt individual calls will be better.
Note: the image below lists some vanguard funds and XOM holdings % and amount. This is not a complete list.
Note: (I tried calling 4 times and got disconnected. I ended up emailing.. I received a letter back acknowledging my request. It didn't seem like an auto reply bot)
DON'T PANIC. But do call your vanguard fund managers.
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Following.
I'll also add that people should contact Sally Jewell in the Dept of Interior requesting that the omnibus blocking permit be revised to allow public access to the national mall in fulfillment of constitutionally-protected first amendment rights.
http://www.justiceonline.org/nps_withdraw_the_omnibus_blocking_permit_and_release_the_public_lands_to_free_speech_assembly
The inaugural committee has requested and received an omnibus blocking permit preventing public gatherings in little places like the national mall for the time period surrounding the inauguration. Something, something, somethign, first amendment, peacably assemble, redress greviances, yadda, yadda, yadda.
http://www.salon.com/2016/12/09/womens-march-on-washington-barred-from-protesting-donald-trump-inauguration/
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You can invest in a sustainability index fund like the "Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund" which is described as "This low-cost fund seeks to track a benchmark of large- and mid-capitalization stocks that have been screened for certain social, human rights, and environmental criteria."
Disclaimer: I don't know much about this fund, and I don't own any of it. You'll have to read more about it yourself.
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Yes the ACLU is receiving a monthly stipend from us. That and NRDC.
I know, that was not directed at you specifically. I included the NRDC because of you! I have not donated yet, but I will this week.
I'm donating to the NRDC (https://www.nrdc.org/), The Wilderness Society (https://wilderness.org/), and the International Dark-Sky Association (http://darksky.org/). I don't know how much of an impact IDA has (I can't think of any time I heard about it in the news, for example), but it's important to me.
I'm worried that expanding oil and gas development will close off public land, damage beautiful places, and drown out the stars with light pollution.
There's a growing movement to try to sell off public land in the west. Some people in some western states are trying to get the federal government to give them federal land like BLM, national forest, and even national monuments! Then the states would presumably lease or sell that to energy companies. For example: https://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=42438150&title=utah-congressman-to-meet-with-trump-team-on-monuments-issue The problem is, once land is sold it's nearly impossible to ever get it back.
For some reason oil and gas companies love lights, and they seem to put lights that run 24/7 on everything, lighting the sky equally as much as the intended targets. It's a major problem in North Dakota. http://www.npr.org/2015/11/05/454341141/oil-boom-means-sky-watchers-hoping-for-starlight-just-get-stars-lite If you look at North Dakota on a dark sky map, it's brighter than many major cities, but few people live there! http://cires.colorado.edu/artificial-sky
The national parks and monuments that make up southeastern Utah protect one of the biggest and darkest dark sky areas in the continental US, as well as incredible landscapes, slot canyons, and geological formations. They include Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Goblin Valley state park, etc. Even the regular old BLM land that makes up most of the rest of that area is beautiful. There is so much public land in that area that you can basically hike or camp anywhere. If that gets sold off to private companies no one would be allowed to visit that land any more.
I'll work on finding small acts of political resistance to help my concerns, and I'll post them here if I find them.
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Posting to follow. As mentioned in another thread, last week I set up ongoing donations to the ACLU and planned parenthood.
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Following - and if you want another daily reminder, you can sign up at flippable.org for a daily email with a task - a lot of stuff focused on state and local races (today's was about a VA House Delegate special election, for example).
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I heard through social media that folks were donating to planned parenthood in honor of VP-elect Mike Pence. Made a small donation myself and had the notification sent to his office, as I knew he would appreciate it.
Link to his address - http://bit.ly/2gztDrx
That may be exactly what Pence wants: private funding for PP so the gov't can kill all public funding. :( Sorry to be a Debbie Downer.
Privately funded or (more likely) criminalized.
Either way, I figured they'd be needing the funds in the near future to resist the coming onslaught. States are already trying to pass laws banning abortion in the hopes that a more conservative SC will overturn Roe v. Wade. Blergh...
Blergh indeed. I'll add AAAGGGGHHHHEEEERRRRRGGGHHHHH! WTF!?!?!?
The ACLU is also a big player in the fight to protect reproductive rights.
List of cases: https://www.aclu.org/defending-our-rights/court-battles?topics=182
Rundown on public funding: https://www.aclu.org/other/public-funding-abortion
YummyRaisins, I donated in Pence's name when I first heard about it! A large amount. It felt good.
iris lily, this thread is focused on national politics and state-level when it ties into larger issues. For one thing, I don't know where everyone lives and what their issues are. If anyone wants to start a local activism/volunteering thread, that would be a great complement![\b]
Petitions are not going to be the primary method listed here. Direct contact to reps or businesses, as in the case with Breitbart ads, is preferred.
Its hard for me to see how my local issues, to name two hot buttons this week--crime and public housing--dont tie in to larger issues at the national level. Most things in my immediate neighborhood touch, in some way, a dollar or a policy originating in Washington D.C.
I think thats a valid thing to "fight against," the fingers of the feds and the state in local issues. Perhaps some people need to delve into local politics to see how deeply enmeshed the feds ARE at the wee level.
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I'm not sure what constitutes political action in the context of this thread.
I regularly participate in mobile patrol for my neighborhood, which pretty much means riding around i a car for two hours gossiping, as well as identifying street and alley lights that are out and reporting them as well as police presence and any oddities or situations of concern. It certainly taps into "fighting that must be done" since the onslaught of crime here is a rising tide.
I always wonder about those who think of Politics with a capital P as being only something at the national level. I also think that online petitions are laughibly ineffective.
The lowest level of political action in my city is at the neighborhood level. I am currently contemplating who I will support for Mayor and will get a sign for that candidate, once I decide.
Politics in my local area seems to consist mostly of unending attempts to first resist annexation by the city and then (when annexation happened) to fight for de-annexation. I truly do not care either way. Financially it appears to be a wash for people in my neighborhood. The other neighborhood involved in the de-annexation attempt primarily consists of extremely wealthy people for whom city taxes would be much higher than the cost of replacing city services with their own police force, trash collection and so forth. However, whenever they need a photogenic person put forward to the press as opposing annexation, they come to my neighborhood. Then one of my neighbors complains that "People say that this is about the rich avoiding taxes but look at my house. I'm not rich."
We have also been urged to organize against the horror of people painting their own house pink and of an apartment building being built nearby. Sometimes local politics are the pettiest kind of politics there are so I understand why people would want to deal with larger issues than these.
Once I FIRE I intend to devote some of my time to making my corner of the world a better place. In my mind I categorize things like a neighborhood watch or helping with the food bank or keeping the neighborhood's public areas beautiful as being a good citizen rather than as politics. I'm surprised that you think of the excellent work you do with the mobile patrol as political action.
Well, much of neighborhood business, but not all, is political as in political light. Just doing mobile patrol is a politically charged issue for reasons you can probably guess (cough cough George Zimmerman and etc) Community garden work is political, as in issues of land use in business development vs greenspace, social privelege and food security vs. poor neighbors, and etc.
There are multiple points of view for any one action, and working within that context is "political."
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Did the Breitbart thing! Also did the Sleeping Giants (https://twitter.com/slpng_giants) thing with one of their advertisers!
I heard back from the company I pinged, and they are blocking Breitbart from the sites their ads can appear on! The tiniest of victories, but its nice to have that immediate payoff sometimes. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs that little pick me up!
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More acts:
https://www.wall-of-us.org/ (https://www.wall-of-us.org)
-Has anyone contacted Vanguard? I honestly think that could help. They hold massive amounts of XOM.
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Posting to follow. Thanks MonkeyJenga and everyone else.
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I voted today in my local runoff election! I have no idea what the people I voted for do, but they were endorsed by the county Democrats, so I did my part to be a disciplined Democratic voter!
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IF YOU OWN VANGUARD ETFS with XOM in them (see below for partial list), please DON'T PANIC. Instead, do this:
Vanguard funds own > 5.7% of Exxon Mobil (com)
Call vanguard and tell them to demand management stop funding climate change denial campaigns. I'll post some informative resources tomorrow.
BE CLEAR - you are NOT asking them to divest. You are asking them to represent shareholders and influence management. Specifically you want management to STOP all climate change disinformation campaigns.
Ask for your fund manager, and request that they tell XOM management to stop funding disinformation organizations such as these: (http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/fight-misinformation/global-warming-skeptic.html#.WE4emKIrKb8)
- American Enterprise Institute (AEI received $3,615,000 from XOM from 1998-2012)
- Americans for Prosperity
- ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC received > $1.6 million from XOM 1998-2012)
- Beacon Hill Institute
- Cato Institute
- Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI received $2M from XOM '95-2012)
- Heartland Institute ($675k from XOM 97-'06)
- Heritage Foundation ($780k from XOM '01-'12)
- Institute for Energy Research
- Manhattan Institute for Policy Research ($635k XOM)
and these:
Donors Trust and Donors Advised Funds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donors_Trust)
Denial funding over time (source (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/planet3/PDFs/DonorsTrust.pdf)):
(http://i.imgur.com/2BJ65HLl.jpg)
Brush up on the NASA evidence website (http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/) and maybe throw in a factoid.
I'm not going to write up copypasta. I think heartfelt individual calls will be better.
Note: the image below lists some vanguard funds and XOM holdings % and amount. This is not a complete list.
Note: (I tried calling 4 times and got disconnected. I ended up emailing.. I received a letter back acknowledging my request. It didn't seem like an auto reply bot)
DON'T PANIC. But do call your vanguard fund managers.
There's about as much chance of this happening as my being drafted as a power forward by the San Antonio Spurs at age 53.
I invest in Vanguard TO MAKE MONEY, not support political windmill tilting.
I suspect that is what most Vanguard shareholders do.
Here's a better idea (and one that might actually work)- if you don't like Trump, NOMINATE A DECENT DEM CANDIDATE NEXT TIME! Someone that is not repugnant to a huge percentage of Americans, Republican, Dem, and otherwise.
And BTW, I suspect the Vanguard fund managers will either 1) ignore you as a crackpot or 2) ignore you as a clueless and completely inappropriate nut.
I didn't support Trump, but this stuff is just ridiculous.
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Demanding that XOM management act responsibly is not 'being a crackpot.'
I'm not asking them to sell a single share. I'm asking them to call out management on funding global warming denial propaganda.
Sure, the chance of this having any effect is small just from my phone call. But what if thousands of us call. Still - probably nothing. But what the hell. It's a phone call. Why are you getting your knickers in a knot over a two minute phone call?
I've noticed a trend in your posts, libertarian4321: you often rage against, "you dems" and, "liberal elites."
I've also noticed that in these posts, you feel obliged to explain that you're special, in that you are neither dem or GOP, or didn't vote for trump, etc. Here's the thing: everyone else is special too, and they have their own perspectives that don't necessarily map to your idea of 'dems' or 'liberal elites'. Not everyone who voted against Trump is a democrat. And not every democrat thinks identically. May I suggest focusing on the topic rather than slinging blame at libtard strawmen? Group attribution error hinders discussion and can blind you to nuance and alternate perspectives.
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The vegans of the political sphere.
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Here's a better idea (and one that might actually work)- if you don't like Trump, NOMINATE A DECENT DEM CANDIDATE NEXT TIME! Someone that is not repugnant to a huge percentage of Americans, Republican, Dem, and otherwise.
Certainly this line of reasoning should be leveled against all losing parties in the election . . . Libertarian, Green, and Democratic equally. If such terribly repugnant losers as Johnson, Stein, and Clinton hasn't been in the running things could have turned out quite differently. Given that Johnson and Stein didn't even come close to being elected anywhere that they ran because they (and their ideas) were so much less liked by the public than Clinton, I assume that you're heaping extra scorn on them.
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Here's a better idea (and one that might actually work)- if you don't like Trump, NOMINATE A DECENT DEM CANDIDATE NEXT TIME! Someone that is not repugnant to a huge percentage of Americans, Republican, Dem, and otherwise.
Certainly this line of reasoning should be leveled against all losing parties in the election . . . Libertarian, Green, and Democratic equally. If such terribly repugnant losers as Johnson, Stein, and Clinton hasn't been in the running things could have turned out quite differently. Given that Johnson and Stein didn't even come close to being elected anywhere that they ran because they (and their ideas) were so much less liked by the public than Clinton, I assume that you're heaping extra scorn on them.
I have to agree. Johnson was a ridiculously underqualified choice. Stein was not much better.
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Please do not let finger-pointing and arguments derail this thread. As previously mentioned, if anybody wants to start a new thread about the validity of these actions or who should've won or why, you are welcome to. I would like to keep the focus on actions and constructive advice.
Dec 14, 2016: fight trump’s scheme to prevent our march on washington (from wall of us)
1. Sign this that sends a letter to the Secretary of the Interior: http://www.justiceonline.org/nps_withdraw_the_omnibus_blocking_permit_and_release_the_public_lands_to_free_speech_assembly?
2. Tweet to:
Inauguration Committee Chair @TomBarrackJr
Inauguration Committee @TrumpInaugural
Inauguration Committee Deputy Director @alexstroman
Use these hashtags: #wallofus #permithogs #trampyourfeetagainsttrump
This link provides background on the issue: https://www.wall-of-us.org/weekly-acts-of-resistance/2016/12/10/action-1-fight-trumps-scheme-to-prevent-our-march-on-washington? On my phone, otherwise I would explain more. Short story is Trump is trying to block protests.
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Did the Breitbart thing! Also did the Sleeping Giants (https://twitter.com/slpng_giants) thing with one of their advertisers!
I heard back from the company I pinged, and they are blocking Breitbart from the sites their ads can appear on! The tiniest of victories, but its nice to have that immediate payoff sometimes. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs that little pick me up!
Go letired!
Iris lily, local issues are important! With this forum, though, we live in all different states and localities. I can't organize local issues across the country through this thread. Anything focused on my city would only be relevant to one or two other people. Do you have a suggestion on how to get around this?
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His recent cabinet pics are making VDE look like a good buy!
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Hi everyone! Glad to see people here.
Dec 11, 2016: Breitbart Google Ads
...
Posting to follow and to thank MonkeyJenga for the two items so far. I am looking forward to more.
I'll add that for the one above, my comment to google included how supporting breitbart does not align with their former code of conduct, "don't be evil."
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Did the Breitbart thing! Also did the Sleeping Giants (https://twitter.com/slpng_giants) thing with one of their advertisers!
I heard back from the company I pinged, and they are blocking Breitbart from the sites their ads can appear on! The tiniest of victories, but its nice to have that immediate payoff sometimes. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs that little pick me up!
Go letired!
Iris lily, local issues are important! With this forum, though, we live in all different states and localities. I can't organize local issues across the country through this thread. Anything focused on my city would only be relevant to one or two other people. Do you have a suggestion on how to get around this?
We have people living all over the globe. Although your ideas might not fit the problems I see around me, I can still get inspired by what you do, and find joy in sharing small wins we experience over here on the dark side.
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Following
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Following.
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Following.
Also, there will be peaceful protests at all 50 U.S. state capitals on December 19: http://www.december19.us/
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Since the election, I have:
Ordered some Christmas gifts from the national civil rights museum, including a black lives matter t shirt for myself,
Set up monthly donations to:
ACLU,
Clinton Foundation,
NPR/Pbs,
IRIS (local group that works to resettle Syrian refugees in Connecticut),
Attended a benefit dinner for NARAL (pro choice),
Renewed my ct NOW membership,
Attending NOW meeting this evening with a friend I made at the NARAL dinner,
Gotten bus tickets for march on DC in January,
Canceled donations to church which celebrated trump's victory,
Supported Stein's recount on grounds that it might irritate trump,
Set up subscription to the "failing New York Times ",
But I'm just getting started.
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jfhampt, rocking it! I recommend also subscribing to the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/?reload=true). They've been putting out some great investigative journalism.
Dec 15, 2016: North Carolina GOP Undermining Incoming Governor in Surprise Session (Reference (http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/15/505711907/n-c-republicans-move-to-limit-powers-of-incoming-democratic-governor))
1. Call Republican leadership in NC:
Senate Pro Tempore Phil Berger: 919-733-5708
House Speaker Tim Moore: 919-733-3451
Sample script: "Hello, my name is ____. I’m calling because I oppose the surprise special session and the legislation filed that attempts to undermine the will of the voters and the powers of the Governor. It’s an insult to voters, and it undermines faith in our democracy. It’s unacceptable that this is happening with such little transparency and at taxpayers’ expense. If there are valid reasons for reforms to take place, those should be heard in the regular session, when there is time for citizen input. Thank you."
2. Join a nation-wide Twitter campaign, exposing these undemocratic power-grabbing maneuvers. Below are some sample Tweets. Retweet anything with RiseNC or the hashtag #RespectOurVote
@NCGOP shamelessly proposed a new bill to undermine democracy at a late night special session tonight. We won't stand for it #RespectOurVote #ncpol #RiseNC #NCGA
@NCGOP delegitimizing the democratic process at special session tonight #RespectOurVote #ncpol #RiseNC #NCGA
We won't stand for this @NCGOP. Rise up North Carolina! This is what hijacking of democracy looks like #RespectOurVote #ncpol #RiseNC #NCGA
Laws written in secret with no debate or public comment are both illegal and undemocratic. Why the secrets, @NCGOP? #RespectOurVote #ncpol #RiseNC #NCGA
3. Donate to the NC NAACP (http://www.naacpnc.org/). They have been on the frontlines for years.
4. If you live in North Carolina or know anyone who does, get people to go protest in person!
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Thanks, monkeyjenga. I do like the Washington post, too. I decided to go with The NY Times since they're more local for me, and I get a kick out of reading it every time I see Trump tweet about the failing ny times. I do think subscriptions to one or both are also great gift ideas this Christmas. I like the suggestion about the NAACP, too. I just read this article ( my president was black - not specifically about the NAACP) and found it absolutely heartbreaking: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/508793/?client=safari
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I subscribed to the NY Times as well. They have great recipes!
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Thanks for starting this. Following
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Due to mention of NYT and WP, today I donated to The National Review. I am already a subscriber but they always are looking for donations.
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Dec 17, 2016: Win Hamilton tickets!
Donate $10 to Planned Parenthood and win a chance to get six Hamilton tickets, backstage tours, and free flights and hotels.
Larger donations get you guaranteed gifts in addition to more chances to win.
https://www.prizeo.com/prizes/lin-manuel-miranda/the-ultimate-hamilton-experience-as-a-guest-of?
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Posting to follow!
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Dec 18, 2016: Petition NBC to remove conflict of interest with Donald Trump
https://act.credoaction.com/sign/NBC_Trump?
Petitions are not always effective, but there is evidence that NBC responds to public pressure.
You cannot make this up. When "Celebrity Apprentice" returns to NBC in 2017, Donald Trump will still be executive producer of the show.
This is an unprecedented moment, where one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, Comcast/NBCUniversal, for all intents and purposes, will have a contractual arrangement with the president of the United States. It creates a clear conflict of interest that undermines the credibility of NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC and makes it impossible to trust that any reporting on Trump has not been impacted by this business entanglement.
NBC has a Trump problem that will only get worse once he is president. To maintain any credibility as a news organization, the network needs to cut its ties now.
In 2015, NBCUniversal cut ties with Trump’s Miss Universe pageant after he called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists when announcing his candidacy for president. Their statement read in part: “At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values. Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump.”5
At the time, NBC hedged its bets by saying it would continue its relationship with Mark Burnett’s United Artists Media Group, which licensed "The Apprentice." Unless it insists that Trump not remain an executive producer of one of its network’s flagship shows, NBC will be showing that it’s not only comfortable with a clear conflict around its news outlets, but with a clear conflict of its own professed values. It’s time for them to cut ties with Trump now.
Tell NBC: End your business relationship with Donald Trump.
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Following. Thanks for posting all these ideas, I've done them all. I do realize that one voice does not matter, but perhaps as someone else put it, maybe many voices WILL matter. I sent emails to both my NC state representatives in regards to the ridiculous power grab here (although that did no good) and have also posted on Jason Chaffetz's facebook page asking for him to look into Trump's conflicts of interest.
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Following. Thanks for posting all these ideas, I've done them all. I do realize that one voice does not matter, but perhaps as someone else put it, maybe many voices WILL matter. I sent emails to both my NC state representatives in regards to the ridiculous power grab here (although that did no good) and have also posted on Jason Chaffetz's facebook page asking for him to look into Trump's conflicts of interest.
As a resident of NC, how do you feel about a twitter campaign to affect an issue that is soley within your state?
Do you think out of state Twitterers have an ethical obligation to disclose they are not residents of NC?
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Following. Thanks for posting all these ideas, I've done them all. I do realize that one voice does not matter, but perhaps as someone else put it, maybe many voices WILL matter. I sent emails to both my NC state representatives in regards to the ridiculous power grab here (although that did no good) and have also posted on Jason Chaffetz's facebook page asking for him to look into Trump's conflicts of interest.
As a resident of NC, how do you feel about a twitter campaign to affect an issue that is soley within your state?
Do you think out of state Twitterers have an ethical obligation to disclose they are not residents of NC?
I have no issue with the first as I think success here just emboldens politicians in other states. I'd have to think hard about the second, but don't twitter accounts have a profile that discloses location? As an aside I did think about figuring twitter out and setting up an account just to see how fast I'd get blocked by @realdonaldtrump.
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I've talked to friends and acquaintances and discussed with them how they may be adversely affected by Trump's/Republican policies such as the repeal of the Affordable Health Care act as well as voucherizing Medicare.
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I've talked to friends and acquaintances and discussed with them how they may be adversely affected by Trump's/Republican policies such as the repeal of the Affordable Health Care act as well as voucherizing Medicare.
What did they say about repeal of the ACA? Do they have ACA coverage now?
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This is a long document, and I can only read a bit at a time, but I thought others on this thread might find it helpful. Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzOz3Y6D8g_MNXHNMJYAz1b41_cn535aU5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic# (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzOz3Y6D8g_MNXHNMJYAz1b41_cn535aU5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic#)
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This is a long document, and I can only read a bit at a time, but I thought others on this thread might find it helpful. Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzOz3Y6D8g_MNXHNMJYAz1b41_cn535aU5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic# (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzOz3Y6D8g_MNXHNMJYAz1b41_cn535aU5UsN7Lj8X8/mobilebasic#)
This is great! I am working my way through it. The Google doc was so popular they made a fancy schmancy website: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
Wall-of-us.org has it as part of their weekly actions: https://www.wall-of-us.org/weekly-acts-of-resistance/2016/12/16/action-3-develop-a-town-hall-strategy?
1. Read this guide. Yep, we are asking you to study - it will be worth it. The guide was prepared by former congressional staffers and reveals the tactics that strengthened the Tea Party. We will be using these strategies in our actions.
2. Pay particular attention to pages 10-13 (regarding forming local action groups) and 15-17 (regarding public town hall events).
3. Call your senators and representatives and find out when their next “town hall” or public events are and how they are scheduled. If the person answering doesn't know, ask to be added to the email list so you get notified.
4. If you are not a member of a local action group begin to think about a group 10 or so people you could assemble. More on that soon. If you prefer to fly solo, that is fine too.
I was on a podcast focusing on getting more women into elected office and why diversity of all kinds is key to developing better solutions.
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Hopping on the thread to mention a resource I just found and really like -- Daily Action, which texts you an action each morning, along with a link with supporting information and link to call your representative. It's all very simple and doable in whatever spare moment you have during the day.
Today's action is about calling your senators to encourage them to reject Rex Tillerson.
This article (also mentioned in the belesscrazy link above) has a compelling argument about why he needs to be rejected: https://medium.com/@AlexSteffen/trump-putin-and-the-pipelines-to-nowhere-742d745ce8fd#.fhc2w2mm0
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The vegans of the political sphere.
Hahaha, brilliant.
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I think we have largely kept this thread civil despite some differences in opinion. Please continue the Tillerson discussion elsewhere so we can focus on actions and constructive advice.
MOD NOTE: Some off topic & some rude posts removed. PM me with concerns. /END EDIT
Madgeylou, thanks for the Daily Action resource.
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Thanks for sharing this, Monkey Jenga! Trying to get myself motivated to do something, since feeling disheartened and overwhelmed.
One of the things I've been thinking about doing is trying to focus a little more. I have a bunch of FB groups that advocate this and that, and it's all too much. Need to read the pdf file and figure out how to best use my particular talents and likes to put forth good effort.
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Did my last Christmas gifting for this year. Here were my purchases:
Sister1 - donation to Planned Parenthood in her state
BIL1 - EarthJustice membership
Sister2 - Sierra Club membership
BIL2 - ACLU membership
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@LifeHappens: Great job on the Christmas "shopping"!
On December 19, DH and I protested in Sacramento, California for the electoral college vote.
Good reading here - an article on preparing for the upcoming regime change: http://billmoyers.com/story/list-anti-trump-liberals-progressives/
And for anyone who is planning on marching on January 21st, here is a link to the Pussyhat Project: https://www.pussyhatproject.com/
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Coming to this thread late but delighted to have found it. Thanks Monkeyjenga!!
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Here's an action that involves using your consumer power: the Grab Your Wallet boycott campaign. Quite a few mainstream companies (e.g., Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, Macy's, Nordstrom) carry products that are made by -- and line the pockets of -- Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump. This link takes you to a spreadsheet with information on the campaign and a list of companies to boycott: https://grabyourwallet.org/What%20We're%20About.html
If you've got seam coming out of your ears, go to Rage Donate where you can channel your anger by making a $10 contribution to charities that support decency and equality: https://www.ragedonate.com/
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Michael Moore suggests the following action:
WRITE TO THE DNC TONIGHT. It will take 5 minutes. Send a quick email to the Democratic National Committee (http://my.democrats.org/page/s/contact-the-democrats) and tell them you want them to elect Congressman Keith Ellison as the new chairperson of the Democratic Party. He is the future and everyone else is the past. Here's what the old guard gave us: TWICE in 16 years the Democratic candidate WON the vote for President but LOST the White House. Incredible! This has to stop! Ellison and the progressive wing of the party must take us forward. Keith has the backing of Bernie Sanders and myself, but also the endorsement of some of the old guard who've come around to see the error of past ways (Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, etc.). In addition to being born in Detroit, spending his adulthood as a community organizer and now representing the Twin Cities in the House, Ellison is also the only Muslim member of Congress. He was one of the few members of Congress brave enough to back Bernie. He will fight to turn this around and, as a son of the Midwest, bring that part of the country back from the dark side. Let's flood the DNC with emails tonight (and cc: the your state Democratic Party, too - you can look up their email address on Google).
I have mixed feelings about Mr. Moore, but he was one of the few Progressives to understand the real threat of Trump. I actually think his entire Facebook post is well-reasoned and helpful. https://www.facebook.com/mmflint/posts/10154046637756857 (https://www.facebook.com/mmflint/posts/10154046637756857)
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Well, while you are doing national issues, I'm currently fighting a federal Wildlife Refuge and could use some help.
I know it is counter intuitive to fight a Refuge. It has become a matter of civil rights and good governance.
1. Establishment of the Refuge requires a public comment period and public meetings. It was established in May but public comment period started in October.
2. EPA requires an up to date Enviromental Impact Assessment. Fish and wildlife says the 17 year old Assessment is perfectly acceptable. The river has been heavily damaged by sand over the years so a new Assessment is required.
3. There is no Land Protection Plan in place. It was supposed to be done fall 2015. It still is not done in December 2016.
You can contact your congressperson to hold them accountable.
I know you guys are mobilizing because you think Trump is fascism incarnate. This stuff was happening under Obama though. You guys getting active is great but you have to be even vigilant, not slack off when your party is in power.
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Well, while you are doing national issues, I'm currently fighting a federal Wildlife Refuge and could use some help.
I know it is counter intuitive to fight a Refuge. It has become a matter of civil rights and good governance.
What is the name of the refuge? Also, please link to sources about the abuses of process you've mentioned.
I know you guys are mobilizing because you think Trump is fascism incarnate. This stuff was happening under Obama though. You guys getting active is great but you have to be even vigilant, not slack off when your party is in power.
I agree all administrations need to be held accountable. Many of us on this thread have been politically active for a long time.
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Well, while you are doing national issues, I'm currently fighting a federal Wildlife Refuge and could use some help.
I know it is counter intuitive to fight a Refuge. It has become a matter of civil rights and good governance.
What is the name of the refuge? Also, please link to sources about the abuses of process you've mentioned.
The refuge is the Kankakee National Wildlife and conservation area.
This is a link to the forum thread I started about this subject.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/opposing-a-wildlife-refuge/msg1213644/#msg1213644
My source is the Illinois Farm Bureau.
https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/ILFB/Campaigns/48615/Respond
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Will the congressional democrats have an effective strategy
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This is billed as a Women's March, but even if I was a man I would still attend. The bottom of the page has links to the march pages for each state, it's not just Washington DC. My state, NC, has marches planned in Raleigh, Charlotte and Asheville. I truly hope the response to this is overwhelming, I'll be attending and bringing anyone I can to the one in Raleigh. Amusingly enough, there is a page for Canada.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT, National Organizers
On January 21, 2017 we will unite in Washington, DC for the Women’s March on Washington. We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families -- recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.
The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us--women, immigrants of all statuses, those with diverse religious faiths particularly Muslim, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native and Indigenous people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, the economically impoverished and survivors of sexual assault. We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear.
In the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, we join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore. The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.
We support the advocacy and resistance movements that reflect our multiple and intersecting identities. We call on all defenders of human rights to join us. This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all. HEAR OUR VOICE.
INDIVIDUAL STATE PAGES
Alabama:https://www.facebook.com/events/1846030275617393/
Alaska:https://www.facebook.com/events/1600783963561939/
Arizona: https://www.facebook.com/Womens-March-on-Washington-Arizona-279310659137657/?__mref=message_bubble
Arkansas: https://www.facebook.com/events/573400352869327/
California: https://www.facebook.com/womensmarchcalifornia/
Colorado: https://www.facebook.com/events/709610529214027
Connecticut: https://www.facebook.com/events/1792149314392756
Delaware: https://www.facebook.com/events/1291561980874839
Florida: https://www.facebook.com/events/692127054269714
Georgia: https://www.facebook.com/events/1217162705008126
Hawaii: https://www.facebook.com/events/211646899272952/
Idaho: https://www.facebook.com/events/322824721434231/
Illinois: https://www.facebook.com/events/1270986692942913/
Southern Illinois: https://www.facebook.com/events/1804138626469985/
Indiana: https://www.facebook.com/events/1204732789602412
Iowa: https://www.facebook.com/events/106027873213830/
Kansas: https://www.facebook.com/events/1801880063418556/
Kentucky: https://www.facebook.com/events/681571528669041/
Louisiana: https://www.facebook.com/events/1826803097594877/
Maine: https://www.facebook.com/events/1790176321230462
Maryland: https://www.facebook.com/events/350578258628372/
Massachusetts:!https://www.facebook.com/events/589686194556600
Michigan: https://www.facebook.com/events/698641643624141
Minnesota: https://www.facebook.com/events/1819878021589303/
Mississipi: https://www.facebook.com/events/323330188047841/
Missouri: https://www.facebook.com/events/102709433546450/
Montana: https://www.facebook.com/events/155258321610587/
Nebraska: https://www.facebook.com/events/770685966402508/
Nevada: https://www.facebook.com/events/353336878361427/
New Hampshire: https://www.facebook.com/events/555924031275302
New Jersey: https://www.facebook.com/events/644071919106389
New Mexico: https://www.facebook.com/events/220341795062534/
North Carolina: https://www.facebook.com/events/1205920736112709
North Dakota: https://www.facebook.com/events/241502762935609/
NYC-Downstate: https://www.facebook.com/events/320865168287826
NYC-Upstate/Hudston Valley: https://www.facebook.com/events/1227357017311119
New York/Western New York: https://www.facebook.com/events/1752801144983963/
Ohio: https://www.facebook.com/events/555657974634929
Oklahoma: https://www.facebook.com/events/1815192752098798/
Oregon: https://www.facebook.com/events/1421931004507822
Pennsylvania: https://www.facebook.com/events/200975297028010/
Rhode Island: https://www.facebook.com/events/1805228079699926
South Carolina: https://www.facebook.com/events/1736705676652541
South Dakota: https://www.facebook.com/events/1867099916909960/
Tennessee: https://www.facebook.com/events/934936929940773
Texas: https://www.facebook.com/events/619997428160922
Utah: https://www.facebook.com/events/1811012359168622
Vermont: https://www.facebook.com/events/1628519267445788
Virginia: https://www.facebook.com/events/236212980124973/
WashingtonState:https://www.facebook.com/events/1775078802708937
Washington, DC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/198007357318321
West Virginia: https://www.facebook.com/events/157132618088797
Wisconsin: https://www.facebook.com/events/208275672945652
Wyoming: Coming soon!
Pureto Rico : https://www.facebook.com/events/1911071355788419/
Canada: https://www.facebook.com/events/1624009594561437/
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^^i am attending this and bringing a friend
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Join wolf-PAC and contact your State legislature to support constitutional amendment to fix our privately funded two party system
http://www.wolf-pac.com/
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Finally following this thread.
My Christmas shopping this year included: two donations to Planned Parenthood on behalf of Mike Pence. (I don't think anything could galvanize him to hate that organization more, and I like to think of him getting those notices and going all squinty-eyed with anger. :) One donation to Doctors Without Borders. One donation to the ACLU. In return, we got one donation to an organization that helps fight world hunger, one donation to a group that gives toys and resources to kids, and a reciprocal donation to the ACLU.
I love my family.
Trying to figure out bigger actions for this coming year, and the years that follow. What am I willing to do, how far out of my comfort zone will I travel? I hate calling people, so calling my congress people seems daunting to me. I think that will be my first big step. I'm going to call and email and otherwise contact the people who are supposed to be representing me in government and tell them to oppose ALL of Trump's wretched cabinet picks. Filibuster the shit out of them.
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Other Westernized countries do not have the tradition and constitutional protection that our country has about free speech.
As I read about France's shocking bill to limit online information about abortion
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/patrick-goodenough/french-lawmakers-debating-bill-criminalize-online-pro-life-advocacy
and the U.K.'s movement to enact Extreme Disruption Orders that limit citizens in completely lawful actions
http://defendfreespeech.org.uk/what-are-edos/
and the conviction of Dutch politician Geert Wilders for asking his followers to comment on Muslim immigrants from Morocco, speech that was determined by judges to be "demeaning and therefore insulting"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/09/geert-wilders-found-guilty-in-hate-speech-trial-but-no-sentence-imposed
and a general sum of European climate on free speech
http://www.spiked-online.com/freespeechnow/fsn_article/the-european-assault-on-freedom-of-speech#.WGqKybROKf0
I wonder where these threats to free Western speech stop in Europe and in the
U.K. I dont want the U.S. to stand alone in supporting freedom from oppression of speech.
I sent Teresa May email asking her to stop enactment of
EDO's. How to reach No. 10 Downling
Street:
https://email.number10.gov.uk
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Thanks for this thread. I already set up monthly donations to nonprofits I believe in politically, and I get frequent e-mail requests to write to/call my representatives (which I do). I will act on some of these suggestions as well. :)
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Call your senators and reps - tell them that opposing net neutrality will make you fiercely oppose their reelection bid.
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Posting to follow (and take action)!
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Contributed to my senator's re-election campaign and purchased a couple of feminist message sweatshirts from my sister.org (some of the proceeds go to fight sex trafficking).
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Thanks for everyone's suggestions and actions! I took a break over the holidays but will resume semi-daily posting this week.
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Thanks for everyone's suggestions and actions! I took a break over the holidays but will resume semi-daily posting this week.
Presumably with suggestions to call your Reps about this move? http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/us/politics/with-no-warning-house-republicans-vote-to-hobble-independent-ethics-office.html
Full vote should be today - given that R leadership spoke out against it in conference, theoretically there's room to find folks who are highly dissatisfied with this move and willing to break rank to vote against it.
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Thanks for everyone's suggestions and actions! I took a break over the holidays but will resume semi-daily posting this week.
Presumably with suggestions to call your Reps about this move? http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/us/politics/with-no-warning-house-republicans-vote-to-hobble-independent-ethics-office.html
Full vote should be today - given that R leadership spoke out against it in conference, theoretically there's room to find folks who are highly dissatisfied with this move and willing to break rank to vote against it.
I don't buy that the R leadership is really against it. NOTHING gets voted on with the tacit approval of the Speaker. He could easily file a motion of discharge and then it would get dropped. He might have said "oh, no please don't vote on this" and then rubbed his hands in glee and watched it go forth and pass so he can claim to have been overruled.
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Jan 3, 2017: Office of Congressional Ethics
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/us/politics/with-no-warning-house-republicans-vote-to-hobble-independent-ethics-office.html
Congressional Republicans just took a secret vote to strip the Office of Congressional Ethics of many of its powers and put it under their supervision. This vote isn't final: it still has to pass on the House floor tomorrow as part of a rules package.
THIS IS WHERE WE COME IN. If your Member of Congress is a Republican, please call them in the morning. Ask: How did Rep X vote on the measure to strip the Office of Congressional Ethic of its authority? Press them (politely) if they refuse to answer, let them know this is important to you. And then: ASK them to vote down the rules package as a stand against corruption.
If you haven't already loaded your Congressmembers' phone numbers into your phone, look them up here: http://whoismyrepresentative.com/
Alternate Sample Script from Indivisible Austin (http://www.indivisibleaustin.com/take-action-now/sample-scripts/):
Calling our congressional representatives en masse is one of the hallmarks of the Indivisible guide and a proven strategy that worked for the Tea Party. When you call, be brief, respectful, and stick to a single topic. Here are some sample scripts to get you started.
The Gutting of the Office of Congressional Ethics
I’m calling about the effort to undermine the OCE known as the Goodlatte* Amendment. If the House dismantles its own ethics office, how can we trust that they have the spine to represent our interests under Trump, whose conflicts of interests present their own ethical dilemmas? As your constituent, I would like to know how you voted on this rule change.
*Pronounced “GUUD-lat”
If you don't have a Republican rep, but have friends who live in conservative areas, send this to them and request that they call TODAY! If you know their zip code and can provide their rep's contact info, even better. Post it on Facebook, tag specific people, and email anyone who might not check FB frequently.
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I called my Republican rep. Staffer cited 'secret ballot' as to why they couldn't tell me how he voted. I sent unimpressed tweet in the style of Orange Buffoon.
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My congressman is Democratic, but I called anyway just to express my concern about this and my support for him in opposing it. The staffer I spoke with seemed glad to hear from me -- she said that the Democrats are outraged about this, their team is getting a statement opposing this move together, and their phone hasn't stopped ringing. This all sounds like good news to me.
In other news, the folks who wrote the Indivisible guide are in the NY Times today -- fantastic exposure for them and for the resistance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/opinion/to-stop-trump-democrats-can-learn-from-the-tea-party.html
I've got a meeting with a bunch of other activists in my town this weekend to organize ourselves Indivisible-style. It's ON.
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My congressman is Democratic, but I called anyway just to express my concern about this and my support for him in opposing it. The staffer I spoke with seemed glad to hear from me -- she said that the Democrats are outraged about this, their team is getting a statement opposing this move together, and their phone hasn't stopped ringing. This all sounds like good news to me.
In other news, the folks who wrote the Indivisible guide are in the NY Times today -- fantastic exposure for them and for the resistance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/opinion/to-stop-trump-democrats-can-learn-from-the-tea-party.html
I've got a meeting with a bunch of other activists in my town this weekend to organize ourselves Indivisible-style. It's ON.
How did you find these other local activists in your town?
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My congressman is Democratic, but I called anyway just to express my concern about this and my support for him in opposing it. The staffer I spoke with seemed glad to hear from me -- she said that the Democrats are outraged about this, their team is getting a statement opposing this move together, and their phone hasn't stopped ringing. This all sounds like good news to me.
In other news, the folks who wrote the Indivisible guide are in the NY Times today -- fantastic exposure for them and for the resistance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/opinion/to-stop-trump-democrats-can-learn-from-the-tea-party.html
I've got a meeting with a bunch of other activists in my town this weekend to organize ourselves Indivisible-style. It's ON.
How did you find these other local activists in your town?
The day after the election, I did some googling and Facebook searching and decided to go to a meeting being held by SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice). From signing up with them and attending some events and meeting some folks, I got invited to this big meeting over the weekend.
I like SURJ because it's less old-hippie-style peace-and-love, and more Gen X/Millennial-style let's-mix-it-up. (Personal preference.) There's likely a chapter where you are. You can also check out other affinity groups. Around here there's a Peace and Justice institute, a group called Colorado 350 that's about climate change, LGBTQ organizations, etc.
So, I guess, just find an issue you care about and start going to meetings of that group. Most organizations are thrilled to have new folks involved and they will likely welcome you with open arms if you are willing to pitch in and do stuff.
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My congressman is Democratic, but I called anyway just to express my concern about this and my support for him in opposing it. The staffer I spoke with seemed glad to hear from me -- she said that the Democrats are outraged about this, their team is getting a statement opposing this move together, and their phone hasn't stopped ringing. This all sounds like good news to me.
In other news, the folks who wrote the Indivisible guide are in the NY Times today -- fantastic exposure for them and for the resistance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/opinion/to-stop-trump-democrats-can-learn-from-the-tea-party.html
I've got a meeting with a bunch of other activists in my town this weekend to organize ourselves Indivisible-style. It's ON.
How did you find these other local activists in your town?
The day after the election, I did some googling and Facebook searching and decided to go to a meeting being held by SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice). From signing up with them and attending some events and meeting some folks, I got invited to this big meeting over the weekend.
I like SURJ because it's less old-hippie-style peace-and-love, and more Gen X/Millennial-style let's-mix-it-up. (Personal preference.) There's likely a chapter where you are. You can also check out other affinity groups. Around here there's a Peace and Justice institute, a group called Colorado 350 that's about climate change, LGBTQ organizations, etc.
So, I guess, just find an issue you care about and start going to meetings of that group. Most organizations are thrilled to have new folks involved and they will likely welcome you with open arms if you are willing to pitch in and do stuff.
Thanks for this. You've propelled me to commit to attending a local SURJ meeting with this post.
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Apparently the calls (or Trump's tweets) worked: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/03/us/politics/trump-house-ethics-office.html
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My congressman is Democratic, but I called anyway just to express my concern about this and my support for him in opposing it. The staffer I spoke with seemed glad to hear from me -- she said that the Democrats are outraged about this, their team is getting a statement opposing this move together, and their phone hasn't stopped ringing. This all sounds like good news to me.
In other news, the folks who wrote the Indivisible guide are in the NY Times today -- fantastic exposure for them and for the resistance:
http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/02/opinion/to-stop-trump-democrats-can-learn-from-the-tea-party.html
I've got a meeting with a bunch of other activists in my town this weekend to organize ourselves Indivisible-style. It's ON.
How did you find these other local activists in your town?
The day after the election, I did some googling and Facebook searching and decided to go to a meeting being held by SURJ (Standing Up for Racial Justice). From signing up with them and attending some events and meeting some folks, I got invited to this big meeting over the weekend.
I like SURJ because it's less old-hippie-style peace-and-love, and more Gen X/Millennial-style let's-mix-it-up. (Personal preference.) There's likely a chapter where you are. You can also check out other affinity groups. Around here there's a Peace and Justice institute, a group called Colorado 350 that's about climate change, LGBTQ organizations, etc.
So, I guess, just find an issue you care about and start going to meetings of that group. Most organizations are thrilled to have new folks involved and they will likely welcome you with open arms if you are willing to pitch in and do stuff.
Thanks for this. You've propelled me to commit to attending a local SURJ meeting with this post.
Thanks! I've been to a NOW meeting and a NARAL dinner since the election so far...wasn't overly impressed with the now meeting, but I'll keep looking. Thanks for the ideas.
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Nice to hear you are checking out SURJ, Kris, and good luck finding a group you vibe with, jrhampt.
Just to be clear, I can be pretty critical of meetings/committees/etc. There are several reasons for this -- I don't like inefficiency, sometimes people just want to tell their whole life story, etc. Other times I'm just worked up and looking for an outlet and not in the mood to sit and hash out a bunch of things that seem really elementary to me. In short I can be very arrogant about such things :)
BUT! I'm really trying to put these feelings to the side so that I can connect with other activists, because the task we are facing is much more important than whether I'm feeling annoyed at inefficiency or not. I'm thinking about it as just a way to start, then hopefully opportunities to be more and more useful and connect with more and more like-minded people will appear from that.
Good luck finding your own good-enough way in!
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Nice to hear you are checking out SURJ, Kris, and good luck finding a group you vibe with, jrhampt.
Just to be clear, I can be pretty critical of meetings/committees/etc. There are several reasons for this -- I don't like inefficiency, sometimes people just want to tell their whole life story, etc. Other times I'm just worked up and looking for an outlet and not in the mood to sit and hash out a bunch of things that seem really elementary to me. In short I can be very arrogant about such things :)
BUT! I'm really trying to put these feelings to the side so that I can connect with other activists, because the task we are facing is much more important than whether I'm feeling annoyed at inefficiency or not. I'm thinking about it as just a way to start, then hopefully opportunities to be more and more useful and connect with more and more like-minded people will appear from that.
Good luck finding your own good-enough way in!
I feel the same way. I have "liked/followed" the local SURJ chapter for a few months now, but I have put off trying to go to a meeting precisely because my previous experiences with various organizations has made me kind of impatient in these same ways. Add to that that I'm an introvert and not much of a joiner, and there are lots of reasons that I have resisted participating in groups like this in the past. But I don't really feel like I have that luxury anymore.
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Nice to hear you are checking out SURJ, Kris, and good luck finding a group you vibe with, jrhampt.
Just to be clear, I can be pretty critical of meetings/committees/etc. There are several reasons for this -- I don't like inefficiency, sometimes people just want to tell their whole life story, etc. Other times I'm just worked up and looking for an outlet and not in the mood to sit and hash out a bunch of things that seem really elementary to me. In short I can be very arrogant about such things :)
BUT! I'm really trying to put these feelings to the side so that I can connect with other activists, because the task we are facing is much more important than whether I'm feeling annoyed at inefficiency or not. I'm thinking about it as just a way to start, then hopefully opportunities to be more and more useful and connect with more and more like-minded people will appear from that.
Good luck finding your own good-enough way in!
I feel the same way. I have "liked/followed" the local SURJ chapter for a few months now, but I have put off trying to go to a meeting precisely because my previous experiences with various organizations has made me kind of impatient in these same ways. Add to that that I'm an introvert and not much of a joiner, and there are lots of reasons that I have resisted participating in groups like this in the past. But I don't really feel like I have that luxury anymore.
I know exactly what you mean. I'm going to keep going and see what happens, but you're probably right that inefficiency and disorganization will ensue no matter what group it is, to some extent. And yes, being an introvert doesn't help much either.
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Following.
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From my clown / artist friend (yes really) :
Paul Ryan's office is conducting a phone poll, hoping to hear overwhelming opposition to the Affordable Care Act. Here's how you can participate:
Call 608-752-4050 to weigh in on the issue. YOU'LL FIRST HEAR A VERY LONG SILENCE BUT DON'T HANG UP. Press 2 to listen to a recording about the bill to repeal it, then press 1 to support continuing the Affordable Healthcare Act. It takes less than 2 minutes!
Copy, paste, pass it on!! (Apparently the reason for cutting and pasting instead of sharing has to do with FB and its algorithms.)
I checked this out on Snopes, and it's real. The Snopes page gives two different phone numbers for Ryan, but those numbers just state the mailboxes are full and not accepting new messages. The number above works for voting, though again, the mailbox is full so you can't leave Ryan a message. It has been busy much of the time, but try periodically.
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Any ideas for the upcoming congressional cabinet confirmation hearings?
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Any ideas for the upcoming congressional cabinet confirmation hearings?
I have a Republican senator who came out against Trump when the whole pussy-grabbing thing happened. Our state went blue in the election, so I am getting together with other folks I know to work on him hard. I'm going to call Senator Gardner every day and tell him that the cabinet officials are not qualified, they need to be vetted, and this process can't be rushed.
I'm following the Indivisible (https://www.indivisibleguide.com/) playbook -- contact your member of congress, go to their Town Hall meetings, request meetings with your activist group, ask them for specific things, let them know that you are paying attention, and make sure they understand you are communicating with other activists to oppose their re-election if your concerns aren't taken into account.
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Go madgeylou! And let us know what you end up doing, Miss Stachio!
Jan 9th, 2017: Make A Call to Flip Virginia Blue!
https://www.wall-of-us.org/weekly-acts-of-resistance/2017/1/7/action-2-help-virginias-senate-and-house-of-delegates-turn-blue-on-january-10th
There is a special election happening this Tuesday, January 10th for two seats in Virginia’s Senate and a seat in the House of Delegates.
There are currently 2 vacant seats up for grabs in the Virginia Senate comprised of 18 Democrats and 20 Republicans. One race is basically a lock for the Democrat, but the other-District 22-is a tougher race. By flipping District 22 from Republican to Democrat, Ryant Washington could alter the balance of the Virginia Senate.
The Virginia House of Delegates is also Republican controlled (65/34), and changing that will require great effort from Democrats over the next couple election cycles. We need to start working on it now. Cheryl Turpin is the Democratic candidate currently running for an open seat in the 85th District, which was just vacated by a Republican.
What can we do? The campaign managers for these two candidates worry that voters are fatigued and won’t vote. Special election turnout is also historically low. Democrats from all over the country have been stepping up and the campaigns are banking on volunteer phone bankers.
All-of-us must make sure that Virginia turns blue.
1. Volunteer for Ryant Washington, the Senate candidate. Here’s all the info to get started (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hTFelNUHYN7ZDIpI13-rA5t6rEtcMWjLDf5BO0x1iV8/edit), including phone bank links and scripts.
2. Volunteer for Cheryl Turpin, the House of Delegates candidate. Here’s all the info to get started (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XZ5FHZBGbJ1M3rRFDAu0DlXMzpT0Zh38Vp7G_BWKLxk/edit), including phone bank links and scripts.
Commit to making just three phone calls on Wednesday! I made a lot of calls for HRC, and it's easy with the script in front of you. If you're nervous, read through it a couple times beforehand. Don't worry about getting it perfect, though.
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Here is an important action for today.
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I'm hosting 6 strangers in my house for the March on Washington on Jan 21.
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I'm hosting 6 strangers in my house for the March on Washington on Jan 21.
that is great! A wonderful way to support free speech in America!
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I live on a military base so can't host, bit I have called and emailed my Senators (1D and 1R) about he confirmation process being rushed with ethical reviews. I would call about the ACA repeal but I secretly want that to happen so that people get what they voted for.
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I live on a military base so can't host, bit I have called and emailed my Senators (1D and 1R) about he confirmation process being rushed with ethical reviews. I would call about the ACA repeal but I secretly want that to happen so that people get what they voted for.
There are a lot of people who didn't vote for it who will get shafted too, tho :(
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Following... Just for the entertainment ;)
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Though lots like me can't afford to go to DC to march, we can join local demonstrations on Inauguration day. Right now I'm looking for babysitters so I can join the Manhattan march on Trump Tower.
I'm not generally politically active, and I've never been to a protest before, but I've never seen anything like Trump and his cronyism before. The whole situation is nuts.
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
Ths reminded me to send my Democratic Senator a "bad girl!" message that she voted against Rand Paul's balanced budget bill. i reminded her that, once agan, she voted against my interests.
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
Ths reminds nded me to send my Democratic Senator a "bad girl!" message that she voted against Rand Paul's balanced budget bill. i reminded her that, once agan, she voted against my interests.
I'm sure that will go over well.
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
Ths reminds nded me to send my Democratic Senator a "bad girl!" message that she voted against Rand Paul's balanced budget bill. i reminded her that, once agan, she voted against my interests.
I'm sure that will go over well.
From Monkey Jenga:
"...Please do not let finger-pointing and arguments derail this thread. As previously mentioned, if anybody wants to start a new thread about the validity of these actions or who should've won or why, you are welcome to. I would like to keep the focus on actions and constructive advice..."
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
Ths reminds nded me to send my Democratic Senator a "bad girl!" message that she voted against Rand Paul's balanced budget bill. i reminded her that, once agan, she voted against my interests.
I'm sure that will go over well.
From Monkey Jenga:
"...Please do not let finger-pointing and arguments derail this thread. As previously mentioned, if anybody wants to start a new thread about the validity of these actions or who should've won or why, you are welcome to. I would like to keep the focus on actions and constructive advice..."
mm-hmm. I will desist, and allow anyone on this thread who agrees that calling one's senator a "bad girl" is "constructive" to chime in.
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Please don't be fooled by Rex Tillerson. He has made a career of talking out of both sides of his mouth.
He is all for sanctions? So why did Exxon Mobil use a subsidiary to trade oil with Iran and Sudan in the 2000s (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/01/09/exxonmobil-and-iran-did-business-under-secretary-state-nominee-tillerson/96359776/)?
He's all for a carbon tax and says global warming is real? So then why, under his leadership, did Exxon Mobil spend tens of millions on global warming denial disinformation (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/planet3/PDFs/DonorsTrust.pdf)?
I'm putting this here, because if you watched his confirmation hearing, you may have gotten a favorable impression (esp in contrast to INCOMING ASSHAT in CHIEF). If you had previously intended to demand your reps oppose him, you may be having second thoughts. Don't. He's still an awful pick for SoS. He has a long history of saying what sounds good, and then doing things that are quite different.
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mm-hmm. I will desist, and allow anyone on this thread who agrees that calling one's senator a "bad girl" is "constructive" to chime in.
Hehe, sure its constructive... and will go over well ;)
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The DNC created a site for calling representatives. It is supposed to have updated scripts and a lookup tool for phone numbers.
https://makecalls.democrats.org
Ths reminds nded me to send my Democratic Senator a "bad girl!" message that she voted against Rand Paul's balanced budget bill. i reminded her that, once agan, she voted against my interests.
I'm sure that will go over well.
From Monkey Jenga:
"...Please do not let finger-pointing and arguments derail this thread. As previously mentioned, if anybody wants to start a new thread about the validity of these actions or who should've won or why, you are welcome to. I would like to keep the focus on actions and constructive advice..."
mm-hmm. I will desist, and allow anyone on this thread who agrees that calling one's senator a "bad girl" is "constructive" to chime in.
I didnt call her a "bad girl" in my message to her, I told her she didnt represent my interest.
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For those who are interested, here is a list of health care rallies taking place around the country on Sunday, January 15: http://heavy.com/news/2017/01/health-care-healthcare-rallies-protests-january-15-list-of-locations-city-state-time-how-to-join-attend-aca-obamacare-bernie-sanders-our-first-stand/
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This might be a really dumb question.... but can you call a senator or rep who doesn't personally represent you? All of mine are deep, deep blue, always agree with me on all the issues, and always vote accordingly. Sure, I could call to say thanks for supporting (whatever issue's on the table), but I guess that doesn't seem terribly productive?
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This might be a really dumb question.... but can you call a senator or rep who doesn't personally represent you? All of mine are deep, deep blue, always agree with me on all the issues, and always vote accordingly. Sure, I could call to say thanks for supporting (whatever issue's on the table), but I guess that doesn't seem terribly productive?
You can, but... it probably doesn't do much.
What you can do, though, is call your own reps and senators, anyway. You can thank them when they do a good thing, and more importantly, you can urge them to take even stronger stands, and lead the fight on issues instead of just voting the right way. That encourages less weak-kneed leadership. And the Dems have a really big problem with being weak-kneed.
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I wish I could go to the healthcare rally but I'm working.
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This might be a really dumb question.... but can you call a senator or rep who doesn't personally represent you? All of mine are deep, deep blue, always agree with me on all the issues, and always vote accordingly. Sure, I could call to say thanks for supporting (whatever issue's on the table), but I guess that doesn't seem terribly productive?
You can, but... it probably doesn't do much.
What you can do, though, is call your own reps and senators, anyway. You can thank them when they do a good thing, and more importantly, you can urge them to take even stronger stands, and lead the fight on issues instead of just voting the right way. That encourages less weak-kneed leadership. And the Dems have a really big problem with being weak-kneed.
My rep doesn't even get to vote, so what's the point?
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The healthcare rally in SF had a great turnout! I appreciated the feeling of unity. http://abc7news.com/health/thousands-gather-for-obamacare-rally-in-san-francisco/1704119/ (http://abc7news.com/health/thousands-gather-for-obamacare-rally-in-san-francisco/1704119/)
Please consider attending the Women's March or a sister march near you next Saturday, January 21. Here's where you can find nearby events: https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters
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The healthcare rally in SF had a great turnout! I appreciated the feeling of unity. http://abc7news.com/health/thousands-gather-for-obamacare-rally-in-san-francisco/1704119/ (http://abc7news.com/health/thousands-gather-for-obamacare-rally-in-san-francisco/1704119/)
Please consider attending the Women's March or a sister march near you next Saturday, January 21. Here's where you can find nearby events: https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters
I've registered and I'm going!! Have found some friends to go with, now just have to think about what to write on poster.
Here's the direct link to NYC march on the Trump Tower.
https://thehumanfirstsociety.org/
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I'll be going to a march in NYC!
Paul Ryan has reportedly stopped taking calls, stopped taking faxes, and stopped accepting office visitors with petitions.
Some folks are sending postcards and letters to his home address to tell him NO to defunding Planned Parenthood, NO to repealing Affordable Care Act, and NO to privatizing Medicare.
Paul Ryan
700 Saint Lawrence Ave
Janesville, WI
53545-4040
Also call your congressional representatives and senators! Even Democrats.
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Please consider attending the Women's March or a sister march near you next Saturday, January 21.
I did consider it, and there is one in Seattle: website = https://womxnsmarchseattle.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/press-release-womxns-march.pdf
I find myself in a quandary, though. You might have noticed the "womxn" terminology in the link. Here's their explanation of this choice:
The spelling of “Womxn’s March” has been adapted to highlight and promote intersectionality in the movement for civil right [sic, because I am a jerk] and equality. Intersectionality acknowledges that different forms of discrimination intersect, overlap, and reinforce each other, and recognizes the impact of discrimination based not only on gender, but also race, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, faith, class, disability, and other backgrounds.
I have a problem with this. I think women should be able to have a protest/march referencing women's issues, full stop. I do not understand why a women's event needs to fall all over itself to acknowledge that there are other forms of oppression. Of course there are other forms of oppression, but why is it women's job to make room for these To The Point That We're Not Even Allowed To Use The Word WOMEN? I know the answer. It's because women are expected to put everyone else's needs ahead of theirs. No one expects this of any other group. No one expects African-American activists to name their events "Blxck Lives Matter" and to reference sexual orientation and disability.*
This pisses me off enough that I don't want to participate. I'm willing to listen to arguments to the contrary.
MJ, sorry if this is off topic - I honestly wasn't sure. I'll remove it to my own journal if that would be better.
*I support the Black Lives Matter movement 100%. And, as such, I do not think they should have to involve other types of oppression in their movement. HINT.
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Please consider attending the Women's March or a sister march near you next Saturday, January 21.
I did consider it, and there is one in Seattle: website = https://womxnsmarchseattle.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/press-release-womxns-march.pdf
I find myself in a quandary, though. You might have noticed the "womxn" terminology in the link. Here's their explanation of this choice:
The spelling of “Womxn’s March” has been adapted to highlight and promote intersectionality in the movement for civil right [sic, because I am a jerk] and equality. Intersectionality acknowledges that different forms of discrimination intersect, overlap, and reinforce each other, and recognizes the impact of discrimination based not only on gender, but also race, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, faith, class, disability, and other backgrounds.
I have a problem with this. I think women should be able to have a protest/march referencing women's issues, full stop. I do not understand why a women's event needs to fall all over itself to acknowledge that there are other forms of oppression. Of course there are other forms of oppression, but why is it women's job to make room for these To The Point That We're Not Even Allowed To Use The Word WOMEN? I know the answer. It's because women are expected to put everyone else's needs ahead of theirs. No one expects this of any other group. No one expects African-American activists to name their events "Blxck Lives Matter" and to reference sexual orientation and disability.*
This pisses me off enough that I don't want to participate. I'm willing to listen to arguments to the contrary.
MJ, sorry if this is off topic - I honestly wasn't sure. I'll remove it to my own journal if that would be better.
*I support the Black Lives Matter movement 100%. And, as such, I do not think they should have to involve other types of oppression in their movement. HINT.
I think liberals are easy to make fun of when we do things like this (I'm talking about the women spelling, not about your conflict about whether to attend). I also think this election has brought up so many social justice issues that it's overwhelming people. For me, I think it's important enough to show up that I'm ignoring any in-fighting. If you want to show up and just focus on women's issues, then do that! Make your sign, wear your feminist slogan, march with your local planned parenthood or NOW chapter. I think division was partly what lost us the election, and we need to unite in opposition. No one's saying that gender equality isn't a huge impetus behind this march, but we want to encourage everyone to show up. They're also saying this isn't an explicitly anti-trump march, but for me it sure is. I'm okay with not agreeing with everything.
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I think liberals are easy to make fun of when we do things like this (I'm talking about the women spelling, not about your conflict about whether to attend). I also think this election has brought up so many social justice issues that it's overwhelming people. For me, I think it's important enough to show up that I'm ignoring any in-fighting. If you want to show up and just focus on women's issues, then do that! Make your sign, wear your feminist slogan, march with your local planned parenthood or NOW chapter. I think division was partly what lost us the election, and we need to unite in opposition. No one's saying that gender equality isn't a huge impetus behind this march, but we want to encourage everyone to show up. They're also saying this isn't an explicitly anti-trump march, but for me it sure is. I'm okay with not agreeing with everything.
+1. Now is not the time to argue with people who basically agree that all humans deserve rights. I understand your annoyance, Cressida, but if I could I would march regardless.
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Cressida, I'm annoyed by the wording too. Yet another instance of women having to defer to other groups, as if our complaints alone are not legitimate and reasonable and damn infuriating.
That being said, I'm still considering going. Not sure, though, as it would require getting going early in the morning (have been exhausted this week--so much that I think I'll actually drink a coffee today). BUT, I originally thought that another complication would be needing to find someone to watch the Demon Child, but now I'm wondering if it might not be better to bring her along. If nothing else, I want her to grow up seeing her mom Actually Do Stuff. I don't want to just talk about this, I want her to see me participating.
So, maybe we could talk each other into going?* And meeting up? If I go, I will definitely be wearing my "Notorious R.B.G." shirt.
I almost feel a responsibility to go on behalf of all the others who can't but would love to.
*Part of me is really hoping you'll say, "Nah. Maybe next time." :)
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SiX, you should go and bring DC. On one of my door knocking trips to Philly for HRC, one woman brought her young son along. That was cool, showing that even young kids can get involved. And that involved a two hour bus ride both ways!
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I think there are so many people who are angry about this election for so many different reasons and they all need an outlet. So why not invite everyone to join? This March is still being led entirely by women.
On another note, I just called my congresswoman and encouraged her to consider joining others in congress who are boycotting the inauguration.
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Cressida and SisX, have you read at all about "white feminism" -- i.e. the tendency of white feminists to think about the issues that impact *us* without considering issues that impact black women, disabled women, etc?
Like, when people say "women got the right to vote in 1920," well, nope, that's not even remotely true. White women were able to vote starting in 1920. Black women in Southern states didn't get to exercise that right until the Civil Rights movement. In this way, the experiences of black women have been erased from the feminist movement for a long time.
I see where you are coming from, but do you really think that intersectionality is about women deferring to other groups? I guess it's possible to read it that way, but I don't think that's what is intended or even really what is happening. I see it more as an understanding that all women are impacted by many issues, and the oppression that women suffer based on their gender is often multiplied by race, disability, poverty, etc. If any march for women didn't consider those issues, then there would be a lot of women who'd be left out.
It kind of reminds me of, just after the election, when a bunch of (mostly white dude) liberals were calling for an end to "identity politics" because they are "divisive." But if you look at the liberal platform, and you start taking out planks that apply to the various groups in our culture -- take out disability rights, take out reproductive health, take out Black Lives Matter, etc etc -- then you end up with a platform that is made up exclusively of things that everyone white dudes care about.
It's an example of the centering of white dude perspective that takes place every moment of every day in our culture. The white male perspective is the "default" one, it's the one that is meant when people say "issues that everybody cares about," and the rest of us are just "special interest groups."
My guess is that the organizers of this march are trying to avoid that happening to their platform. They don't want to center on only the issues that impact middle class white women. They want to include the concerns of *all* women, which means explicitly including disabled women, women of color, poor women, etc.
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Cressida and SisX, have you read at all about "white feminism" -- i.e. the tendency of white feminists to think about the issues that impact *us* without considering issues that impact black women, disabled women, etc?
Like, when people say "women got the right to vote in 1920," well, nope, that's not even remotely true. White women were able to vote starting in 1920. Black women in Southern states didn't get to exercise that right until the Civil Rights movement. In this way, the experiences of black women have been erased from the feminist movement for a long time.
I see where you are coming from, but do you really think that intersectionality is about women deferring to other groups? I guess it's possible to read it that way, but I don't think that's what is intended or even really what is happening. I see it more as an understanding that all women are impacted by many issues, and the oppression that women suffer based on their gender is often multiplied by race, disability, poverty, etc. If any march for women didn't consider those issues, then there would be a lot of women who'd be left out.
It kind of reminds me of, just after the election, when a bunch of (mostly white dude) liberals were calling for an end to "identity politics" because they are "divisive." But if you look at the liberal platform, and you start taking out planks that apply to the various groups in our culture -- take out disability rights, take out reproductive health, take out Black Lives Matter, etc etc -- then you end up with a platform that is made up exclusively of things that everyone white dudes care about.
It's an example of the centering of white dude perspective that takes place every moment of every day in our culture. The white male perspective is the "default" one, it's the one that is meant when people say "issues that everybody cares about," and the rest of us are just "special interest groups."
My guess is that the organizers of this march are trying to avoid that happening to their platform. They don't want to center on only the issues that impact middle class white women. They want to include the concerns of *all* women, which means explicitly including disabled women, women of color, poor women, etc.
I think this is well said. I would guess that most women of color wouldn't think that intersectionality is about women deferring to other groups.
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Cressida and SisX, have you read at all about "white feminism" -- i.e. the tendency of white feminists to think about the issues that impact *us* without considering issues that impact black women, disabled women, etc?
Like, when people say "women got the right to vote in 1920," well, nope, that's not even remotely true. White women were able to vote starting in 1920. Black women in Southern states didn't get to exercise that right until the Civil Rights movement. In this way, the experiences of black women have been erased from the feminist movement for a long time.
I see where you are coming from, but do you really think that intersectionality is about women deferring to other groups? I guess it's possible to read it that way, but I don't think that's what is intended or even really what is happening. I see it more as an understanding that all women are impacted by many issues, and the oppression that women suffer based on their gender is often multiplied by race, disability, poverty, etc. If any march for women didn't consider those issues, then there would be a lot of women who'd be left out.
It kind of reminds me of, just after the election, when a bunch of (mostly white dude) liberals were calling for an end to "identity politics" because they are "divisive." But if you look at the liberal platform, and you start taking out planks that apply to the various groups in our culture -- take out disability rights, take out reproductive health, take out Black Lives Matter, etc etc -- then you end up with a platform that is made up exclusively of things that everyone white dudes care about.
It's an example of the centering of white dude perspective that takes place every moment of every day in our culture. The white male perspective is the "default" one, it's the one that is meant when people say "issues that everybody cares about," and the rest of us are just "special interest groups."
My guess is that the organizers of this march are trying to avoid that happening to their platform. They don't want to center on only the issues that impact middle class white women. They want to include the concerns of *all* women, which means explicitly including disabled women, women of color, poor women, etc.
I think this is well said. I would guess that most women of color wouldn't think that intersectionality is about women deferring to other groups.
This is true, and an excellent point. I think my irritation is about the fact that "women's issues" doesn't already cover the issues for women of color and transgender women, etc. Those are women's issues, whether or not it's explicitly stated! Annoying that the blanket term is considered either too broad, too exclusive, or whatever. And yes, annoying as hell that the needs, opinions, and experiences of certain groups of women are regularly shunted aside. I just don't feel like a march about women's issues should have to explicitly state that it's about all women's issues, that should be a given.
Of course, this is also my opinion as a straight white middle-class woman.
The wording made it sound like this policy of inclusivity is about more than just non-white, not-straight women's issues but basically all issues that would be affected by Trump's presidency. That's great, and those issues really, really need attention. But I sort of feel like we're going to get into the problem of trying to cover too much and covering none of it really well. Civil rights marches worked in part because there was one big overarching issue which was being brought to the country's attention. They didn't focus on each individual right, but all of them together. I feel like when we break stuff down to the smallest possible section then it's much easier to dismiss.
I understand the need and desire to make all women feel included, but again that should be a given. The fact that it's not because of historical trends infuriates me. Of course these women are included because they are women, and their problems are a problem for all of us. Non-straight, white, CIS women, or poor women, don't, in my understanding, necessarily have specialized problems, it's more that the problems all women have are amplified. All women face workplace discrimination, but some more than others. All women fear rape, but some are more likely to experience it than others, etc. Feel free to tell me how I'm wrong about this, though, because it might just be me missing something and I'm open to that possibility.
I definitely don't want to be one of those idiots who's trying to patronizingly tell BLM protestors that "all lives matter", but in this case I feel like we have more in common than we have to specialize ourselves about. And having a rally of millions of women who are described merely as women rather than white women and women of color and Muslim women and trans-women is so much more powerful. We are an awesome group, and our diversity should be celebrated and the issues that that diversity faces should be considered thoughtfully and always. But, I also feel like we should focus on our similarities rather than our differences. We are all women, and what happens to other women affects us all no matter what sub-group of womanhood we claim. We need to raise each other up, not compartmentalize ourselves further. That just creates divides where I don't think there need to be any.
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Hi ladies! We're getting off track of the original purpose of this thread. Feel free to continue the discussion around the women's march in another thread.
Thanks.
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Hey SisX I think it's awesome that you are engaging with this -- it's important that we do this!
I understand the need and desire to make all women feel included, but again that should be a given. The fact that it's not because of historical trends infuriates me. Of course these women are included because they are women, and their problems are a problem for all of us. Non-straight, white, CIS women, or poor women, don't, in my understanding, necessarily have specialized problems, it's more that the problems all women have are amplified. All women face workplace discrimination, but some more than others. All women fear rape, but some are more likely to experience it than others, etc. Feel free to tell me how I'm wrong about this, though, because it might just be me missing something and I'm open to that possibility.
I definitely can't speak for women of color and other groups, but as someone who grew up quite poor (for America), I can attest to having a different set of a problems as a poor white woman (20 years ago) compared to what I face as a middle-class white woman (nowadays). Like, I can remember being treated like trash by a doctor when I was in school, and quite poor, until he realized that I went to a fancy college. Then he treated me awesome. That kind of thing never happens to me now that I present as middle class.
A few more examples: Sandra Bland faced problems that middle-class white women just don't face. Ever. Women in wheelchairs also face problems that able-bodied women have no idea about. Trans women -- especially trans women of color -- face INCREDIBLE amounts of random persecution and violence that just don't typically enter into a middle-of-the-road white woman's life. Muslim women face discrimination that I would have no way of knowing about unless I seek out their stories, unless I welcome their perspective into mine.
None of the oppressive systems we have operate in a vacuum -- they interact and multiply. None of them exist separate from each other in any way. It's not possible to say, well this bad treatment was because of sexism, this other bit was because of racism, and this other bit because of classism.
Past progressive movements, even when they were successful, still tended to exclude many perspectives. The suffragists ignored black feminists; the anti-war movement oppressed women terribly; the Civil Rights movement largely shut black women out of its leadership. Black Lives Matter is run by black women, who in my experience have the best understanding of how different forms of oppression intersect on individual lives, but even BLM has been criticized for paying more attention to police brutality against black men than black women.
All of this is to say that none of this is simple, but I believe it's worth struggling with, because, to me, the point of feminism is that everyone is basically OK, basically has what they need in this life. If we focus only on specifically what we think of as "women's issues" -- which I would maintain is mostly about "white women's issues" -- then we are leaving a lot of people out of our movement.
It seems counter-intuitive to some, but I truly believe that calling out all the different perspectives of women who face different challenges is the thing that makes our movement MORE inclusive. It's not divisive to say -- welcome, black women! Welcome, Muslim women! Welcome, disabled women, LGBT folks, Asian women, Latinas, everyone. It's not divisive to welcome people by name into the movement to liberate women. It's the opposite of divisive.
ETA:
Must've cross-posted with you, MJ. Happy to follow to another thread if anyone else wants to talk about this more.
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Hi ladies! We're getting off track of the original purpose of this thread. Feel free to continue the discussion around the women's march in another thread.
Thanks.
OK! My response is here. (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/antisocial-oversharing/msg1386429/#msg1386429) I don't necessarily want to continue the conversation there, but I thought a clarification was in order.
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I volunteered to make cookies for an anti-inaugural fundraiser event on the 20th that is raising money for Planned Parenthood, ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, etc. I wanted to do *something* this weekend since I can't go and march (for medical reasons). I am really bummed and having to restrain myself from going to the march anyway, because I know it would not turn out well for me.
I might try to go to De Blasio's rally tomorrow at Columbus Circle. (Is anyone else going?) I'm going to a fundraiser at 7:30 but the rally is at 6 so I could stop by...
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Posting in case you suggest actions for internationals
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Posting in case you suggest actions for internationals
If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll see a list of international sister marches!
https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters
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I do this one yearly for the last 4 years.
i own my house, no payments... but i still have to slave away for 3 weeks every year or someone with a gun will remove me from my property :(
(https://i.gyazo.com/2dc66df89c95185447640ff83775f6a8.png)
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When someone says we should pay more in taxes to "help each other" i now give them this....
https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/23779454
Anyone can donate money to the government according to many people government is best form of charity....
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I do this one yearly for the last 4 years.
i own my house, no payments... but i still have to slave away for 3 weeks every year or someone with a gun will remove me from my property :(
(https://i.gyazo.com/2dc66df89c95185447640ff83775f6a8.png)
Maybe they'll allow you to stop paying your property taxes, if you'll agree to start paying for the water, sewer, and roads that lead to and from your house yourself.
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I do this one yearly for the last 4 years.
i own my house, no payments... but i still have to slave away for 3 weeks every year or someone with a gun will remove me from my property :(
(https://i.gyazo.com/2dc66df89c95185447640ff83775f6a8.png)
Maybe they'll allow you to stop paying your property taxes, if you'll agree to start paying for the water, sewer, and roads that lead to and from your house yourself.
All those services are provided by the city run utility monopoly.
If i could, i would gladly accept the deal you just provided. Sadly i can't, if i tried someone would come into my house and lock me in a cage after a few years.
I like to keep wasted spending to to a very low number, even more so on services i do not wish to have. I mean it would be crazy if you HAD to buy 200 cable TV channels, or HAVE to buy a huge truck.
To me having to BUY EMS service, and power, and city water is just crazy. I prefer to not buy those services, but i have to :(
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It's the cost of living in civilization. Get over it and move on to real issues that matter.
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I do this one yearly for the last 4 years.
i own my house, no payments... but i still have to slave away for 3 weeks every year or someone with a gun will remove me from my property :(
(https://i.gyazo.com/2dc66df89c95185447640ff83775f6a8.png)
Maybe they'll allow you to stop paying your property taxes, if you'll agree to start paying for the water, sewer, and roads that lead to and from your house yourself.
All those services are provided by the city run utility monopoly.
If i could, i would gladly accept the deal you just provided. Sadly i can't, if i tried someone would come into my house and lock me in a cage after a few years.
I like to keep wasted spending to to a very low number, even more so on services i do not wish to have. I mean it would be crazy if you HAD to buy 200 cable TV channels, or HAVE to buy a huge truck.
To me having to BUY EMS service, and power, and city water is just crazy. I prefer to not buy those services, but i have to :(
This is a problem for the Tiny House Movement as well, but with sq. footage regulations/hookups originally meant to keep people from living in slums which now just help to drive these absurd housing bubbles.
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Here's an idea for an act of political resistance that doesn't require any significant physical energy and was started moments after the inauguration.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-release-donald-trumps-full-tax-returns-all-information-needed-verify-emoluments-clause-compliance
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Hey guys, this is getting off-topic.
Who is going to a march today? I'm going in NYC.
Some White House petitions that you can sign today, since most people are otherwise occupied:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/divest-or-put-blind-trust-all-presidents-business-and-financial-assets
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-release-donald-trumps-full-tax-returns-all-information-needed-verify-emoluments-clause-compliance
ETA: Great minds, Indio! I put the blind trust petition first, since the tax returns petition has already crossed the minimum needed for an official response.
Reminder that everyone can also easily share these on Facebook, Twitter, your personal journals, etc.
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Posting in case you suggest actions for internationals
If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll see a list of international sister marches!
https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters
Thank you for this: I found a "march" (a gathering on a local beach) very near me and will be going.
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Hey guys, this is getting off-topic.
Who is going to a march today? I'm going in NYC.
Some White House petitions that you can sign today, since most people are otherwise occupied:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/divest-or-put-blind-trust-all-presidents-business-and-financial-assets
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-release-donald-trumps-full-tax-returns-all-information-needed-verify-emoluments-clause-compliance
Thanks, MJ. Signed and shared.
I have a work conflict so I can't march today. I did sponsor a marcher to travel from my area to DC. Thank you to everyone who is marching today.
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The National Education Association has a petition to sign opposing Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. When you sign it also sends an email to your Senators. The site may also give you link to another petition opposing Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.
http://edadvocacy.nea.org/nea/app/write-a-letter?5&engagementId=264253 (http://edadvocacy.nea.org/nea/app/write-a-letter?5&engagementId=264253)
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Thanks for the petitions. I'll check if any are open globally when I get to a computer.
I am so proud of all the people around the world marching today. First thing I did when I got internet access was to look up the success and start public crying
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It's the cost of living in civilization. Get over it and move on to real issues that matter.
Agreed, like which bathroom someone can use.
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I went to my march today! We had a huge turnout! It was a fantastic experience, lots of amazing women and the folks who support them. I feel much more positive and energized for what needs to be done in the coming years.
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I went to my march today! We had a huge turnout! It was a fantastic experience, lots of amazing women and the folks who support them. I feel much more positive and energized for what needs to be done in the coming years.
:)
NYC was crazy. I couldn't get out through the main subway exit because so many people were trying to go through. And that was just underground! There were people on bridges and rooftops, inside second-story Barnes and Noble and Apple stores pressing signs against the windows.
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I went. I marched. So did the Demon Child. We had a sign (albeit a small one, since I'd forgotten that I gave away the stash of poster board I unearthed a while ago!). It took two hours just waiting for the bus, then another hour on the bus. We arrived in plenty of time for the first bus, but the transit center was more full than I've ever seen it! We passed the time by talking with a woman who was excited to be going to her first protest. She's 78. So many people commented on how multi-generational this was.
The energy was positive. People were excited and fired up, but in a good way. So many pink hats. I did not have one, but hoped to make up for it by wearing my Notorious RBG shirt, my grandmother's Navy jacket, and my Harley Quinn underwear.*
It was a great march, but I know it was symbolic. Wanting to do more. Signed those petitions, and still wanting to do more.
*The world had better watch. out. the day I decide I need to wear both my Harley Quinn underwear and my shark socks.
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It was a great march, but I know it was symbolic. Wanting to do more. Signed those petitions, and still wanting to do more.
Ahem.
RUN FOR OFFICE. YES, YOU.
“Resistance to Trump cannot and should not be led by a political class that proved too ineffectual and too complacent to stop his rise. The Republican Party cannot be impeached, reasoned, shamed, or mocked out of existence. The Democrats may put forward a candidate capable of winning the presidency in 2020. They will never put forward a candidate capable of fully undoing the damage we will see done to the country or of advancing left-of-center priorities in the coming years alone. If you are angry, you are needed. Your voices must be heard. Your talents are demanded. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Don’t despair. Don’t boo. Run.”
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2017/01/how_to_run_for_office.html
Collection of resources for people running for office. Candidate trainings, books, campaign services and software (like a door-knocking app that optimizes routes). http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/01/a_guide_to_resources_for_running_for_office.html
Free online training for Democrats, if you’re already running for a specific race: http://www.traindemocrats.org/
I Ran for Office and Won: Four first-time candidates explain how. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/01/i_ran_for_office_and_won_here_s_how.html
Salary information for state legislatures: https://ballotpedia.org/Comparison_of_state_legislative_salaries
Even if elected office isn't your thing, you can:
Join an Indivisible group. Facebook link here, they can direct you to a more specific sub-group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/245141049251070/
Encourage other people to run. Women in particular tend to think they're not qualified, but will consider it if someone recommends them. Women win elections at the same rates as men! She Should Run lets you directly ask a woman to run for office: http://www.sheshouldrun.org/ask_a_woman_to_run_for_office
Donate! ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NRDC, Southern Poverty Law Center, NAACP, the list of organizations that need help right now is endless.
Find a local group, or a chapter of one of the above orgs, to volunteer with.
Follow the Small Daily Acts thread: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-resistance/
Find action items to add to the above thread! Include clear instructions and a script.
If you prefer daily/weekly action items emailed to you, sign up with one of these sites:
www.flippable.org
www.wall-of-us.or
(YES I KNOW RUNNING FOR OFFICE ISN'T A SMALL DAILY ACT.)
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
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Just found this great idea. Following! Thanks MJ!
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Not sure this falls under resistance specifically but it is action. Here is a link from yesterday's march
https://www.womensmarch.com/100/
If you would like to call your elected officials in Washington, DC (202) 224-3121
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An additional way to get involved:
Introduce a local anti-corruption act. The group Represent Us won its first state-wide victory in 2016, with South Dakota passing the Government Accountability and Anti-Corruption Act, a measure that will increase transparency and accountability. There have also been local wins in cities in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepresentUs/?pnref=about.overview
Volunteer: http://volunteer.represent.us/
Recent Wins: https://represent.us/our-wins/
Not sure this falls under resistance specifically but it is action. Here is a link from yesterday's march
https://www.womensmarch.com/100/
If you would like to call your elected officials in Washington, DC (202) 224-3121
Action is resistance!
Hi fallstoclimb!
Pooperman, it's a shame there aren't 30,000 of you! For anyone who doesn't know, this guy started TWO Indivisible groups, and is going to run for office in North Carolina. All while being an introvert.
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Introduce a local anti-corruption act.
I was thinking about something similar when reading about the new fiduciary rule for investment advisers. Basically it binds them into doing what is best for their client (thus barring them from recommending what will make them the biggest commissions). What if we got a similar rule/law passed for our legislatures?
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Introduce a local anti-corruption act.
I was thinking about something similar when reading about the new fiduciary rule for investment advisers. Basically it binds them into doing what is best for their client (thus barring them from recommending what will make them the biggest commissions). What if we got a similar rule/law passed for our legislatures?
Why do you think legislators currently DO NOT take action for the "best" of their constituents? Just because you disagree with it?
I often disagree with the actions of my Democratic senator, but I bet you would agree with them ?it is called politics. We as a body politic cannot agree on a basic set of measures to define " best" so your proposal seems naive to me.
Now I suppose the OP will be along to tell us to stop talking and get back to topc.
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Introduce a local anti-corruption act.
I was thinking about something similar when reading about the new fiduciary rule for investment advisers. Basically it binds them into doing what is best for their client (thus barring them from recommending what will make them the biggest commissions). What if we got a similar rule/law passed for our legislatures?
Why do you think legislators currently DO NOT take action for the "best" of their constituents? Just because you disagree with it?
I think a lot of legislators take action based on
1. What is best for them personally
2. What is best for their wealthy and/or corporate donors
3. What is most likely to get them rewarded by higher-ups in the party
etc.
Not what is best for their constituents.
There is a real world out there, with real facts, and real consequences. Some things are true and some are not. Some things are right and some are wrong. It's not a football game where you're rooting for your team to win and there are no real consequences.
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Introduce a local anti-corruption act.
I was thinking about something similar when reading about the new fiduciary rule for investment advisers. Basically it binds them into doing what is best for their client (thus barring them from recommending what will make them the biggest commissions). What if we got a similar rule/law passed for our legislatures?
Why do you think legislators currently DO NOT take action for the "best" of their constituents? Just because you disagree with it?
I think a lot of legislators take action based on
1. What is best for them personally
2. What is best for their wealthy and/or corporate donors
3. What is most likely to get them rewarded by higher-ups in the party
etc.
Not what is best for their constituents.
There is a real world out there, with real facts, and real consequences. Some things are true and some are not. Some things are right and some are wrong. It's not a football game where you're rooting for your team to win and there are no real consequences.
Ok, take for example the Right To Work lssue bubbling in our state. It basically relieves workers in union shops from paying union dues. Studies on both sides of the issue demonstrate their side benefits the most workers. When we cant agree on a basic measure or fact, how can we expect the legislator to choose the best course to benefit The People?
In my city as in others, public funding of sports stAdiums is a big issue. Studies show people benefit from these stadiums. To what extent? What is the bottom line economic proof that this is worth tax dollars? There is no single study, various studies show various results. Again, no clear path for the politician to define what is best for his monolithic constituent.
You must have a clear opinion on NAFTA. Is it clearly right or wrong?
What about the Dakota pipeline, right or wrong?
You must have a clear opinion on illegal immigration. right, or wrong?
I distrust opinions that claim to benefit all people or even The People. They seem to me to benefit some but people not all, and that is inevitable in any political action. Inevitable. Not sneaky or self serving.
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We have weekends, workplace safety standards, child labor laws, healthcare, and the family leave act largely because of unions. I think it's pretty clear that from a broad perspective, they have been a net good influence on America and the world. Shit, when people are all like "man, we need to go back to when someone with a manufacturing job could support a family," how do we think that happened? IT WAS UNIONS.
The issues you are talking about are all complex. That doesn't mean that there isn't any way to measure what worked and what didn't, and make decisions on that basis.
Progressives tend to want to make those decisions based on the number and relative wealth of the people being served. We want more people, who currently have less, to end up with more. Republicans -- at least many/most of the ones in office now -- seem to want to make those decisions based on people who have a lot currently being able to keep it and/or get more.
The administration right now CLEARLY wants to strip the government down for parts and line their pockets. I mean, most politicians do this to some extent, but this administration is really taking it to a new level.
That's why we need to stay informed and call our representatives every single day to let them know that we are not down with kleptocracy.
(Tried to get it back on topic for ya there, MJ!)
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I think everybody needs to look to the left, to the right, and at themselves and ask, "who would make a good public servant?"
If you know somebody whom you think shows great leadership potential-- smart, successful, and socially responsible-- plant that seed.
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Appreciating the remarks of IrisLily, DollarSlice and Madgeylou that address DollarSlice's suggestion for an anti-corruption act to require legislators to legislate in their constituents' interest.
If anyone wants to further discuss the implications of this proposal, I invite you to carry them to the new Politics Octagon thread. I created that as a place to have wider discussions outside of a focused thread. Will try to keep my own views on DollarSlice's proposal to that thread if anyone goes there.
No idea if this helpful, just making the offer. I like the focused nature of this thread and want to preserve it. Carry on.
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After we'd been marching in the Portland rain for awhile yesterday. The whole thing was fantastic!
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Aw jeez, y'all are so cute I almost can't stand it :D
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Anyone with an hour to spare right now can listen in on a call hosted by MoveOn.org and Indivisible.
You can listen to the call via webstream starting at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT) today at this link: https://video.teleforumonline.com/video/streaming.php?client=13043
Or by dialing 855-808-5137 PIN: 113043 at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT) today.
For the slideshow: https://act.moveon.org/survey/indivisible/
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@MonkeyJenga: Thank you for posting the info about the MoveOn.org and Indivisible webinar. I'm not seeing the slides, but I received an email from them saying that this video summarizes their plan: https://www.facebook.com/moveon/videos/10154081946905493/
Really excited to report that a neighbor has started a grassroots activist group! First meeting is next month.
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Awesome, llorona! Let us know how the meeting goes.
Groups are organizing for #ResistTrumpTuesdays. This Tuesday, Jan 24, there are events all across the country to pressure Senators to reject Trump's Cabinet picks. The NY event is during lunch to give the most people the option to attend, which is probably true in many places.
Go here to find a local event: https://act.moveon.org/event/stop_trumps_swamp_cabinet/search/
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Just found this: https://swingleft.org/. Not sure if it's been posted before.
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11,000 marched on Saturday in the relatively small city of Ann Arbor.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/01/more_than_6000_flood_streets_o.html
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quick question: My wife has been trying to call Paul Ryan's office all day. Every time she gets an immediate "This call cannot be completed." Is that because his phones are swamped or some other reason? She has the correct number.
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quick question: My wife has been trying to call Paul Ryan's office all day. Every time she gets an immediate "This call cannot be completed." Is that because his phones are swamped or some other reason? She has the correct number.
Looks like Paul Ryan still doesn't want to let his constituents' voices be heard. From the 16th:
I'll be going to a march in NYC!
Paul Ryan has reportedly stopped taking calls, stopped taking faxes, and stopped accepting office visitors with petitions.
Some folks are sending postcards and letters to his home address to tell him NO to defunding Planned Parenthood, NO to repealing Affordable Care Act, and NO to privatizing Medicare.
Paul Ryan
700 Saint Lawrence Ave
Janesville, WI
53545-4040
Also call your congressional representatives and senators! Even Democrats.
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Call Ur Senator and ask them not to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education.
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/01/20/the-ethics-review-for-trumps-education-pick-betsy-devos-is-complete-clearing-the-way-for-a-confirmation-vote/?utm_term=.a4982065c3ea (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/01/20/the-ethics-review-for-trumps-education-pick-betsy-devos-is-complete-clearing-the-way-for-a-confirmation-vote/?utm_term=.a4982065c3ea) Her ethics vetting is not yet complete
2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/01/19/from-start-to-finish-the-devos-education-confirmation-hearing-was-rather-remarkable/?utm_term=.7fc0d509c596 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/01/19/from-start-to-finish-the-devos-education-confirmation-hearing-was-rather-remarkable/?utm_term=.7fc0d509c596) She refuses to support equal accountability for any school receiving Federal Funding (like, religious schools and charters). Not a great use of our tax dollars.
3. (Same ref as 2) She also seems unclear about Federal Civil Rights laws requiring schools to serve students with disabilities.
Your phone call may differ, I went with
Senator, my name is $$$, and I'm a constituent of yours from %%%. I'm calling to urge you not to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. Her ethics assessment is incomplete, she doesn't agree that all schools receiving taxpayer funds should be held accountable to the same performance and assessment standards, and she doesn't seem to understand or support civil rights laws regarding the requirement for schools to serve students with disabilities. Please vote NO on confirming Betsy DeVos.
PS: How do I make a pretty link?
Edited for typos, darn it!
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Gerrymandering has clearly been used to disenfranchise groups of voters. Although the next redistricting will only happen in 2020, it might be worthwhile to add some long-view resistance projects to the list.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/news/2016/10/19/146484/redistricting-and-representation-in-the-2016-elections-and-beyond/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/10/17/1583498/-President-Obama-and-former-Attorney-General-Eric-Holder-set-to-lead-the-fight-against-gerrymandering
http://redistricting.lls.edu/who.php
http://reclaimtheamericandream.org/organizations-gerrymander/
http://www.endgerrymandering.com/
http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-continues-fight-maryland-gerrymandering-us-supreme-court/
https://www.facingsouth.org/2016/01/winning-the-fight-against-gerrymandering-in-the-so.html
http://endgerrymanderingnow.org/
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When someone says we should pay more in taxes to "help each other" i now give them this....
There's charity, and then there's charity at gunpoint. One is admirable and the other is just doing what you have to do to avoid prison.
"knock knock... hello I'm taking donations for the Red Cross, would you like to contribute? Oh great thank you for the $20!"
vs.
::kicks down door:: "GIVE ME MONEY FOR THE RED CROSS OR I'LL SHOOT YOU"
I don't think one gets moral credit for forcing other people to "donate" via taxation, or using the government as a proxy to do the same.
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PS: How do I make a pretty link?
The easiest way is to quote a "pretty" link someone else has posted and you'll see the code.
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PS: How do I make a pretty link?
The easiest way is to quote a "pretty" link someone else has posted and you'll see the code.
[ url = http://google.com ] I'm a pretty link! [ / url ]
^^ Take out all the spaces between the square brackets and you're good! Replace the webpage and title as you see fit. :)
I'm a pretty link! (http://google.com)
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PS: How do I make a pretty link?
The easiest way is to quote a "pretty" link someone else has posted and you'll see the code.
[ url = http://google.com ] I'm a pretty link! [ / url ]
^^ Take out all the spaces between the square brackets and you're good! Replace the webpage and title as you see fit. :)
I'm a pretty link! (http://google.com)
Thanks so much! I promise the next one will look nicer!
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
I'm impressed! What district and seat are you running for? I'm in Raleigh.
I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
I also signed the whitehouse.gov release Trump's tax return petition, but I truly think no matter how high the number gets the only way we'd see his tax return is if someone leaks it to Wikileaks.
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I do this one yearly for the last 4 years.
i own my house, no payments... but i still have to slave away for 3 weeks every year or someone with a gun will remove me from my property :(
(https://i.gyazo.com/2dc66df89c95185447640ff83775f6a8.png)
Maybe they'll allow you to stop paying your property taxes, if you'll agree to start paying for the water, sewer, and roads that lead to and from your house yourself.
All those services are provided by the city run utility monopoly.
If i could, i would gladly accept the deal you just provided. Sadly i can't, if i tried someone would come into my house and lock me in a cage after a few years.
I like to keep wasted spending to to a very low number, even more so on services i do not wish to have. I mean it would be crazy if you HAD to buy 200 cable TV channels, or HAVE to buy a huge truck.
To me having to BUY EMS service, and power, and city water is just crazy. I prefer to not buy those services, but i have to :(
Glenallan, Alaska is in our "Unincorporated borough" and has no property taxes or any other taxes. Come on up!
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PS: How do I make a pretty link?
The easiest way is to quote a "pretty" link someone else has posted and you'll see the code.
[ url = http://google.com ] I'm a pretty link! [ / url ]
^^ Take out all the spaces between the square brackets and you're good! Replace the webpage and title as you see fit. :)
I'm a pretty link! (http://google.com)
Much easier to do when I'm not on my phone! Thanks letired!
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I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
Great idea to get the town hall schedule!
This site doesn't have descriptions of each bill, but it has summaries of positions on key issues and ratings by interest groups. You can also see where their funding comes from and view their speeches.
http://votesmart.org/
Thanks for making me go look. I now know that the top contributor to my Rep is a jewelry store. Huh.
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
I'm impressed! What district and seat are you running for? I'm in Raleigh.
I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
I also signed the whitehouse.gov release Trump's tax return petition, but I truly think no matter how high the number gets the only way we'd see his tax return is if someone leaks it to Wikileaks.
Join the 4th District Indivisible group that I run. Lots of ways to take action now and in the future. Tomorrow, we're meeting at noon to say hi to Thom Tillis at his office in Raleigh.
I am not running for a seat yet, but I'm figuring out how to get that rolling. I've emailed some of the local leaders in the party to see what I'll need to do.
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INDIVISIBLE GUIDELINES FOR VISITING YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES
- ****RECORD EVERYTHING. If you do nothing else, do this one.
- Record the actual interaction. Record the attempt to see them. If you are prevented from seeing them, record it. Stream on Facebook Live. Take photos. If it's not recorded, it didn't happen.
- LIVE-TWEET.
- Tweet and post progress on FB while you're there.
- ***GET MEDIA COVERAGE.
- Get a local news outlet to go with you. If that's not possible, get coverage after the fact by sending out the story. (See #4)
- REPORT OUT AFTER.
- Write up a report with some pull quotes, pictures, and short clips. Send that to reporters, bloggers, and activist groups. If you didn't get to speak with anyone, make the story about shaming them for avoiding their constituents on this Very Important Issue.
- PERSONAL STORIES.
- Have personal stories prepared about how the issues affect you. If there will be reporters, get a couple people prepped to speak with them.
- ONE SIMPLE ASK.
- Have one actionable ask for them. That should be the primary, if not the only message. Ex: "Vote No on DeVos and Sessions." "Do not repeal the ACA." Priority goes to time-sensitive issues. Giving a laundry list of issues dilutes the message and makes it easier to get ignored.
- DO NOT BE IGNORED.
- Staffers will try to get rid of you or pawn you off on an intern. You are there to speak with your rep. If the rep isn't there, then find someone with authority to give you 5 minutes.
- ASSIGN ROLES. (Sexy, I know.)
- One person should know they're the recorder, another the tweeter, two others the stories for reporters.
- PREPARE.
- Plan out how the interaction with the rep is going to go. Who speaks first, what everyone says, etc.
- CHEAT SHEET.
- Have print-outs that reiterate your ask and have pull quotes/personal stories. Pass out copies to staffers, reps, and journalists. Include contact info.
Feel free to share this on your own journals, on FB, or directly with anyone you know is getting active. Or share the Indivisible Guide (https://www.indivisibleguide.com/).
This is especially timely today, since there are coordinated #ResistTrumpTuesdays protests/visits happening across the country. Today is focused n resisting Trump's Cabinet picks. Hundreds of people are set to show up in the rain at Schumer and Gillibrand's offices in NYC.
To join a group during your lunch break: www.moveon.org/jan24
If you cannot go in person today, call your senators (https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/) and tell them not to confirm Trump's Swamp Cabinet.
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Thank you so much, MonkeyJenga.
I'm chained to the house today, but at least I will be inputting names and contact info from petition signatures that I collected for MoveToAmend (https://movetoamend.org/) during the march, and also answering emails from some nice people I met during the march. Networking is good.
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Indivisible Raleigh today:
(http://i.imgur.com/IvhNDQ2.jpg)
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+1000
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
I'm impressed! What district and seat are you running for? I'm in Raleigh.
I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
I also signed the whitehouse.gov release Trump's tax return petition, but I truly think no matter how high the number gets the only way we'd see his tax return is if someone leaks it to Wikileaks.
Join the 4th District Indivisible group that I run. Lots of ways to take action now and in the future. Tomorrow, we're meeting at noon to say hi to Thom Tillis at his office in Raleigh.
I am not running for a seat yet, but I'm figuring out how to get that rolling. I've emailed some of the local leaders in the party to see what I'll need to do.
Thanks, I'm right next door in the 2nd District. I joined the 2nd District Indivisible group, but will keep your group in mind. Also got invited to join GASP.
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
I'm impressed! What district and seat are you running for? I'm in Raleigh.
I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
I also signed the whitehouse.gov release Trump's tax return petition, but I truly think no matter how high the number gets the only way we'd see his tax return is if someone leaks it to Wikileaks.
Join the 4th District Indivisible group that I run. Lots of ways to take action now and in the future. Tomorrow, we're meeting at noon to say hi to Thom Tillis at his office in Raleigh.
I am not running for a seat yet, but I'm figuring out how to get that rolling. I've emailed some of the local leaders in the party to see what I'll need to do.
Thanks, I'm right next door in the 2nd District. I joined the 2nd District Indivisible group, but will keep your group in mind. Also got invited to join GASP.
I run the 2nd district, too, so welcome :).
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FEEDBACK REQUESTED
Soliciting hive mind input on my journal about what to name an off-forum site. Please go here to my journal if you have suggestions: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/journals/the-politics-of-dating/msg1400015/#msg1400015
Goal of site: Answer people’s question of “now what do I do?” It will direct people to existing organizations that can use volunteers, apps that let you easily call your senators and reps, resources to run for office, ways to flip districts in 2018, how to get involved without living in the US, and more.
More details are over there. Thanks!
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For those who would like to make calls and need something very straight forward, I recently found https://5calls.org/
You give them your zip, and they give you a list of phone calls to make, complete with scripts and phone numbers. They also give you the option to report how your call went, and help you publicize your action via twitter or facebook. I foresee myself using this resource a lot since having something spoon-fed to me makes it much more likely I'll dial.
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5 Calls looks like a good tool for getting past some of my phone anxiety. Thanks.
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I saw this today and thought it might be useful. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKXcRFOg5VS-UjCyH2jmgRTm-sQY_PB65Gxo-rwMT6A/preview
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For those who would like to make calls and need something very straight forward, I recently found https://5calls.org/
You give them your zip, and they give you a list of phone calls to make, complete with scripts and phone numbers. They also give you the option to report how your call went, and help you publicize your action via twitter or facebook. I foresee myself using this resource a lot since having something spoon-fed to me makes it much more likely I'll dial.
Thanks for linking this!
I went and looked at a couple actions. The one thing I would caution against is calling the Committee Heads instead of YOUR OWN SENATORS. If you can't vote for them, they don't care. You can use the 5calls scripts and sharing options since they look well-done, but write down your senators and reps contact info, for both their DC and local offices, and call them instead of any committee heads. Call everyone if you have the stamina, but if you can't call both senators AND the committee head, focus on your senators.
I saw this today and thought it might be useful. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKXcRFOg5VS-UjCyH2jmgRTm-sQY_PB65Gxo-rwMT6A/preview
Thanks! I'm trying to get clarification on whether postcards/letters make a difference. Staffers have reported conflicting information.
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I saw this today and thought it might be useful. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKXcRFOg5VS-UjCyH2jmgRTm-sQY_PB65Gxo-rwMT6A/preview
Thanks! I'm trying to get clarification on whether postcards/letters make a difference. Staffers have reported conflicting information.
I am 100% pulling this out of my ass, but I think postcards/letters make a big impact when the show up in large quantities, all with the 'same brand', if that makes any sense. That's why I'm getting my Womens March Postcard on, so that it can be one of the gajillion womens march postcards that show up. But your run-of-the-mill random postcard or letter is probably not that impactful. Part of it seems to have to do with how much staffer time it takes up??
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I saw this today and thought it might be useful. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKXcRFOg5VS-UjCyH2jmgRTm-sQY_PB65Gxo-rwMT6A/preview
Thanks! I'm trying to get clarification on whether postcards/letters make a difference. Staffers have reported conflicting information.
I am 100% pulling this out of my ass, but I think postcards/letters make a big impact when the show up in large quantities, all with the 'same brand', if that makes any sense. That's why I'm getting my Womens March Postcard on, so that it can be one of the gajillion womens march postcards that show up. But your run-of-the-mill random postcard or letter is probably not that impactful. Part of it seems to have to do with how much staffer time it takes up??
I would want to confirm this from a staffer. If anyone knows some, please ask!
I'm unsure on the effectiveness of the Women's March postcards in and of themselves. They have the same design, but the topics are not coordinated in any way. So senators are gonna get 2 WM postcards on immigration, 3 on Planned Parenthood, 1 on Sessions, 4 on whatever random thing, instead of 10 on a single topic.
If it's a matter of being the first small step to get people involved, and making sure people can feel catharsis, okay. It's also possible that being associated with the WM will mean something despite the random topics discussed. I hope so. But I hope future actions are coordinated on the issues. Because an infrequent action (1 action every 10 days) can't afford to also be scattershot in its approach.
I don't want to be negative, I just want to make sure people's efforts are being channeled efficiently.
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H.R. 7 was passed in the house. Call your Senators and your Reps on this.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/7
Basically it enshrines the Hyde Amendment into law making it much harder to repeal later and tells private insurance companies that they cannot offer any abortion services in insurance plans that receive and subsidies or federal funding. This would in effect cause insurance companies to eliminate all coverage. It also defunds Planned Parenthood (who already aren't allowed to provide taxpayer funded abortions) so it essentially hurts women's ability to get cancer screenings, birth control and other normal medical needs.
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"RUN FOR OFFICE"
Working on it. Sadly, there aren't 30,000 of you, MJ, or I'd have my state senate/house seat already :P.
I'm impressed! What district and seat are you running for? I'm in Raleigh.
I called/emailed my US congressman, state congressman and state senator to get their schedules for town halls. I intend to go to as many as possible and ask them about specific votes. I wish there was a site that had voting records on bills in layman's terms, I've bookmarked the sites for determining how your representative voted, but it is hard to sift though all the bills.
I also signed the whitehouse.gov release Trump's tax return petition, but I truly think no matter how high the number gets the only way we'd see his tax return is if someone leaks it to Wikileaks.
Join the 4th District Indivisible group that I run. Lots of ways to take action now and in the future. Tomorrow, we're meeting at noon to say hi to Thom Tillis at his office in Raleigh.
I am not running for a seat yet, but I'm figuring out how to get that rolling. I've emailed some of the local leaders in the party to see what I'll need to do.
Thanks, I'm right next door in the 2nd District. I joined the 2nd District Indivisible group, but will keep your group in mind. Also got invited to join GASP.
I run the 2nd district, too, so welcome :).
I'm right on the edge of the 4th District and 2nd District also - we must be neighbors!
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Of COURSE letters and emails make a difference. I sent one last month, as did DH, to an alderman in an adjacent ward. It was input she asked for, about a development within my neighborhood.
I uased to send only snail mail to aldermen, but they indicate email is just as effective. You need to craft your own message, that is key. DH and I had different negative reactions to this development and our messages were different, but both gave concrete reasons why the development shouldnt fly.
For those of you stuck at the National level of politics, I would not use any pre-printed postcard from any organization, women's march or whatever.
Your own thoughts, expressed succinctly and legibly via your own communication tool is what is effective because it shows you are self confident enough to reach out and communicate. You are, for sure! a voter in the eyes of your representative. If you send generic postcards, that is the same as online petitioning and people who do that may not even get up off the couch to vote. Snail mail form messages are like cutting and pasting an email message from someoene else. . Be an individual not a drone, the politicians want to hear from individuals.
I also dont understand what is so hard about making a freeking phone call. Those congressional staffers work FOR YOU. They are there to take phone calls FROM YOU.
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H.R. 7 was passed in the house. Call your Senators and your Reps on this.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/7
Basically it enshrines the Hyde Amendment into law making it much harder to repeal later and tells private insurance companies that they cannot offer any abortion services in insurance plans that receive and subsidies or federal funding. This would in effect cause insurance companies to eliminate all coverage. It also defunds Planned Parenthood (who already aren't allowed to provide taxpayer funded abortions) so it essentially hurts women's ability to get cancer screenings, birth control and other normal medical needs.
I just called my rep thanking them for voting against hr 7 and boycotting the inauguration.
Can't get through my senators about Sessions et al, will try later. Rep phone lines seem to be much less busy. Not surprised.
Iris lily, I had heard differently from hill staffers, so it never hurts to ask someone in the office what method they use to count support. Also which method they weight more heavily, since maybe they value calls more highly, or letters over email, even if they count everything.
Thanks for your advice!
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H.R. 7 was passed in the house. Call your Senators and your Reps on this.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/7
Basically it enshrines the Hyde Amendment into law making it much harder to repeal later and tells private insurance companies that they cannot offer any abortion services in insurance plans that receive and subsidies or federal funding. This would in effect cause insurance companies to eliminate all coverage. It also defunds Planned Parenthood (who already aren't allowed to provide taxpayer funded abortions) so it essentially hurts women's ability to get cancer screenings, birth control and other normal medical needs.
I just called my rep thanking them for voting against hr 7 and boycotting the inauguration.
Can't get through my senators about Sessions et al, will try later. Rep phone lines seem to be much less busy. Not surprised.
Iris lily, I had heard differently from hill staffers, so it never hurts to ask someone in the office what method they use to count support. Also which method they weight more heavily, since maybe they value calls more highly, or letters over email, even if they count everything.
Thanks for your advice!
Then, what your congressman says may not apply to my congressman as to the value "they" place on communications. The "they" is different in every case. I don't see how you can determine this for the congressmen of everyone on this website. Seems like you are trying to force a one size fits all action.
That said, I have never ever communicated with my current Representative from The House in D.C . In any conflict of opinion, that man will never represent my POV, no point in wasting my time and his time. I have memory of seeing him one time, ONCE! in my neighborhood. For the chief of the racial politics brigade, we are mostly the wrong color and we vote his way anyway, so we are not important. It is funny that I often saw the Congressman from next door district at our neighborhood coffee shop one block away from where I live. That guy was accessible, and while he would always be voting wrong way Democrat and also not representing me, at least he was visible. He was also from a political family I respect. I do not respect my own congressman, he inherited his throne from his father and that political machine.
I have, of course, sent communicatins to people at the national party level and to U.S. Senators,a dnprobably past U.S? representatives, just not this guy.
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H.R. 7 was passed in the house. Call your Senators and your Reps on this.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/7
Basically it enshrines the Hyde Amendment into law making it much harder to repeal later and tells private insurance companies that they cannot offer any abortion services in insurance plans that receive and subsidies or federal funding. This would in effect cause insurance companies to eliminate all coverage. It also defunds Planned Parenthood (who already aren't allowed to provide taxpayer funded abortions) so it essentially hurts women's ability to get cancer screenings, birth control and other normal medical needs.
I just called my rep thanking them for voting against hr 7 and boycotting the inauguration.
Can't get through my senators about Sessions et al, will try later. Rep phone lines seem to be much less busy. Not surprised.
Iris lily, I had heard differently from hill staffers, so it never hurts to ask someone in the office what method they use to count support. Also which method they weight more heavily, since maybe they value calls more highly, or letters over email, even if they count everything.
Thanks for your advice!
Then, what your congressman says may not apply to my congressman as to the value "they" place on communications. The "they" is different in every case. I don't see how you can determine this for the congressmen of everyone on this website. Seems like you are trying to force a one size fits all action.
I think it's a great idea for people to ask their specific reps about this! I've heard conflicting info, so I'm certainly not the ultimate source of truth.
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Somethng that occured to me to influence congressmen outside of your district--given'em money! If you donate $100 to their campaign, (and the House members always have a campaign fund ) you can say "I donated $100 to your campaign and I want you to support house bill xxx"
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Very valuable thread. Thanks for all the good ideas!
There is so much to protest, that I need to find a site that will keep me up to date on what has happened and the most pressing issues at hand. For instance, I don't want to call my senator complaining about an appointment that has already been confirmed! I found the following article that helped, but it's already 3 days old.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/24/511291979/the-status-of-trump-s-cabinet-where-everyone-is-in-the-process-and-how-it-works
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Great idea from Twitter - send a postcard or letter to Steve Bannon (who just told the press to shut up and listen) - with the text of the first amendment:
Steve Bannon
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
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This is in Publisher - it's a homemade 1st Amendment Greeting card - to go with the idea above.
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This is in Publisher - it's a homemade 1st Amendment Greeting card - to go with the idea above.
A tip from someone who works in print production :-) If you share it as a PDF it will be usable by a lot more people. I don't have Publisher on my computer to give the exact instructions, but I think you just have to do File > Publish as PDF or something similar, it should be very simple.
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Today one of my close friends posted an anti Planned Parenthood video disputing the 3% abortion statistic they claim.
I went right to their website, made a donation....in his honor.
Will they mail him something? I sure hope so :)
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This is in Publisher - it's a homemade 1st Amendment Greeting card - to go with the idea above.
A tip from someone who works in print production :-) If you share it as a PDF it will be usable by a lot more people. I don't have Publisher on my computer to give the exact instructions, but I think you just have to do File > Publish as PDF or something similar, it should be very simple.
I can do that!! : 0 ) I mistakenly thought if folks wanted to personalize the inside of the card that it would be easier!
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This is in Publisher - it's a homemade 1st Amendment Greeting card - to go with the idea above.
A tip from someone who works in print production :-) If you share it as a PDF it will be usable by a lot more people. I don't have Publisher on my computer to give the exact instructions, but I think you just have to do File > Publish as PDF or something similar, it should be very simple.
I can do that!! : 0 ) I mistakenly thought if folks wanted to personalize the inside of the card that it would be easier!
Gotcha! I couldn't open the first one so I didn't see that it left space for people to write in. But now you've got both options, thanks!
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It's working! Let's keep the pressure up!
GOP legislators are freaked out about the speed of Obamacare changes and feeling our political pressure.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/behind-closed-doors-republican-lawmakers-fret-about-how-to-repeal-obamacare/2017/01/27/deabdafa-e491-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-banner-main_goptapes-138pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9bf0c5568f7b
And all Democrats plan to vote against Betsy DeVos.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/01/27/sen-franken-no-democrat-will-vote-for-betsy-devos-as-education-secretary-and-were-seeking-republicans-to-oppose-her/?utm_term=.59b8af760169
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Following.
I just joined all the alt twitter accounts for gov agencies that were in the news yesterday
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Very valuable thread. Thanks for all the good ideas!
There is so much to protest, that I need to find a site that will keep me up to date on what has happened and the most pressing issues at hand. For instance, I don't want to call my senator complaining about an appointment that has already been confirmed! I found the following article that helped, but it's already 3 days old.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/24/511291979/the-status-of-trump-s-cabinet-where-everyone-is-in-the-process-and-how-it-works
Thank you for the link!
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Mark April 15 on your calendar. This is a ways off but it looks like organizers are planning a Trump Tax Day March. There are already 24 marches being planned around the country:
http://taxmarch.org/
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Mark April 15 on your calendar. This is a ways off but it looks like organizers are planning a Trump Tax Day March. There are already 24 marches being planned around the country:
http://taxmarch.org/
Wow. Interesting.
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Your own thoughts, expressed succinctly and legibly via your own communication tool is what is effective because it shows you are self confident enough to reach out and communicate. You are, for sure! a voter in the eyes of your representative. If you send generic postcards, that is the same as online petitioning and people who do that may not even get up off the couch to vote. Snail mail form messages are like cutting and pasting an email message from someoene else. . Be an individual not a drone, the politicians want to hear from individuals.
I also dont understand what is so hard about making a freeking phone call. Those congressional staffers work FOR YOU. They are there to take phone calls FROM YOU.
I agree completely that the important thing is that we write our own letters from our own perspectives rather than using form letters from other groups.
As to why not phone, I tend not to. It is not that they work for me or don't work for me. It is just that I am uncomfortable cold calling people and asking for things. I had to do this for my job and I got quite good at it, but if I can avoid it for the next few months, I'm going to. Perhaps in the future once I'm no longer quite so exhausted I'll rev up those phone skills again. In the meantime, a well-crafted letter is the way for me.
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Arkansans: When I called Senator Boozman's office earlier this week, a staffer said he was still officially undecided on whether he will vote to confirm Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. He could plausibly be one of the three Republican senators needed to stop her confirmation if Sen. Frankin is correct in his statement that all Democrats will oppose her. Sen. Boozman's office number is 202 224 4843.
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Mark April 15 on your calendar. This is a ways off but it looks like organizers are planning a Trump Tax Day March. There are already 24 marches being planned around the country:
http://taxmarch.org/
What are they marching about, the fact most of them probably don't have to pay federal income taxes?
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Mark April 15 on your calendar. This is a ways off but it looks like organizers are planning a Trump Tax Day March. There are already 24 marches being planned around the country:
http://taxmarch.org/
What are they marching about, the fact most of them probably don't have to pay federal income taxes?
Err, all political actions detailed here are to be respected. Deserving or not. :)
Ths particular "tax march " isn't the typical tax march, anyway.
Now to turn this into an acceptable post for this thread: Today I sent email to our local newspaper for their silly partisian attempt to stir up controversy over my state's new attorney general who lives 24 miles from the seat of government. The constitution calls for him to reside in the seat of Government.
I have nothing against the newspaper printing this obvious plant from the Democratic party. I DO object to its page 1 status. This is back page section B news at best.
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Your own thoughts, expressed succinctly and legibly via your own communication tool is what is effective because it shows you are self confident enough to reach out and communicate. You are, for sure! a voter in the eyes of your representative. If you send generic postcards, that is the same as online petitioning and people who do that may not even get up off the couch to vote. Snail mail form messages are like cutting and pasting an email message from someoene else. . Be an individual not a drone, the politicians want to hear from individuals.
I also dont understand what is so hard about making a freeking phone call. Those congressional staffers work FOR YOU. They are there to take phone calls FROM YOU.
I agree completely that the important thing is that we write our own letters from our own perspectives rather than using form letters from other groups.
As to why not phone, I tend not to. It is not that they work for me or don't work for me. It is just that I am uncomfortable cold calling people and asking for things. I had to do this for my job and I got quite good at it, but if I can avoid it for the next few months, I'm going to. Perhaps in the future once I'm no longer quite so exhausted I'll rev up those phone skills again. In the meantime, a well-crafted letter is the way for me.
Oh ys, I hate asking for things with a passion. Hate it! But I see calling a congreekan's office as me just making a quick report such as "hi, my name is XXx and I live at x address in x city. i am opposed to [the issue of the moment] and thank you! Goodbye.
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Mark April 15 on your calendar. This is a ways off but it looks like organizers are planning a Trump Tax Day March. There are already 24 marches being planned around the country:
http://taxmarch.org/
What are they marching about, the fact most of them probably don't have to pay federal income taxes?
Don't be a dick, you could easily click on the link and see what people are marching about. It's largely about the fact that we have a president now who is so corrupt and indebted and dishonest about his business dealings that he refuses to divulge his tax returns.
We had a mini-movement last night in the Denver area -- our terrible senator, Cory Gardner, was on TV saying that he's been getting thousands of calls every day, and most of them seem to be from out of state paid protesters. Which is horse shit.
He also said that if we really wanted his ear, we should have attended his town hall meeting (held by telephone last week), but it was not publicized. Many of us who call him every day asked about a town hall, and were told there were none on the schedule.
So, yeah, that's fucking irritating. About 5,000 of us called the TV station and called him to set the record straight.
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I hate phoning. I have decided I want to know that I was a person who phoned. Following.
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Paul Krugman, the economist, has a twitter feed which offers great insights on a variety of political issues related to the Trump presidency, and Republican control of Congress. https://twitter.com/paulkrugman
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Paul Krugman, the economist, has a twitter feed which offers great insights on a variety of political issues related to the Trump presidency, and Republican control of Congress. https://twitter.com/paulkrugman
LOL. yeah, he is a genius. The great economist on election night:
“It really does now look like President Donald J. Trump, and markets are plunging. When might we expect them to recover?” Krugman said in his post. “If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never.”
Stock market has gained 2T in wealth since he won the election.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/11/09/paul-krugman-says-markets-will-never-recover-from-trump-dow-hits-record-high/#ixzz4X6EOlwhx
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Packlawyer04, can you take your musings to another thread? They are off-topic. Thanks.
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Huge protest at JFK Terminal 4 right now
"No ban / no registry / fuck white supremacy"
Really wish I was in NYC right now
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Huge protest at JFK Terminal 4 right now
"No ban / no registry / fuck white supremacy"
Really wish I was in NYC right now
Good for them.
This is absolutely outrageous.
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This is going around on my facebook. It seemed like I should share it here as well.
"If you decide to join an airport protest, please remember that Federal, Department of Homeland Security enforcement are in place at our airports. This means, if you are detained, you will likely be held without recourse to an attorney and can be transferred and held indefinitely. Please make sure your people know to look for you and do regular check ins with them.
Immigration attorneys advise that only US Citizens can participate without grave risk.
If you are a US citizen, this is one way for you to leverage your privilege to help those with less."
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This is going around on my facebook. It seemed like I should share it here as well.
"If you decide to join an airport protest, please remember that Federal, Department of Homeland Security enforcement are in place at our airports. This means, if you are detained, you will likely be held without recourse to an attorney and can be transferred and held indefinitely. Please make sure your people know to look for you and do regular check ins with them.
Immigration attorneys advise that only US Citizens can participate without grave risk.
If you are a US citizen, this is one way for you to leverage your privilege to help those with less."
Which means, if you are a citizen, especially a white citizen, it is your DUTY to participate.
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FRIENDLY REMINDER
We're now on page 6 of a political thread that had the potential to turn real ugly, real fast. Because politics. You have all done a great job of keeping things civil and focusing on the original intent of the thread.
Please keep this going with the following guidelines:
- Be polite. Even if someone else posts something rude or off-topic, simply remind them of the intent of this thread. If it violates forum rules, report to the mods.
- Be constructive and actionable. If you post news, include information on how to contact the relevant official/organization (ideally with a script). For news of a protest, include info on how to find protests in your area.
For New Yorkers, you can find info through The New York Immigration Coalition that organized (helped organize?) the JFK protest. Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenyic
Also Make the Road NYC: https://twitter.com/MaketheRoadNY
There will be a march at Battery Park at 2PM Sunday.
I hate phoning. I have decided I want to know that I was a person who phoned. Following.
:)
Today one of my close friends posted an anti Planned Parenthood video disputing the 3% abortion statistic they claim.
I went right to their website, made a donation....in his honor.
Will they mail him something? I sure hope so :)
:)
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To contribute to the legal fight against the Muslim ban, as well as all future fights, please donate to the ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/aclu-and-other-groups-challenge-trump-immigration-ban-after-refugees-detained
The ACLU, along with several groups, filed a lawsuit this morning on behalf of two Iraqi men who were en route to the United States on immigrant visas when President Trump issued an executive order banning many Muslims from entering the country.
One of the men, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was traveling on an Iraqi special Immigrant Visa and had worked as an electrical engineer and contractor for the U.S. government from 2003–2010. Brandon Friedman, a former Obama administration official who commanded a platoon during the invasion of Iraq, said Mr. Darweesh had worked for him as an interpreter. He said on Twitter yesterday that Mr. Darweesh “spent years keeping U.S. soldiers alive in combat in Iraq.”
The other, Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi, had been granted a Follow to Join Visa. His wife and 7-year-old son are lawful permanent residents residing in Houston, Texas, and were eagerly awaiting his arrival. Mr. Alshawi’s son has not seen his father for three years.
If you have Twitter, go here and tweet a screenshot of your donation receipt to these people who are matching ACLU donations: https://twitter.com/Kate_Beckman/status/825517835250180097
And retweet this guy: https://twitter.com/pacdude/status/825537340072402944
"For the next 6 hours, for every retweet this tweet gets, I will donate 50¢ to the @ACLU."
I donated $250 of birthday money. The ACLU is a vital part of protecting our civil liberties under every president, not just Trump.
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There's also a big airport protest going on at SeaTac airport. I'm bummed that I didn't even hear about it until I saw several of my friends posting videos on FB.
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I'm generally as apathetic as they come, but the events and stories out of today have made me feel sick to the stomach, but also hopeful (yay lawyers).
Looking for actionable items. I think this is the right place to figure out what that is?
Found and read through the Indivisible guide.
We have a lease on a place in Charleston for at least six weeks, so I guess these are my local representatives as much as I have any:
Rep. Marshall Sanford
Sen. Lindsey Graham
Sen. Tim Scott
Found the local FB and some upcoming events. Now what? I have no day job, have a bike and need an excuse to the see the city, so I am happy to go by local offices and pester people. I don't know about what yet, but I want to have specific asks and have them heard.
Other thoughts, we have a pot of money allocated specifically to charitable donations. ACLU is moving up the list probably. This falls into analysis paralysis a lot.
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Here's a list of all protests happening regarding the Muslim ban: https://thinkprogress.org/muslim-ban-protests-344f6e66022e#.1ydklegys
We were at the SFO protest earlier today. Demonstrators were vowing to stay until all detainees are released. As of 11:55 p.m. PST, the protest is going strong.
If you are interested in attending a protest tomorrow (Sunday, January 29), you should check Facebook or Twitter for updates and details.
If you live in the Bay Area and want to be informed of other rapid responses protests, you can sign up here to receive text messages: www.bayresistance.org
You can also search for the Meetup group called #TheResistance San Francisco.
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We have a lease on a place in Charleston for at least six weeks, so I guess these are my local representatives as much as I have any:
Rep. Marshall Sanford
Sen. Lindsey Graham
Sen. Tim Scott
Did you find a local Indivisible group to join? We're running Tuesday protests. Maybe one of your temporary senators has an office in Charleston. If so, I'd guess there will be at least one protest there this coming Tuesday.
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I was at the SFO protest last night. When we left at 11 pm they had released three detainees there, but were still holding several others, including an elderly couple and a family. I am most worried about any young men, but I do not have a reliable information about how many people are being detained. I will be going back today.
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From the Women's March on Washington Facebook page (the entry is being updated as more information comes in, so probably best to go there for the most current info):
We have heard about so many #NoMuslimBan actions happening on Sunday, 1/29! Here are the ones we know about as of right now (all local times):
Albany, 10am: https://t.co/RgpR2NHffb
Eugene: https://t.co/FzeSfpaHwM
Miami, 12pm: https://t.co/nfdA9ks0O2
LAX, 12pm: https://t.co/qbHFwvHfta
Orlando, 12pm: https://t.co/UkJl4ftwhp
DC, 1pm: https://t.co/WagE3pcPWe
St. Louis International Airport, 1pm: https://t.co/tvEWrH6AYt
Boston, Copley Square, 1pm: https://t.co/THAd08PKfL
Columbus, 1pm: https://t.co/AlVNTlvMrR
Minneapolis, 1pm: https://t.co/qjyyiKV3vO
Raleigh-Durham, 1pm: https://t.co/T2yNCKN2uq
Bradley Airport (CT), 1:30pm: https://t.co/JTCuK4mzbz
NYC, 2pm: https://t.co/G7N7qKeV3x
Flagstaff, 2pm: https://t.co/Cevf0Lvmco
Birmingham, 2pm: https://t.co/uWFwzpuYWo
Rochester, 2pm: https://t.co/NNJLjiIbYU
Philly, 2pm: https://t.co/DNFAFOzpf9
Little Rock, 2:30pm: https://t.co/KuPfbqIhRw
Nashville, 3pm: https://t.co/BQ5vwbBirB
Detroit, 4pm: https://t.co/zkMsgqusiD
Phoenix, 4pm: https://t.co/sJBRtKPkyg
Seattle Weslake Park, 5pm: https://t.co/3BZyjidBPZ
Baltimore, 5pm: https://t.co/0QFIYmy3zp
Houston, 5pm: https://t.co/dcD7pUkh0I
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From the Women's March on Washington Facebook page (the entry is being updated as more information comes in, so probably best to go there for the most current info):
We have heard about so many #NoMuslimBan actions happening on Sunday, 1/29! Here are the ones we know about as of right now (all local times):
Albany, 10am: https://t.co/RgpR2NHffb
Eugene: https://t.co/FzeSfpaHwM
Miami, 12pm: https://t.co/nfdA9ks0O2
LAX, 12pm: https://t.co/qbHFwvHfta
Orlando, 12pm: https://t.co/UkJl4ftwhp
DC, 1pm: https://t.co/WagE3pcPWe
St. Louis International Airport, 1pm: https://t.co/tvEWrH6AYt
Boston, Copley Square, 1pm: https://t.co/THAd08PKfL
Columbus, 1pm: https://t.co/AlVNTlvMrR
Minneapolis, 1pm: https://t.co/qjyyiKV3vO
Raleigh-Durham, 1pm: https://t.co/T2yNCKN2uq
Bradley Airport (CT), 1:30pm: https://t.co/JTCuK4mzbz
NYC, 2pm: https://t.co/G7N7qKeV3x
Flagstaff, 2pm: https://t.co/Cevf0Lvmco
Birmingham, 2pm: https://t.co/uWFwzpuYWo
Rochester, 2pm: https://t.co/NNJLjiIbYU
Philly, 2pm: https://t.co/DNFAFOzpf9
Little Rock, 2:30pm: https://t.co/KuPfbqIhRw
Nashville, 3pm: https://t.co/BQ5vwbBirB
Detroit, 4pm: https://t.co/zkMsgqusiD
Phoenix, 4pm: https://t.co/sJBRtKPkyg
Seattle Weslake Park, 5pm: https://t.co/3BZyjidBPZ
Baltimore, 5pm: https://t.co/0QFIYmy3zp
Houston, 5pm: https://t.co/dcD7pUkh0I
SFO, 12 noon, international terminal. It looks like there's no designated website.
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Monkeyjenga: I found it. Here's the link for the SFO protest. https://www.facebook.com/events/1357671360969469/
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Monkeyjenga: I found it. Here's the link for the SFO protest. https://www.facebook.com/events/1357671360969469/
Added, thanks.
Captain Awkward just posted a related piece, including action steps for the anxious:
https://captainawkward.com/2017/01/29/938-supporting-immigrant-coworkers-in-the-usa/
Will add later, thanks Joon.
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SMALL DAILY ACTS (I promise, this one you really can do this one from home): JAN 29, 2017
1) If you have not read the Indivisible Guide, go read it: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
2) Look up your congressional district: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
3) Go on Facebook and join your state's Indivisible group. Look for "Indivisible [State]." Once there, you can ask if a group exists for your specific district. If it does, join it.
4) Invite your friends to join the group. You can also post on their walls asking if they're heard of it. I've been using "Hey [FRIEND NAME]! Have you heard of Indivisible? It's looking like the primary umbrella for the Trump resistance. You can read the guide and find local groups here: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/"
5) ADVANCED: If you've done most of the above, but no FB group exists for your district... Start one. Don't worry, it's easy to set up the group. Just set it up and don't worry about next steps yet.
You do not need to read the guide before joining the FB group!
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I can take it down if you want, until you're ready to launch. Will take 1 minute, no problem. Just let me know.
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I decided to add a $25 monthly donation to ACLU along with my $25 monthly donation to PP. We need these two organizations now more than ever.
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I decided to add a $25 monthly donation to ACLU along with my $25 monthly donation to PP. We need these two organizations now more than ever.
:))
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I can take it down if you want, until you're ready to launch. Will take 1 minute, no problem. Just let me know.
Yes please. I'll let you know when it's ready for wider consumption. I wanted to get the listing of Muslim ban protests up quickly, but now I need to work on the other pages. Should be soon.
Done! Holler when you're ready for my massive traffic (haha j/k it's tiny but powerful).
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Today DH and I joined a street protest against a debate among mayoral candidates. Republican,
Green,, and Libertarian party candidates were not allowed to attend, even though the sponsoring organizations were not all Democratic party organizations; they are chartered as non-partisan.
We stood outside for an hour in brisk weather, holding signs and talking. It was fun!
Tomorrow I will be contacting my Missouri Secretary of State to suggest several of these sponsoring agencies be investigated for electioneering for the Democratic Party.
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Yesterday I signed a neighborhood petition against the design of a mosque going in nearby. This new constructin doesnt meet standards for the historic district where it will be built. When our friend returns from out of town, I will lobby him to overturn his colleagues' decision to approve it. That board ruled without having a quorum. Um, nope.
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Yesterday I signed a neighborhood petition against the design of a mosque going in nearby. This new constructin doesnt meet standards for the historic district where it will be built. When our friend returns from out of town, I will lobby him to overturn his colleagues' decision to approve it. That board ruled without having a quorum. Um, nope.
This is not one of those situations where religious buildings are allowed to do whatever they want? I confess that I am often quite confused by these issues since it often seems that religious buildings can get away with things no other building could. If the mosque were redesigned to be historically correct (which I assume means that it has to be clapboard and painted white or some such) you would support it's being built in your neighborhood?
For myself and my neighborhood, I am afraid that I often do not agree with my neighbors but since none of it is enough to drive me crazy, I just step out of those disagreements. Latest is my neighbors attempts to find a way to make another neighbor repaint her house. (She painted it pink, which I find refreshing and my neighbors think is an abomination.) My across the street neighbor wants to force us to carry guns. In my gentlest tone I told him that I would not think of restricting his right to carry a gun. Similarly he simply could not expect to force other people to carry weapons if they didn't want to. Seriously! Do people even think before talking? Apparently he feels that he will be called upon to grab up his gun and defend my house when the barbarians come and that it is quite inconvenient for me to remain unarmed.
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My actions this weekend
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I attempted to call my senators but was unable to get through (much to my relief at not having to talk to anyone). But I tweeted my concerns to them and since it was on the same topic that I'd already emailed them on (open-heartedness toward refugees and immigrants) I feel comfortable that my voice was heard. Also Senator Lamar Alexander delivered a strong chastisement to the administration today, saying:
"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting. More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards,’ and might turn away Iraqis, for example, who were translators and helped save lives of American troops and who could be killed if they stay in Iraq. And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character.”
So I am pleased with my senators tonight. I do think that most people in politics are there to do good, even if we sometimes disagree on what is good. I would like to see less partisanship and more attempts to reach agreement where agreement is possible.
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"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting. More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards,’ and might turn away Iraqis, for example, who were translators and helped save lives of American troops and who could be killed if they stay in Iraq. And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character.”
Wow... this is almost perfectly how I feel about this issue.
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"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting. More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards,’ and might turn away Iraqis, for example, who were translators and helped save lives of American troops and who could be killed if they stay in Iraq. And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character.”
Wow... this is almost perfectly how I feel about this issue.
Well, he is a senator and they don't hand those positions out in Cracker Jack boxes. Lamar Alexander's office has been the most professional I've dealt with and I'm impressed with his interactions with me. Can't really say that about Senator Corker. I think his office staff could learn a lot about basic courtesy from Lamar Alexander's staff.
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we are having a postcard party this week. Several hundred postcards will be filled out and sent to applicable Senators, Paul Ryan, and Bannon.
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My actions this weekend
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I attempted to call my senators but was unable to get through (much to my relief at not having to talk to anyone). But I tweeted my concerns to them and since it was on the same topic that I'd already emailed them on (open-heartedness toward refugees and immigrants) I feel comfortable that my voice was heard.
Great! You can also post comments on their FB page and email them. All those actions, every day.
Which phone numbers did you try calling? Senators have more than one office. One in DC, one in their home state, and sometimes multiple in their home state. You can try every number.
What was your specific ask in regards to the open-heartedness? To speak out against the ban? To vote for or against a specific bill? Specific, actionable requests are important.
we are having a postcard party this week. Several hundred postcards will be filled out and sent to applicable Senators, Paul Ryan, and Bannon.
Great! If I could make one suggestion: focus only on your elected officials. Bannon isn't going to care about postcards.
What is your specific ask going to be? Voting against Cabinet confirmations? Voting to keep the Affordable Care Act?
Is there any way you can fill out postcards for people who want to help but can't make the postcard party? You could gather addresses and send off the postcards for them.
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SMALL DAILY ACTS: JAN 30, 2017
Do yesterday's, if you haven't already. Then TELL ME YOU'VE DONE IT.
Indivisible is getting a lot of press, and is organizing itself to be the primary umbrella for the resistance. I was at a planning session last night to start coordinating New York's groups, and they have a lot of momentum behind them.
I need people to say they're taking action on this so I know my posts aren't for naught.
SMALL DAILY ACTS (I promise, this one you really can do this one from home): JAN 29, 2017
1) If you have not read the Indivisible Guide, go read it: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
2) Look up your congressional district: http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
3) Go on Facebook and join your state's Indivisible group. Look for "Indivisible [State]." Once there, you can ask if a group exists for your specific district. If it does, join it.
4) Invite your friends to join the group. You can also post on their walls asking if they're heard of it. I've been using "Hey [FRIEND NAME]! Have you heard of Indivisible? It's looking like the primary umbrella for the Trump resistance. You can read the guide and find local groups here: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/"
5) ADVANCED: If you've done most of the above, but no FB group exists for your district... Start one. Don't worry, it's easy to set up the group. Just set it up and don't worry about next steps yet.
You do not need to read the guide before joining the FB group!
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I'm not and never will be on FB but I did contact the local Indivisible group. I also answered emails from some nice people I met at the march, and since they asked if I knew of a group they could join I sent them the links to Indivisible, 5 calls, Wall of Us, and some of the other excellent resources I've found here. So your actions are having an effect!
Quote from: Metric Mouse on January 29, 2017, 11:21:12 PM
Quote from: Metta on January 29, 2017, 11:16:58 PM
"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting. More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards,’ and might turn away Iraqis, for example, who were translators and helped save lives of American troops and who could be killed if they stay in Iraq. And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character.”
Wow... this is almost perfectly how I feel about this issue.
Dear Mr. Metric Mouse, I would even go farther and say, "while not explicitly a religious test, it is inconsistent with our American character." :P
Husband is drafting letters to our Republican mayor, council members, and county executive, for whom he has voted in the past. The gist is that while we appreciate many of the good things they have done, if they continue to support the disastrous policies of the national GOP in following Trump, we are done with them. They would be best off running as independents.
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I joined my state's Indivisible FB group. I also emailed my legislators last week imploring them to vote against Betsy DeVos and Jeff Sessions. I also co-signed a letter from one of our Senators to the president, asking him to get his head out of his ass. Fortunately for all of us, the senator worded this much nicer than I would have.
Love this thread, MJ!
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Yesterday I signed a neighborhood petition against the design of a mosque going in nearby. This new constructin doesnt meet standards for the historic district where it will be built. When our friend returns from out of town, I will lobby him to overturn his colleagues' decision to approve it. That board ruled without having a quorum. Um, nope.
This is not one of those situations where religious buildings are allowed to do whatever they want? I confess that I am often quite confused by these issues since it often seems that religious buildings can get away with things no other building could. If the mosque were redesigned to be historically correct (which I assume means that it has to be clapboard and painted white or some such) you would support it's being built in your neighborhood?....
I can assure you that everyone here is falling all over themselves to show how tolerant they are, and this conflict has nothing to do with the fact that the congregation is Muslim. We are an electric blue city, after all. And the congregation already resides in ths same neighborhood, they just want to build a new building which does not conform to city ordnance. Concessions have already been made for siting the building to face Mecca. Their other requests are not religion based.
Your neighbor issues are not rooted in established law so I do not know why you are conflating yours and mine.
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The local indivisible groups I run are at 230 people and 80 people now. Keep joining!
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Great! If I could make one suggestion: focus only on your elected officials. Bannon isn't going to care about postcards.
What is your specific ask going to be? Voting against Cabinet confirmations? Voting to keep the Affordable Care Act?
Is there any way you can fill out postcards for people who want to help but can't make the postcard party? You could gather addresses and send off the postcards for them.
We live on a military base so will have about 10 different states represented (each person sending stuff to their reps). The Bannon thing was only to be part of the deluge of postcards sent to the whitehouse in his name with the first amendment written on it.
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This week I am going to exhort my Senators to withhold consent for the proceedings of the Senate. This will at least slow down the carnage.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/01/27/democrats-in-congress-can-block-trumps-agenda-if-they-want-to-heres-how
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First off, good news! The ACLU netted $24M this weekend, more than 6 times their yearly average.
They’re going to need it…
Want to do something this morning? Call the nice people at Your Senators office! (google your senator's name, you'll get a link to the US senate with ALL the numbers)
Here’s what I said:
Here’s my name XXX and I am a [mystate] voter. (nb- please include that bit, one of my senators has been quoted in the past week as saying that his office has received lots of calls from out-of-state-voters, which is BS). I’ve got three separate items here, are you the right person to talk with?
1. Thanks to the senator for speaking out against the horrible executive order over the weekend. (I looked to find what he said)
Religious persecution is NOT a MyState value, this order is a clear violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution (FYI, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…) , and we expect Senator MySenator to join a bipartisan effort to reverse this order as quickly as possible.
2. The Senator needs to do whatever he possibly can to get Steve Bannon OFF the National Security Council and get the Director of National Intelligence and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff back on. The NSC should be an informed group making recommendations based on actual facts and information, not whatever neo-Nazi conspiracy theory Steve Bannon believes today.
3. Another MyState value is preserving the environment: Rick Perry, Scott Pruit, and Ryan Zinke all have enormous ethical conflicts of interest that should exclude them from serving in the posts for which they’ve been proposed. Please vote against these jokers! Pruit, in particular, has multiple lawsuits active against the EPA: whatever we think about the agency, we all want our children to have clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, and wild spaces to explore. Please vote against these nominees!
4. I didn’t even get to Betsy DeVos, because I’ve already left a message about her. Blech!
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Yesterday I signed a neighborhood petition against the design of a mosque going in nearby. This new constructin doesnt meet standards for the historic district where it will be built. When our friend returns from out of town, I will lobby him to overturn his colleagues' decision to approve it. That board ruled without having a quorum. Um, nope.
This is not one of those situations where religious buildings are allowed to do whatever they want? I confess that I am often quite confused by these issues since it often seems that religious buildings can get away with things no other building could. If the mosque were redesigned to be historically correct (which I assume means that it has to be clapboard and painted white or some such) you would support it's being built in your neighborhood?....
I can assure you that everyone here is falling all over themselves to show how tolerant they are, and this conflict has nothing to do with the fact that the congregation is Muslim. We are an electric blue city, after all. And the congregation already resides in ths same neighborhood, they just want to build a new building which does not conform to city ordnance. Concessions have already been made for siting the building to face Mecca. Their other requests are not religion based.
I have no idea where you live, so I couldn't know that. For myself, I live in an extremely red area of a red state, recently annexed to a blue city. I regularly hear fairly bigoted things about people on the basis of religion and race, so I am never sure of the ground I am walking on with an individual. I also hear things from my neighbors and from my former co-workers and some of my friends that seem, at best, ignorant and ill-informed. In addition, I live on the outskirts of one of the most violent cities in the U.S. So I am very, very careful.
I was not asking the question as some sort of aggressive tactic. I was asking to understand. Had I asked a similar question of my across the street neighbor he would have told me that all mosques are training grounds for murderers (and that I should get a gun). But despite his bigotry he is a basically good person. This is the problem. People can be bigoted out of ignorance and fear and still be decent people. They can generously donate to refugee resettlement and still oppose the building of mosques on the grounds that they are somehow dangerous. They can tutor children, rescue injured animals, and do all manner of good things, while still holding some fairly noxious views.
That is the challenge with these things. People are complicated. Issues are complicated. Solutions are frequently overly simple.
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I joined the Indivisible group for my state and called a senator along with some other items mentioned here. Also donated to 2 organizations. Thank you OP for doing this!
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I'm not and never will be on FB but I did contact the local Indivisible group. I also answered emails from some nice people I met at the march, and since they asked if I knew of a group they could join I sent them the links to Indivisible, 5 calls, Wall of Us, and some of the other excellent resources I've found here. So your actions are having an effect!
Quote from: Metric Mouse on January 29, 2017, 11:21:12 PM
Quote from: Metta on January 29, 2017, 11:16:58 PM
"This vetting proposal itself needed more vetting. More scrutiny of those traveling from war-torn countries to the United States is wise. But this broad and confusing order seems to ban legal, permanent residents with ‘green cards,’ and might turn away Iraqis, for example, who were translators and helped save lives of American troops and who could be killed if they stay in Iraq. And while not explicitly a religious test, it comes close to one which is inconsistent with our American character.”
Wow... this is almost perfectly how I feel about this issue.
Dear Mr. Metric Mouse, I would even go farther and say, "while not explicitly a religious test, it is inconsistent with our American character." :P
Husband is drafting letters to our Republican mayor, council members, and county executive, for whom he has voted in the past. The gist is that while we appreciate many of the good things they have done, if they continue to support the disastrous policies of the national GOP in following Trump, we are done with them. They would be best off running as independents.
Once again, this was a quote from one of my senators, Lamar Alexander. I think he spoke eloquently and forcefully and I am very grateful that he is did so.
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What was your specific ask in regards to the open-heartedness? To speak out against the ban? To vote for or against a specific bill? Specific, actionable requests are important.
I wrote to my senators prior to the implementation of this ban and my ask at the end of my letter was:
"Then use your moral authority to persuade President Trump to allow in refugees from wherever they originate. Please ensure that there are background checks to ensure our safety in this country but do not close our doors to those in dire need."
I reiterated my request once the ban went into effect asking him to ensure that we remain open to refugees and to speak up against the ban singling out one religion.
Many years ago I used to be a lot more politically active. I even spent a year working for the ACLU as a writer. At that point I developed the template I use for writing to congresspeople, which is something like this:
* Who I am (your constituent, someone who voted for you, etc)
*Personal story outlining why this impacts me or is a concern of mine (kept to one paragraph)
*What I am asking the elected official to do
If I can't answer all three of those questions, I don't write. In most situations, I don't write to my congresspeople. And honestly, if I'm not willing to put my money where my mouth is, I don't write, so most of the time my letters are sent out simultaneously with a donation to the group that is working for the cause I want to see.
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Being military, I am personally quite constrained in my political activities. It is refreshing to see my wife, who generally had a disdain for politics and was not interested in it all, completely awaken over the last few months and become quite active.
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I called and emailed my NC state senator and Lt. Governor asking them to rescind their support for Betsy Devos and to let Senator Lamar Alexander know they do not support her confirmation. Both are Republicans that had signed a letter of support for Betsy Devos. Amusingly, I got a reply back immediately from a legislative assistant for my NC State Senator, John Alexander, stating that they were not aware of the letter he signed and could I forward it.
http://rslc.gop/blog/2017/01/17/letter-from-state-level-elected-leaders-in-all-50-states-supporting-betsy-devos-for-secretary-of-education/
I couldn't get through to GOP Senator Thom Tillis's office, but emailed him a thank you for his half-hearted condemnation of the travel ban and urged him to join with other Republicans in fully condemning it. I also emailed and left a message for my GOP Congressman George Holding urging him to join with other Republicans in fully condemning the travel ban. I listed the other Republicans for both of them.
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Following.
I love you guys. :)
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...
That is the challenge with these things. People are complicated. Issues are complicated. Solutions are frequently overly simple.
cool, so true. I think this mosque plan received approval on some features BECAUSE
they were the right religion, in true reverse-discrimination style. But the fact that the 8 member board passed the plan with only 3 in attendance is my fuel. Watching that government agencies follow their own rules is part of being politically active.
Anyway, I live in an urban core of one of the most violent cities in America. Politics are rife here, and heatng up in a mayoral race where the incumbant will not t be running.
And now to stop talking about this, once again we are off topic...
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Petition to Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the United Kingdom
1,480,000 signatures and climbing fast....
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928/
Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.
Donald Trump's well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Therefore during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit.
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Thanks for the feedback and Indivisible support all!
I had a depressing convo with a friend who's scared of going on her long-planned trip back home to a Muslim-majority country, to see her family including a terminally ill grandmother.
Instead of being paralyzed, I took this motivation to call my elected officials. I was prepared to call all 9 offices for Schumer and Gillibrand each and not get through on any. Lo and behold, I talked to staffers after only a couple tries! They were thankful and said to keep calling.
Gillibrand has gotten a lot of support for voting no. Schumer's staffer told me he was voting no on a list of nominees and that nobody is aware of it. Interesting that people know Gillibrand is on our side, but the ostensible minority leader is so wishy-washy that even people calling his office don't know his votes. (He has gotten more vocal recently.)
They also said letters do get counted and passed on to the DC office.
I of course got through to my Rep. That's never been a problem.
I told them all I was with Indivisible. Gotta get that name visibility!
My asks:
Senators: block cabinet appointments, block upcoming Supreme Court nominee.
Rep: thank you for opposing Muslim ban.
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Today I made phonecalls to my Senators. One to support actions already being taken, one to indicate that one shouldn't still be "undecided" on Sessions.
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livingthedream55 posted this thread: 20 Ways to Fight Fascism (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/20-ways-to-fight-fascism/?topicseen), which was originally written by a Yale University professor.
Number 1 is: Do Not Obey in Advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked. You've already done this, haven't you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.
It described me. I've been following this thread, and taking many of the actions. But I was afraid to post, because I didn't want participation traced back to me. That ends now. Probably there won't be any consequences, but if there are, I will accept them.
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Our piece of shit Senator went on TV last weekend and said he was getting thousands of calls a day, mostly from out of state paid protesters, so when I called today I made sure to say that I wasn't paid, I live in Colorado, and I'm looking to the Senator to reject DeVos and Sessions. I also asked about a Town Hall meeting, because our guy sure doesn't seem to want to have any!
Our nice Senator, I called him and asked for him to withhold consent for the proceedings of the Senate. The president is acting in a radical manner, and we need a bolder response from our Democratic Senators. I asked him to be courageous and try to slow the carnage.
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Number 1 is: Do Not Obey in Advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked. You've already done this, haven't you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.
I've been wondering how much of people's reluctance to say or type our president's name is because of sheer loathing, and how much is because of this kind of anticipation/fear, the inevitability of someone tracking you down for What You Said About Dear Leader.
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Thanks for the feedback and Indivisible support all!
I had a depressing convo with a friend who's scared of going on her long-planned trip back home to a Muslim-majority country, to see her family including a terminally ill grandmother.
Instead of being paralyzed, I took this motivation to call my elected officials. I was prepared to call all 9 offices for Schumer and Gillibrand each and not get through on any. Lo and behold, I talked to staffers after only a couple tries! They were thankful and said to keep calling.
Gillibrand has gotten a lot of support for voting no. Schumer's staffer told me he was voting no on a list of nominees and that nobody is aware of it. Interesting that people know Gillibrand is on our side, but the ostensible minority leader is so wishy-washy that even people calling his office don't know his votes. (He has gotten more vocal recently.)
They also said letters do get counted and passed on to the DC office.
I of course got through to my Rep. That's never been a problem.
I told them all I was with Indivisible. Gotta get that name visibility!
My asks:
Senators: block cabinet appointments, block upcoming Supreme Court nominee.
Rep: thank you for opposing Muslim ban.
Is it proper to block Supreme Court nominees that haven't been announced? I completely understand cabinet appointments that are terrible, but is it a good policy to preemptively oppose SCOTUS nominees based solely upon the party nominating them?
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livingthedream55 posted this thread: 20 Ways to Fight Fascism (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/20-ways-to-fight-fascism/?topicseen), which was originally written by a Yale University professor.
Number 1 is: Do Not Obey in Advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked. You've already done this, haven't you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.
It described me. I've been following this thread, and taking many of the actions. But I was afraid to post, because I didn't want participation traced back to me. That ends now. Probably there won't be any consequences, but if there are, I will accept them.
This describes me as well. I think I have mostly broken through this this weekend. It was partially this thread that helped pressure me that way, and partially my husband posting something to Facebook about what we were doing this weekend that was a tiny bit over my anticipating-fascism-o-meter. Regardless, I've crossed my line. I spent two days at the SFO airport today chanting "let the lawyers in" and dancing to a brass band and then I posted publicly on Facebook about it. It's the Facebook post part that is the most alarming to me, but I think FB may be a necessary motivational/networking tool in the modern age.
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livingthedream55 posted this thread: 20 Ways to Fight Fascism (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/20-ways-to-fight-fascism/?topicseen), which was originally written by a Yale University professor.
Number 1 is: Do Not Obey in Advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked. You've already done this, haven't you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.
It described me. I've been following this thread, and taking many of the actions. But I was afraid to post, because I didn't want participation traced back to me. That ends now. Probably there won't be any consequences, but if there are, I will accept them.
GOOD FOR YOU!!
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Is it proper to block Supreme Court nominees that haven't been announced? I completely understand cabinet appointments that are terrible, but is it a good policy to preemptively oppose SCOTUS nominees based solely upon the party nominating them?
I think it is. This is a stolen seat that should have rightfully been filled by Merrick Garland as nominated by President Obama. The fact that the Republicans blocked a totally acceptable, qualified, moderate candidate means that the Dems have every right to block the Trump nominee.
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Thanks for the feedback and Indivisible support all!
I had a depressing convo with a friend who's scared of going on her long-planned trip back home to a Muslim-majority country, to see her family including a terminally ill grandmother.
Instead of being paralyzed, I took this motivation to call my elected officials. I was prepared to call all 9 offices for Schumer and Gillibrand each and not get through on any. Lo and behold, I talked to staffers after only a couple tries! They were thankful and said to keep calling.
Gillibrand has gotten a lot of support for voting no. Schumer's staffer told me he was voting no on a list of nominees and that nobody is aware of it. Interesting that people know Gillibrand is on our side, but the ostensible minority leader is so wishy-washy that even people calling his office don't know his votes. (He has gotten more vocal recently.)
They also said letters do get counted and passed on to the DC office.
I of course got through to my Rep. That's never been a problem.
I told them all I was with Indivisible. Gotta get that name visibility!
My asks:
Senators: block cabinet appointments, block upcoming Supreme Court nominee.
Rep: thank you for opposing Muslim ban.
Is it proper to block Supreme Court nominees that haven't been announced? I completely understand cabinet appointments that are terrible, but is it a good policy to preemptively oppose SCOTUS nominees based solely upon the party nominating them?
Off topic. You are not supposed to question the thread's Dear Leader.;)
But, yes. I understand your viewpoint. We know it's going to be one of two people, though. Trump has also made clear what he is looking for in a judge. And after Republicans stonewalled Merrick Garland for that long, Democrats need to be committed to obstructionism.
If you want to discuss further, we can move to another thread. :)
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For those like me who have GOP Senators and Congressman, thank them if they take a stand even if only half-hearted like one of my GOP Senators did. I thanked him for speaking up about the travel ban and urged him to fully condemn. Maybe if we also thank them when they show they have a spine, more might be willing to find their spines??
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Thanks for the feedback and Indivisible support all!
I had a depressing convo with a friend who's scared of going on her long-planned trip back home to a Muslim-majority country, to see her family including a terminally ill grandmother.
Instead of being paralyzed, I took this motivation to call my elected officials. I was prepared to call all 9 offices for Schumer and Gillibrand each and not get through on any. Lo and behold, I talked to staffers after only a couple tries! They were thankful and said to keep calling.
Gillibrand has gotten a lot of support for voting no. Schumer's staffer told me he was voting no on a list of nominees and that nobody is aware of it. Interesting that people know Gillibrand is on our side, but the ostensible minority leader is so wishy-washy that even people calling his office don't know his votes. (He has gotten more vocal recently.)
They also said letters do get counted and passed on to the DC office.
I of course got through to my Rep. That's never been a problem.
I told them all I was with Indivisible. Gotta get that name visibility!
My asks:
Senators: block cabinet appointments, block upcoming Supreme Court nominee.
Rep: thank you for opposing Muslim ban.
Is it proper to block Supreme Court nominees that haven't been announced? I completely understand cabinet appointments that are terrible, but is it a good policy to preemptively oppose SCOTUS nominees based solely upon the party nominating them?
Off topic. You are not supposed to question the thread's Dear Leader.;)
My most sincere apologies. :D
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livingthedream55 posted this thread: 20 Ways to Fight Fascism (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/20-ways-to-fight-fascism/?topicseen), which was originally written by a Yale University professor.
Number 1 is: Do Not Obey in Advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked. You've already done this, haven't you? Stop. Anticipatory obedience teaches authorities what is possible and accelerates unfreedom.
It described me. I've been following this thread, and taking many of the actions. But I was afraid to post, because I didn't want participation traced back to me. That ends now. Probably there won't be any consequences, but if there are, I will accept them.
This describes me as well. I think I have mostly broken through this this weekend. It was partially this thread that helped pressure me that way, and partially my husband posting something to Facebook about what we were doing this weekend that was a tiny bit over my anticipating-fascism-o-meter. Regardless, I've crossed my line. I spent two days at the SFO airport today chanting "let the lawyers in" and dancing to a brass band and then I posted publicly on Facebook about it. It's the Facebook post part that is the most alarming to me, but I think FB may be a necessary motivational/networking tool in the modern age.
:)) Yay Meepsy and cranberries!
Publicizing your actions helps spread the word and motivate others to do the same. Even if you need to do it anonymously. (Is there a way to retroactively decouple FB from your real name and email?)
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For those like me who have GOP Senators and Congressman, thank them if they take a stand even if only half-hearted like one of my GOP Senators did. I thanked him for speaking up about the travel ban and urged him to fully condemn. Maybe if we also thank them when they show they have a spine, more might be willing to find their spines??
Yes this is important! Thanking any politician for doing what you want is useful, to encourage future behavior. Carrot not just stick. If you can get positive press in a local news outlet, even better.
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On the topic of positive press: last night after I got back from SFO I saw coverage of the airport protest on one of the local news channels. The reporter had a serious agenda, and it gave me some insight into how to/how not to handle this if I am ever being interviewed in a similar situation.
The reporter was asking deliberately inflammatory questions about terrorism at a protest where people were trying to get legal representatives in to see green carded detainees. Crowd members were reacting dismissively and angrily to the out of context and inaproriate questions, and their anger was directed at the anchorwoman, but with creative editing it came across as dismissive and angry toward American safety concerns. Angry people saying "I think the terrorism risks are worth it under the circumstance" does not read well on TV after it is stripped of context.
If I am ever in this situation I think it might make sense to completely refuse to answer any question that is leading or provocative, or to just give a set answer to every question, i.e.: "Q:Aren't you concerned about the risks of terrorist attacks in the US if we let these people in?"A:"............" or A:"We do not have an accurate count of how many families are being detained here at the airport, and they are not letting lawyers in to speak to them". The best answer would probably be "That question is not relevant to getting detained legal US residents access to legal representation", but I am unsure I'd be able to come up with that on the spot with a hostile reporter and a TV camera in my face.
Answering the questions obviously just fed into the reporters agenda.
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Today I made phonecalls to my Senators. One to support actions already being taken, one to indicate that one shouldn't still be "undecided" on Sessions.
I should note - I hate phone calls. They make my heart race.
But then I read about the bill to sell off federal land. So I called up my Congresscritter too. He's R, but has shown some inkling of a conscience in saying that the Muslimban wasn't well thought out, so perhaps it might make a difference. It's such a page out of the Russian playbook it is appalling.
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I have done some small things. Mostly I'm pissed that Trump has forced me to actually vote, even though my votes will never result in a non-GOP elector, and are thus mostly wasted. But I had to vote against this idiocy. So I'm part of that huge majority vote surplus that were completely without representation in the electoral college.
The other day I got tired of having this big conflict between rooting for my portfolio's continued rise while knowing a large part of it was due to Trump's corporation-friendly policies. Yes, he will end up pissing some of them off, but the market has, so far, loved Trump. So I sold off all my S&P index funds and am in the process of moving them into a portfolio centered on green and renewable stocks. NO fossil fuels, nothing slimy or unethical (as much as is possible). There will be a headwind with Trump, but I'm invested long-term and now even my brokerage account feels a bit like political resistance. My pension fund is beyond my control, but the rest of my money I can do something with.
(https://libcom.org/files/images/history/AFa.jpg)
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Agree with making phone calls to your electeds, both to urge them to oppose policies you disagree with, and to thank those who have already opposed them.
But phone calls aren't enough. Please find a local, physical office of your 2 senators and 1 representative and call to make appointments. If you can get in, it takes no longer than going to the polls.
A staffer will note your concerns for your elected federal official. The staffers are probably tired of listening to voicemails and would like to see your face. I'm seeing lots of reports on twitter of folks not getting through due to busy signals and full voicemailboxes. Please, get yourself in the physical office and deliver the same message you would have tweeted, etc. If everyone did this, who knows what we can accomplish?
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MonkeyJenga, I have joined my local Indivisble group. I'm making phone calls to my senators and representative and urging family and friends to do likewise. I dragged my husband, a friend, and a friend of our friend to a protest of the executive order on refugees and travelers from certain Muslim majority countries yesterday. I talked my husband and in-laws into joining the ACLU Saturday. (I joined last year.) We've also added the National Immigration Law Center to our list of organizations receiving automatic monthly donations. I have no words of comfort to offer those among my students who have DACA status, are undocumented, are the children of undocumented immigrants, or who are U.S. citizens who nonetheless fear backlash because of their ethnicity, but I do my best to listen when they need to talk about their concerns.
Any advice on other actions for a tiny blue dot in a very red state?
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I have also joined my local indivisible group. I also find that the Facebook page for my state's part of the women's march has been posting all kinds of local events and action items, so they're a good resource too.
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I joined my local Indivisible group today.
I should've known that Captain Awkward would have tips on calling your congresspeople when you have massive phone anxiety like I do. Love that site! I have a REALLY hard time with phone calls, but I'm working on it.
Here in Chicago we've got marches coming up on Feb. 19 and 20 - going to do my best to be at at least one of them.
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I just spent 2 hours meeting with my local Indivisible group's leader, who I happened to meet at the Women's March. I could tell she was feeling overwhelmed and I reached out to her yesterday, then today we talked and came up with a strategy for the group going forward. Lots of chefs who want to make lots of different dishes -- there are more than 2,000 people in the group! -- but we need to focus on the 4 actions in the Indivisible group guide and not try to reinvent the wheel on every single issue. Our approach instead is going to be ask members who are in other activist groups to liaise back to us and keep us posted on events and causes we might want to take up.
We came up with a good plan, I think, and I feel really glad to be of use. We have a meeting with the whole group on Friday (jeez I hope all 2,000 people don't show up!) where we're going to roll out our more laser-focused plan and deal with the inevitable community blowback on it ...
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Agree with making phone calls to your electeds, both to urge them to oppose policies you disagree with, and to thank those who have already opposed them.
But phone calls aren't enough. Please find a local, physical office of your 2 senators and 1 representative and call to make appointments. If you can get in, it takes no longer than going to the polls.
A staffer will note your concerns for your elected federal official. The staffers are probably tired of listening to voicemails and would like to see your face. I'm seeing lots of reports on twitter of folks not getting through due to busy signals and full voicemailboxes. Please, get yourself in the physical office and deliver the same message you would have tweeted, etc. If everyone did this, who knows what we can accomplish?
And this important so I'm bolding it:
IF YOU VISIT YOUR REP, RECORD IT AND PUBLICIZE IT.
If nobody knows you went besides you and a staffer, you may as well have just called. You want people to see you there, you want local media outlets reporting on it, you want pictures and short videos on FB, Twitter, Snap, wherever.
MonkeyJenga, I have joined my local Indivisble group. I'm making phone calls to my senators and representative and urging family and friends to do likewise. I dragged my husband, a friend, and a friend of our friend to a protest of the executive order on refugees and travelers from certain Muslim majority countries yesterday. I talked my husband and in-laws into joining the ACLU Saturday. (I joined last year.) We've also added the National Immigration Law Center to our list of organizations receiving automatic monthly donations. I have no words of comfort to offer those among my students who have DACA status, are undocumented, are the children of undocumented immigrants, or who are U.S. citizens who nonetheless fear backlash because of their ethnicity, but I do my best to listen when they need to talk about their concerns.
Any advice on other actions for a tiny blue dot in a very red state?
Whoo!
One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
You can also write letters to the editor and op-eds for your local paper.
Start making media contacts and sending them info about protests and office visits.
Check out this Group Leader Toolkit for some more tips: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/group-toolkit
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Related to all this:
If you are fluent in a language that might be useful in helping/interpreting for people affected by the Muslim ban, contact your local branch of the ACLU to be put on a list of on-call volunteer interpreters for The lawyers who are working to help detained people at your airport.
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I actually got my shit together this afternoon to call one of my Congresspeople. Two numbers, both with full voicemail boxes. So I emailed her. Again. Hey, if it's the only way I can get through....
Also, need to write and support the WA governor and attorney general for bringing a lawsuit against this ridiculous ban.
In other news: I've been reading a lot of people reminding us that when Trump does something like this it's often to mask something else. I can't find it now, but there's a FB post going around about this possibly being a "shock" tactic to get people outraged and lashing out so that something even bigger and worse can slip through. Since that seems to be Trump's MO so far, it wouldn't surprise me. Don't let people fall victim to this, don't let people lose sight of the war for the individual battles. And read Sun Tzu. You can bet Bannon has.
Lastly, this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6rP-YP4c5I). I've been watching Zootopia with the Demon Child and lightly explaining some of what's been going on (she's hearing lots of grownup talk lately anyway, seen the news that my parents have on, et cetera) and I love, love its message. So applicable. This song is pretty kick-ass and it's not a protest song per se, but it is about getting back up again after a fall. Added to the upbeat tune, I kind of need it on replay all the time so I don't just wallow in "oh my god this is awful" all the time. So I figured, maybe some of the other people n here could use/enjoy the song too.
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One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
I took my district's Indivisible group from 3 to 22 in one night by doing this and encouraging new members to invite their friends. Yeehaw.
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I read through Indivisible, joined my local group(s) listed on the website, and attended a happy hour. Since then, I've posted 5calls.org to FB encouraging friends who are upset about the Muslim Ban or anything else Trump has done to start making their voices heard. I scheduled time on my calendar and will start calling tomorrow (I keep forgetting to schedule time on my calendar to step away from work and make a call :/ ). Also, I've been actively reading news, making sure that I don't comment on "headlines" on FB without reading the whole article, watched Meet the Press, and even watched some Fox News to see what those who think that NYTimes is the "Opposition Party" are consuming.
Also our smallish college town (~50,000 people?) had a protest today. Organized in less than 24hours and ~500 people showed up. Not bad.
Thank you for starting this thread and keeping it going.
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I can't yet do much here in the UK, but I Marched and I've signed the petition against Trump's State visit.
Sacking the lawyers who stop unlawful actions by the government is a very bad sign, y'all. The USA has elected a corrupt, fascist, would-be dictator. Don't rely on the existence of your constitution to keep you safe: ever dictator in modern history corrupted what was on paper a decent constitution. Your constitution will only work for you if your judiciary uphold it, and they will only uphold it if the cases are brought before them and persuasively argued, time and time again until Trump is impeached and the cronies around him prosecuted for their crimes (can anyone doubt that there will be some, and soon?)
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Hey Cranberries - Good to know that you were at SFO. Happy to be one of your 3,000 closest friends. Kudos to you for being inspired to take action. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to be FB friends.
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One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
What a great idea! I found this today, exactly what I was looking for, a site that tracks votes by issue/bill.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/votes/?ex_cid=story-twitter
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Kelly Conway went on TV and specifically said the journalists who said mean things about Trump should be fired, and she knows who they are and have their names. So I'm not sure that it's a stretch to think they have the rest of our names, too, or will start going after them once they've gotten further along. I am fucking terrified right now, and I live in a state where there are good people running it.
It's easier to fight back now, than to let things run the course they've started, and try to start fighting back in 3 years.
I grew up reading the stories of hidden children (including of course Anne Frank). Corrie Ten Boom's _The Hiding Place_. The nuns in El Salvadore. Cesar Chavez. Dorothy Day. Archbishop Romero. Edith Cavell. Norman Bethune. As you can tell, this was an active religious household of a specific type that quite likes the current pope. Family friends were refugees from Central & South America (maybe not officially, but they left for specific reasons). We walked in a few marches, dropped pamphlets for a local environmental group founded by a family friend who was fighting against two high polluters in our city being allowed to expand.
I have never called an elected official before, or attended a political meeting. Being scared is the _reason_ to go out now. Because we aren't going to get any less scared.
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One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
What a great idea! I found this today, exactly what I was looking for, a site that tracks votes by issue/bill.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/votes/?ex_cid=story-twitter
Holy shit. Look at the Senate tab. Look who's at the top of the list of those who voted WITH Trump. Dianne Fucking Feinstein!
Anyone who thinks living in a blue state means you don't need to bother calling your reps... Dianne Fucking Feinstein.
http://modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/200-demonstrators-descended-dianne-feinsteins-house-protest-her-support-trumps-n
In NY, too, Schumer was an appeaser until calls started flooding in and protesters showed up outside his office and home. He and Timmy Kaine are at 83% agreement with Trump.
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One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
What a great idea! I found this today, exactly what I was looking for, a site that tracks votes by issue/bill.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/votes/?ex_cid=story-twitter
Holy shit. Look at the Senate tab. Look who's at the top of the list of those who voted WITH Trump. Dianne Fucking Feinstein!
Anyone who thinks living in a blue state means you don't need to bother calling your reps... Dianne Fucking Feinstein.
http://modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/200-demonstrators-descended-dianne-feinsteins-house-protest-her-support-trumps-n
In NY, too, Schumer was an appeaser until calls started flooding in and protesters showed up outside his office and home. He and Timmy Kaine are at 83% agreement with Trump.
Just an FYI, 538 says that there are too few recorded votes now for anything to be statistically meaningful. It will be a good site in the future as more things are voted on. But don't jump to conclusions. I'm pretty sure Feinstein is not a secret Trump supporter.
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One tactic I stumbled across: go to your reps' FB/Twitter accounts and see who's commenting. If someone seems supportive of the cause, invite them to join the group and check out the guide!
You may be a tiny blue dot, but there are many other tiny blue dots in your state, and you can find those dots and get the Indivisible word out.
What a great idea! I found this today, exactly what I was looking for, a site that tracks votes by issue/bill.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/votes/?ex_cid=story-twitter
Holy shit. Look at the Senate tab. Look who's at the top of the list of those who voted WITH Trump. Dianne Fucking Feinstein!
Anyone who thinks living in a blue state means you don't need to bother calling your reps... Dianne Fucking Feinstein.
http://modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/200-demonstrators-descended-dianne-feinsteins-house-protest-her-support-trumps-n
In NY, too, Schumer was an appeaser until calls started flooding in and protesters showed up outside his office and home. He and Timmy Kaine are at 83% agreement with Trump.
Just an FYI, 538 says that there are too few recorded votes now for anything to be statistically meaningful. It will be a good site in the future as more things are voted on. But don't jump to conclusions. I'm pretty sure Feinstein is not a secret Trump supporter.
Agree. there are only a couple votes so far. Feinstein just gave a blistering speech against Sessions in the confirmation hearings. It's pretty much falling on party lines. After her, Orrin Hatch gave a speech about how Sessions is an honorable man, blah blah blah. Leahy is on right now he is giving examples just like Feinstein did. It's live on PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/watch-live-senate-votes-confirm-jeff-sessions-attorney-general/
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Screw statistics.
That 100% means she has voted to confirm all of his Cabinet nominees so far, including a holy war conspiracy theorist. It means she voted to make the ban on federal funds for family planning providers permanent, and forbid insurance plans from covering abortion even if federal funds aren’t used for them. It means she voted to ALLOW THE ACA REPEAL TO PROCEED.
She may not personally be a Trump supporter, but that doesn’t matter if she keeps voting for his people and his policies.
Blues in blue states tend to be complacent and assume their senators and reps will oppose Trump and the Republicans. If they don’t, people need to be aware of it and speak up. These early votes matter. The response to the early votes matters.
This is important as motivation to call and act regardless of where you live. How many people have you heard say, I live in NY/CA/wherever, so it doesn’t matter, how can I help out with red/purple states?
We need them in NY/CA/wherever!
Yes, DiFi is taking a harder line, now. Chuck Schumer is taking a harder line, now.
That’s because people in those solid blue states spoke up.
We need to keep speaking up and showing up so they keep fighting for us.
Added motivation to recruit new Indivisible members from your district rep’s FB page: my group is up to 52 members. Yesterday afternoon, we had 3 members, and 2 of them were my roommates.
You can also do this to get people into your state’s Indivisible group, by responding to comments on your senators’ pages.
Go to red state senators’ pages and reach out to the angry blue dots.
Go on liberal news sites and reach out to commenters there.
Leave flyers around your neighborhood.
Get creative and spread the word. Guerilla warfare this B*.
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Dianne Feinstein is consistently awful, and the vote count is quite telling, but she did not vote for the ACA repeal - she was in the hospital having a pacemaker installed.
Other than that though - yes, she is a terrible senator, quite corrupt, extremely unaccountable to her constituents unless they are San Juaquin industrial farmers, and significantly more conservative than her constituents. She has a D after her name so she keeps getting elected. With luck she will retire soon. If we did not have thousands of higher priorities right now I would say it was time to primary her hardcore.
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Screw statistics.
That 100% means she has voted to confirm all of his Cabinet nominees so far, including a holy war conspiracy theorist. It means she voted to make the ban on federal funds for family planning providers permanent, and forbid insurance plans from covering abortion even if federal funds aren’t used for them. It means she voted to ALLOW THE ACA REPEAL TO PROCEED.
She may not personally be a Trump supporter, but that doesn’t matter if she keeps voting for his people and his policies.
Blues in blue states tend to be complacent and assume their senators and reps will oppose Trump and the Republicans. If they don’t, people need to be aware of it and speak up. These early votes matter. The response to the early votes matters.
This is important as motivation to call and act regardless of where you live. How many people have you heard say, I live in NY/CA/wherever, so it doesn’t matter, how can I help out with red/purple states?
We need them in NY/CA/wherever!
Yes, DiFi is taking a harder line, now. Chuck Schumer is taking a harder line, now.
That’s because people in those solid blue states spoke up.
We need to keep speaking up and showing up so they keep fighting for us.
Added motivation to recruit new Indivisible members from your district rep’s FB page: my group is up to 52 members. Yesterday afternoon, we had 3 members, and 2 of them were my roommates.
You can also do this to get people into your state’s Indivisible group, by responding to comments on your senators’ pages.
Go to red state senators’ pages and reach out to the angry blue dots.
Go on liberal news sites and reach out to commenters there.
Leave flyers around your neighborhood.
Get creative and spread the word. Guerilla warfare this B*.
knee jerk reactions are counter productive, lets take a look at her actual voting record:
ACA defunding - She was in surgery and missed the vote
Voting for Mattis - No issue, only adult in the cabinet
Voting for Pompeo - Don't like him but what reason is there to vote against him
Voting for Kelley - What substantive reason is there to vote against him
Voting for Hailey - What substantive reason is there to vote against her?
Now if she votes for Sessions, De Vos, Perry or some of the other people who are unqualified you can make a point. So far she has voted yea for 4 picks, all who were in no danger of failing to pass and at least 2 were decent picks (Mattis and Kelley).
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I retract my statement on the ACA. I'm at work on my phone so not conducive to research. 538 should have their methodology account for non-votes though.
Deadlymonkey, please start a new thread to discuss so we don't derail my baby. :)
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Today I called. Two ultra-right senators with no one answering phones through the ~10 calls each and no room in the voice mail. One representative whose staffer wanted my address, phone, and email (gave him my spam capture address).
In the last several days I've also marched in a women's march in the middle of nowhere, joined the local indivisible group, and found my mother's state group for her. There is no local currently for her, and she's not in good enough health to run it right now, though she was asked. She's active in Pantsuit Nation, though, and the groups seem to be sharing info.
Will try the senators again later. 5calls.org was very helpful, though it only gave me an option for three calls :)
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I joined 100+ others today outside of our senator's office. I got to speak with his staffer re: Bannon with a nice personal story. She said I should also put it through the website as well. I thanked him for coming out against the ban (very weakly and non-committal, but not in support of... a start) as well because carrot+stick.
I also made a sign that says: "Illegal Immigration is the Free Market Response to Bad Policy"
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I haven't been posting on this thread about my actions, but I am doing at least one thing daily. Today I'm going to a protest at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis. The FB event lists 7.2k as "going," so we'll see what that actually means in terms of real-body participation.
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I overheard 3 women at with who were outraged at the ban. I went up to them and told them about Indivisible. One got out her phone and joined the Facebook group right there.
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I'm shooting for a few things each week. This weekend I attended a refugee benefit concert preceded by a rally. I also signed up for a 5k run for refugees with the same organization for next weekend. I am hoping to attend a "conversations with Muslim neighbors " event sponsored by a local church this evening, weather permitting. Come to think of it, none of these things should actually be considered acts of political resistance, but I suppose you could say they are now. After this election took place, I became convinced that I had not been doing a good enough job of loving my neighbor, so I am trying to do better now.
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MJ or others: My sister was asking me about apps. I thought I saw you post a bunch somewhere MJ, but maybe they were just websites? And now I can't find them.
Anyone have app suggestions? My sister was thinking about trying to make one, but I told her I was sure a bunch already existed.
My local Indivisible group is growing. It started as a FB group of a bunch of moms who were distraught after the election, but we made it non-mom-specific and it is now listed as an official group. We have had a huge success ordering yard signs- we are on our 3rd re-order. They say something like" In this house we believe: Womens rights are human rights, science is real, black lives matter, water is life". Its been pretty cool to see them popping up all over town.
We also got permission to "protest" at the city park on the busy intersection in town (small town.... only one main intersection) every Sat morning in Feb. We were given rules that are not to block the sidewalk, not to encourage honking, and not to go in the street. Should be fun. The women who did it last week said it was 95% positive feedback.
I am working on getting up a billboard saying "Where is Pat Tiber? No town halls since 2015" or something like that. He refuses to schedule a town hall. If anyone has wording to suggest, let me know. A former lobbyist friend thinks it will totally freak him out and get a lot of press. We are trying to push him hard on ACA repeal stuff.
Dying at this: http://m.richmond.com/news/virginia/article_b5124648-cdcc-560c-878e-19a19a354f46.html?mode=jqm
"The women are all up in my grill no matter where I go!" There was another hilarious quote that I can't find now about "all the women who used to organize the playdates and carpools and now they keep calling me about the ACA".
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I took Uber to the protest. On the way there, I spoke with a guy who was totally supportive and wanted to get involved. I told him about Indivisible and that he should totally join in. On the way back, I spoke with another guy who was totally supportive and wanted to join Indivisible and share with his friends. This is important because he's black and getting the message into diverse areas is a challenge due to social media segregation. I want everyone who wants to be a part of it out there protesting and involved in the process.
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I had an interesting political moment with someone at the grocery store today. I got in a conversation with a woman who was generally politically savvy, but had been out of the country and somewhat out of the loop for three weeks. She asked for, and I gave, an update on the state of things.. And I completely overwhelmed her. If I were speaking to someone I had read as a complete political newby I would have censored myself more, but my concern is that by not pretending the situation is less dire than it is I may have cast myself as the crackpot overly intense political wonk with a doomsday outlook.
The problem feels very similar to how it was trying to explain why I had such an extremely negative view of Trump before the election, when fascism and nazism had become meaningless buzzwords. I have the choice to downplay the seriousness, or look a little unhinged.
Do any of you have an approach to this problem that works for you?
(What I did: in the course of a conversation that I had steered toward airport protests and Bannon, and the effectiveness/awesome community building effects of activism, and she had steered toward Putin, we landed at impeachment and the relative horribleness of Pence vs. Trump. I said that I thought that Pence would be less able to capitalize on the surge in popularity that will happen when they start a war. That was where I took it too far for her.)
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MJ or others: My sister was asking me about apps. I thought I saw you post a bunch somewhere MJ, but maybe they were just websites? And now I can't find them.
Anyone have app suggestions? My sister was thinking about trying to make one, but I told her I was sure a bunch already existed.
My local Indivisible group is growing. It started as a FB group of a bunch of moms who were distraught after the election, but we made it non-mom-specific and it is now listed as an official group. We have had a huge success ordering yard signs- we are on our 3rd re-order. They say something like" In this house we believe: Womens rights are human rights, science is real, black lives matter, water is life". Its been pretty cool to see them popping up all over town.
We also got permission to "protest" at the city park on the busy intersection in town (small town.... only one main intersection) every Sat morning in Feb. We were given rules that are not to block the sidewalk, not to encourage honking, and not to go in the street. Should be fun. The women who did it last week said it was 95% positive feedback.
I am working on getting up a billboard saying "Where is Pat Tiber? No town halls since 2015" or something like that. He refuses to schedule a town hall. If anyone has wording to suggest, let me know. A former lobbyist friend thinks it will totally freak him out and get a lot of press. We are trying to push him hard on ACA repeal stuff.
Dying at this: http://m.richmond.com/news/virginia/article_b5124648-cdcc-560c-878e-19a19a354f46.html?mode=jqm
"The women are all up in my grill no matter where I go!" There was another hilarious quote that I can't find now about "all the women who used to organize the playdates and carpools and now they keep calling me about the ACA".
Whoo! You should put #Indivisible on all the lawn signs and billboards. I wonder what the NYC apartment building version of a lawn sign is...
Ohh, people should stitch #Indivisible in black thread onto their pussy hats...
For the billboard, maybe have a Where's Waldo-style background? Or a photo of Tiber with the glasses, hat, and striped shirt.
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I wonder what the NYC apartment building version of a lawn sign is...
I was FB-group-chatting with some friends a couple of hours ago and we were wondering if it would somehow be against the lease/upset the condo board to put a sign in the window of one's apartment. I have a pretty visible spot, with big windows overlooking an avenue.
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I had an interesting political moment with someone at the grocery store today. I got in a conversation with a woman who was generally politically savvy, but had been out of the country and somewhat out of the loop for three weeks. She asked for, and I gave, an update on the state of things.. And I completely overwhelmed her. If I were speaking to someone I had read as a complete political newby I would have censored myself more, but my concern is that by not pretending the situation is less dire than it is I may have cast myself as the crackpot overly intense political wonk with a doomsday outlook.
The problem feels very similar to how it was trying to explain why I had such an extremely negative view of Trump before the election, when fascism and nazism had become meaningless buzzwords. I have the choice to downplay the seriousness, or look a little unhinged.
Do any of you have an approach to this problem that works for you?
(What I did: in the course of a conversation that I had steered toward airport protests and Bannon, and the effectiveness/awesome community building effects of activism, and she had steered toward Putin, we landed at impeachment and the relative horribleness of Pence vs. Trump. I said that I thought that Pence would be less able to capitalize on the surge in popularity that will happen when they start a war. That was where I took it too far for her.)
I don't know. I'm going on a short break with some friends this weekend, and I'm not sure how to handle this, either. They are generally liberal but I think I may be way more hardcore, and maybe read way more of those articles from exiled Russian journalists and the like. I know that if someone isn't ready to hear something and doesn't believe it, then they often just shut down if I start ranting. So, I'm going to try my best to keep it a bit light and make jokes to help defuse the situation, while putting a little seed in their brain to consider the possibility. Like, "it's all fun and games until Trump starts WWWIII with China, ha ha!" instead of, "Indications are that the Trump inner circle is gunning for a war with either China or Iran, and if that happens, I really hope he doesn't set off a nuclear bomb." Because option #2 just sounds paranoid/crazy and saying it probably won't stop it beforehand anyway.
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Today I thought to myself, "I really sound like a tinfoil hat crazy person. I must be overreacting."
And then I review events. And I'm like, "I don't think so...."
But then, for instance, I learn that the Judicial Branch page is back on the whitehouse.gov site and I think, "um, okay, maybe I have been overreacting to things." (I thought it was suspicious that it was missing.)
And then I wonder whether we should buy a gun. Or store a shitload of cash in our home.
Ahhhhh!
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Just so people are aware, this is now happening: a Republican Congressman doxxed a constituent who didn't agree with him. (https://theestablishment.co/womens-march-participant-speaks-out-about-being-target-of-senator-s-harassment-campaign-c69c14967bf1#.agxbsxekc) When someone commented that he was supposed to be representing all of his constituents he merely responded, "No." Uh....
A friend who is a teacher made a sad update about DeVos on FB and I was like, Murkowski is one of your senators! Call her! Email her! Have everyone you know call and email her and tell her how horrible DeVos is! He responded (just now) saying that he'd done all of that. Well, at least we tried.
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Just so people are aware, this is now happening: a Republican Congressman doxxed a constituent who didn't agree with him. (https://theestablishment.co/womens-march-participant-speaks-out-about-being-target-of-senator-s-harassment-campaign-c69c14967bf1#.agxbsxekc) When someone commented that he was supposed to be representing all of his constituents he merely responded, "No." Uh....
Isn't doxxing illegal?
http://subliminalridge.blogspot.com/2012/10/understanding-barrett-browns-case.html
"Doxing is always illegal, whether it is done against a federal employee, a state employee, or a regular person. There are federal and state laws that specifically address doxing government employees. With regular citizens, doxing falls under various state criminal laws, such as stalking, cyberstalking, harassment, threats, and other such laws, depending on the state. Since these doxing threats and activities are made on the internet, the law of any state may be invoked, though most often an investigator will look to the state in which the person making the threat is located, if this is known, or the state in which the victim is situated. A state prosecutor can only prosecute violations of the laws of his or her own state, and of acts that extend into their state. When acts are on the internet, they extend into all the states."
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We have a lease on a place in Charleston for at least six weeks, so I guess these are my local representatives as much as I have any:
Rep. Marshall Sanford
Sen. Lindsey Graham
Sen. Tim Scott
Did you find a local Indivisible group to join? We're running Tuesday protests. Maybe one of your temporary senators has an office in Charleston. If so, I'd guess there will be at least one protest there this coming Tuesday.
I did find the local Indivisible group, thanks. Seems active, lots of information. Slightly chaotic but I think they are still organizing (and well, you know FB...)
Both the senators had full voicemail's all weekend and through Monday. I was able to leave a voicemail and reach someone in person at the Rep. office.
Decided to head down to Graham's office in person to deliver a comment in person since their phones were jammed. Met up and joined a confirmation protest there for a bit and then left early to bike home. Good group of people there. Apparently I left a bit before someone decided it would be ok to start throwing waterballoons at a bunch of liberals (http://www.postandcourier.com/news/police-charged-after-throwing-water-balloons-at-a-bunch-of/article_709b527a-e7c0-11e6-935e-e3fc09b2cdac.html)
Still thinking about how to proceed further, but visiting people's offices in person combines my like of bike riding and annoying people, so that's something..
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Just another reminder to keep this thread focused on actionable steps. If you share news, include related actions.
CanuckExpat, if you can pull one or two other people with you when you visit offices, it will give your visit more weight. Groups play better than singles. You could try reaching out to the FB page, creating an event, and seeing who's free to go with you. And record everything you're doing so you can post on FB, send to news outlets, etc. I'm getting all this from Indivisible, so if you've read the guide already this is redundant info.
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CanuckExpat, if you can pull one or two other people with you when you visit offices, it will give your visit more weight. Groups play better than singles. You could try reaching out to the FB page, creating an event, and seeing who's free to go with you. And record everything you're doing so you can post on FB, send to news outlets, etc. I'm getting all this from Indivisible, so if you've read the guide already this is redundant info.
Thank you. Good reminders and actionable items.
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Feeling a bit frustrated that so many protests here are happening during the workday, in downtown Chicago (I don't work anywhere near downtown so cannot even drop by during lunch). Sigh. There are a couple weekend protests coming up in mid-Feb so those are on my calendar.
Someone started a Facebook group that's just for posting various protests happening around the city and suburbs. So I joined that. Seems like a good resource for keeping track of everything that is going on.
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Contact your Repubublican senator, give your name and "I live in [your state]". Tell him/her to vote AGANST Betsy DeVos. Right now it looks like if one more Senator votes against her, she will not be appointed Secretary of Education.
Reasons why not:
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/317379-gop-senator-to-vote-no-on-betsy-devos (http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/317379-gop-senator-to-vote-no-on-betsy-devos)Her hearing was a disaster: she's unfamiliar with the Individuals with Disabilities Act, she's very strongly pro-voucher, and she's not willing to agree that schools that receive federal dollars should be held to the same accountability standards as public schools.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/politics/betsy-devos-education-secretary-hearing/ (http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/politics/betsy-devos-education-secretary-hearing/)She's strongly pro-religion (hers, of course) in schools.
Also, she's given money to a number of senators (including mine) and stated that "She expects things" in return. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/articles/2017-01-10/5-questions-for-betsy-devos-donald-trumps-education-secretary-nominee (http://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/articles/2017-01-10/5-questions-for-betsy-devos-donald-trumps-education-secretary-nominee) (look under paragraph numbered 1).
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For anyone in NY, I got through to Schumer in Peekskill and Gillibrand in Buffalo to say oppose Gorsuch and try to get Bannon off the NSC.
Gillibrand staffer said she wasn't sure how to go about that with Bannon, I told her Congress set the law on who can be included, it's up to them to enforce it.
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Contributed to Merkley's campaign as a thanks for leading the SC filibuster. Upped my ACLU contributions. Left a message for Cuomo thanking him for supporting Roe v. Wade. Will add state senators to my call list tomorrow. Discussed these actions w/local Indivisible group.
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Gillibrand staffer said she wasn't sure how to go about that with Bannon, I told her Congress set the law on who can be included, it's up to them to enforce it.
With my bare minimal understanding of US civics: congress can also not fund anything they don't like, is that correct?
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ONE SENATOR AWAY FROM BLOCKING BETSY DEVOS. If you live in TN, PA, GA, UT, NC, WY, LA, KS, SC, or KY, please call your senators!
We flipped republican senators from ME and AK today, who in their public statements cited the overwhelming number of calls they've received from constituents as being the primary influence for their decision-making. Calling Works!!
Johnny Isakson (GA) 770.661.0999..&..202.224.3643
Orrin Hatch (UT) 801.524.4380..&..202.224.5251
Richard Burr (NC) 336.631.5125..&..202.224.3154..&.. 910.251.1058..&..828.350.2437
Michael Enzi (WY) 202.224.3424
Dr. Bill Cassidy (LA) 202.224.5824
Pat Roberts (KS) 202.224.4774
Tim Scott (SC) 202.224.6121
Rand Paul (KY) 202.224.4343
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Can just point out that if the feds allow public money to pay for religious schools, the Satanists will start opening schools left and right. And they would not want to fund teaching kids Satanism, now would they?
Just a thought.
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Haha, I was just coming here to post the DeVos stuff. Go team!
Being from Alaska and having a lot of friends who are teachers, you'd better believe I was getting on people's cases about contacting Murkowski. Teachers were literally crying at the thought of what would happen if she was confirmed, so it wasn't that hard.
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I'll be thrilled if DeVos is shitcanned. She is a disaster of a candidate. But from the perspective of our national future, I am less concerned about her than about Sessions, who seems pretty likely to make it through at this point.
This has got to be the least-qualified/most extreme cabinet in history.
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When posting phone numbers, it's helpful to include all the regional offices. DC offices are incredibly swamped. When I call my senators, I try DC last.
Is anyone able to gather that info for the DeVos senators?
Side note: someone should make a Devo/DeVos Whip It parody video. This is clearly higher priority.
Can just point out that if the feds allow public money to pay for religious schools, the Satanists will start opening schools left and right. And they would not want to fund teaching kids Satanism, now would they?
Or worse: what if they fund teaching kids ISLAM?
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ONE SENATOR AWAY FROM BLOCKING BETSY DEVOS. If you live in TN, PA, GA, UT, NC, WY, LA, KS, SC, or KY, please call your senators!
We flipped republican senators from ME and AK today, who in their public statements cited the overwhelming number of calls they've received from constituents as being the primary influence for their decision-making. Calling Works!!
Johnny Isakson (GA) 770.661.0999..&..202.224.3643
Orrin Hatch (UT) 801.524.4380..&..202.224.5251
Richard Burr (NC) 336.631.5125..&..202.224.3154..&.. 910.251.1058..&..828.350.2437
Michael Enzi (WY) 202.224.3424
Dr. Bill Cassidy (LA) 202.224.5824
Pat Roberts (KS) 202.224.4774
Tim Scott (SC) 202.224.6121
Rand Paul (KY) 202.224.4343
PA is my voting state, and just an FYI, our Republican Senator Pat Toomey, does not answer the phones, does not hold town hall or public events. People that make it to his staff report they are rude and hang up on constituents (we still try though). Our Dem Senator, Bob Casey has been a vocal opponent of most of the cabinet and a leading resistant voice (also answers the phones/letters and has a friendly staff.)
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ONE SENATOR AWAY FROM BLOCKING BETSY DEVOS. If you live in TN, PA, GA, UT, NC, WY, LA, KS, SC, or KY, please call your senators!
We flipped republican senators from ME and AK today, who in their public statements cited the overwhelming number of calls they've received from constituents as being the primary influence for their decision-making. Calling Works!!
Johnny Isakson (GA) 770.661.0999..&..202.224.3643
Orrin Hatch (UT) 801.524.4380..&..202.224.5251
Richard Burr (NC) 336.631.5125..&..202.224.3154..&.. 910.251.1058..&..828.350.2437
Michael Enzi (WY) 202.224.3424
Dr. Bill Cassidy (LA) 202.224.5824
Pat Roberts (KS) 202.224.4774
Tim Scott (SC) 202.224.6121
Rand Paul (KY) 202.224.4343
Adding in Thom Tillis (NC) (202) 224-6342..&..704-509-9087..&..(252) 329-0371..&..(919) 856-4630..&..(336) 885-0685
I called Burr and Tillis yesterday and the day before and will call again today.
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Can just point out that if the feds allow public money to pay for religious schools, the Satanists will start opening schools left and right. And they would not want to fund teaching kids Satanism, now would they?
Just a thought.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster needs kids. We need to bring the children to the light. Right now they join so late in life.
I see that they are pulling out the bill to give away federal land (thank you hunters who called). So I'll call my Rep to give positive feedback on that, and give support for the Oversight Committee to review possible conflicts of interest for Trump.
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If you’re in North Carolina, call Roy Cooper, the new Democratic governor, and Josh Stein, the new Attorney General, to withdraw a petition for writ of certiorari pending at the Supreme Court to review the 4th Circuit’s decision striking down North Carolina’s discriminatory voting law.
Roy Cooper: (919) 814-2000
Josh Stein: 919-716-6400
Per UU, when you call, start off by saying you are a constituent and give your name, city and zip code. Makes it easier for them to tally you.
This is hugely important for the protection of voting rights not just in NC but other areas using the decision as precedent.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/02/north_carolina_should_withdraw_its_petition_to_the_supreme_court_in_its.html
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If you’re in North Carolina, call Roy Cooper, the new Democratic governor, and Josh Stein, the new Attorney General, to withdraw a petition for writ of certiorari pending at the Supreme Court to review the 4th Circuit’s decision striking down North Carolina’s discriminatory voting law.
Roy Cooper: (919) 814-2000
Josh Stein: 919-716-6400
This is hugely important for the protection of voting rights not just in NC but other areas using the decision as precedent.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/02/north_carolina_should_withdraw_its_petition_to_the_supreme_court_in_its.html
Just called both and corrected the phone number for Josh Stein above. The other number was his campaign office. The very nice lady at AG Stein's office told me that I was one of the first calls she had received on this issue. I'll post it on one of the NC groups on Facebook. Just a tip - when you call, start off by saying you are a constituent and give your name, city and zip code. Makes it easier for them to tally you.
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Thank you, UU! I will correct my post.
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ONE SENATOR AWAY FROM BLOCKING BETSY DEVOS. If you live in TN, PA, GA, UT, NC, WY, LA, KS, SC, or KY, please call your senators!
We flipped republican senators from ME and AK today, who in their public statements cited the overwhelming number of calls they've received from constituents as being the primary influence for their decision-making. Calling Works!!
Johnny Isakson (GA) 770.661.0999..&..202.224.3643
Orrin Hatch (UT) 801.524.4380..&..202.224.5251
Richard Burr (NC) 336.631.5125..&..202.224.3154..&.. 910.251.1058..&..828.350.2437
Michael Enzi (WY) 202.224.3424
Dr. Bill Cassidy (LA) 202.224.5824
Pat Roberts (KS) 202.224.4774
Tim Scott (SC) 202.224.6121
Rand Paul (KY) 202.224.4343
PA is my voting state, and just an FYI, our Republican Senator Pat Toomey, does not answer the phones, does not hold town hall or public events. People that make it to his staff report they are rude and hang up on constituents (we still try though). Our Dem Senator, Bob Casey has been a vocal opponent of most of the cabinet and a leading resistant voice (also answers the phones/letters and has a friendly staff.)
Have you tried faxing his office? I don't know if it makes a difference, but it is a way to get through.
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Is there an action to undo the outcome of press secretary Sean Spicer's illiteracy?
He is using the shooting in Quebec to justify Trump's orders, even though the shooter is presumed to be Canadian born and raised, nonMuslim, and targeted Muslim people. How the White House managed to twist that, I can't comprehend. (Except I know some people lie, etc.) A hashtag something??
He also believes "a majority of Americans" voted for Trump.
This is the kind of twistiness that breeds hate, and many people are going to assume Spicer is being honest. How to turn that around??
I don't think we have any way to address this, and I think most of us have concluded that we need to use our energy elsewhere. The country is polarized enough that the two sides are getting their news from entirely different sources, and working from completely different ideas of what the facts are. We tried all the way through the election to get through to the people who will believe Spicer, and utterly, completely, failed.
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Today I thought to myself, "I really sound like a tinfoil hat crazy person. I must be overreacting."
And then I review events. And I'm like, "I don't think so...."
But then, for instance, I learn that the Judicial Branch page is back on the whitehouse.gov site and I think, "um, okay, maybe I have been overreacting to things." (I thought it was suspicious that it was missing.)
And then I wonder whether we should buy a gun. Or store a shitload of cash in our home.
Ahhhhh!
Yes! Get a gun!
My political action for yesterday was to send a complimentary email to NPR for having Charlie Sykes host an evening show. I think it is in Tom Ashbrook's slot. anyway, Charlie
Sykes is a "classical liberal" which he decribes as today's conservative.
I was shocked to hear him coming over the radio waves on the NPR dial and I had to check the radio setting twice to make sure I was on NPR!and not the nearby religious station.
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Is there an action to undo the outcome of press secretary Sean Spicer's illiteracy?
He is using the shooting in Quebec to justify Trump's orders, even though the shooter is presumed to be Canadian born and raised, nonMuslim, and targeted Muslim people. How the White House managed to twist that, I can't comprehend. (Except I know some people lie, etc.) A hashtag something??
He also believes "a majority of Americans" voted for Trump.
This is the kind of twistiness that breeds hate, and many people are going to assume Spicer is being honest. How to turn that around??
#alternativefacts
But like cranberries said, that's not going to reach the people who believe it.
Try writing local op-eds? Or engaging with communities and discussing in churches, temples, etc? Not something Canadians can do, aside from encourage Americans to do it. Although you lot have your own future Trumps gunning for power...
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Not something Canadians can do, aside from encourage Americans to do it. Although you lot have your own future Trumps gunning for power...
Many of us here in the US are horrified that we thought things were generally going to be OK and then this happened. Getting engaged in building bridges across those cultural divides as well as supporting fact based education and fact based news coverage, etc, before you elect a fascist seems preferable to trying to oust one once he is in power. The type of work you (Joon) are advocating for seems really, really important in countries that are not as far down this slide as we in the US are. I highly recommend the book "Don't think of an Elephant" for learning to build those bridges.
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I went to a rally at town hall and brought flowers and croissants to the local mosque this afternoon.
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Does any one know of a fax number for Marco Rubio (FL-R)? All his lines are either busy when I call or are full voicemail boxes. I was able to get through to someone in Bill Nelson's Tallahassee office and they said he's going to vote against DeVos, I thanked them/him.
Sen. Marco Rubio
Washington, DC
adr: U.S. Senate, 317 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 205100001
ph: (202) 224-3041
fax: (202) 228-0285
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Today I thought to myself, "I really sound like a tinfoil hat crazy person. I must be overreacting."
And then I review events. And I'm like, "I don't think so...."
But then, for instance, I learn that the Judicial Branch page is back on the whitehouse.gov site and I think, "um, okay, maybe I have been overreacting to things." (I thought it was suspicious that it was missing.)
And then I wonder whether we should buy a gun. Or store a shitload of cash in our home.
Ahhhhh!
Yes! Get a gun!
My political action for yesterday was to send a complimentary email to NPR for having Charlie Sykes host an evening show. I think it is in Tom Ashbrook's slot. anyway, Charlie
Sykes is a "classical liberal" which he decribes as today's conservative.
I was shocked to hear him coming over the radio waves on the NPR dial and I had to check the radio setting twice to make sure I was on NPR!and not the nearby religious station.
Horseshoe Theory is proven
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory
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Can just point out that if the feds allow public money to pay for religious schools, the Satanists will start opening schools left and right. And they would not want to fund teaching kids Satanism, now would they?
Just a thought.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster needs kids. We need to bring the children to the light. Right now they join so late in life.
I see that they are pulling out the bill to give away federal land (thank you hunters who called). So I'll call my Rep to give positive feedback on that, and give support for the Oversight Committee to review possible conflicts of interest for Trump.
Hunters and sportsmen and shooting enthusiasts are a powerful demographic.
I will have to mention this when I call my Reps tomorrow: I'm motivated by the refusal to accept the refugees Austrailia has been holding prisoner for two + years. Need to let them know this is not cool. Not sure if there's anything that can be done to override the President on this, but maybe it'll start something moving in the background.
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Does any one know of a fax number for Marco Rubio (FL-R)? All his lines are either busy when I call or are full voicemail boxes. I was able to get through to someone in Bill Nelson's Tallahassee office and they said he's going to vote against DeVos, I thanked them/him.
Sen. Marco Rubio
Washington, DC
adr: U.S. Senate, 317 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 205100001
ph: (202) 224-3041
fax: (202) 228-0285
Thank you. I was also able to get through to his Palm Beach office so I spoke to someone there. I'll keep the fax number for future reference.
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Idle question of the day: were voice mail boxes full and live human beings difficult to reach pre-Trump? Or is this kind of volume of contact new to the Average Senator?
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anyway, Charlie
Sykes is a "classical liberal" which he decribes as today's conservative.
Classical liberals are not the same as "today's conservative". A classical liberal is more like a libertarian, i.e. "Mind your business". Shoot your guns, drink a beer, smoke a joint, wave to your Muslim neighbors, and wish the fellas next door a happy honeymoon!
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Just wanted to say that my wife and I will be attending the March for Science in DC. First march for both of us. We also got two friends to make plans to attend.
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And then I wonder whether we should buy a gun.
You probably should. A gun in the hand beats a cop on the phone.
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Today I thought to myself, "I really sound like a tinfoil hat crazy person. I must be overreacting."
And then I review events. And I'm like, "I don't think so...."
But then, for instance, I learn that the Judicial Branch page is back on the whitehouse.gov site and I think, "um, okay, maybe I have been overreacting to things." (I thought it was suspicious that it was missing.)
And then I wonder whether we should buy a gun. Or store a shitload of cash in our home.
Ahhhhh!
Yes! Get a gun!
My political action for yesterday was to send a complimentary email to NPR for having Charlie Sykes host an evening show. I think it is in Tom Ashbrook's slot. anyway, Charlie
Sykes is a "classical liberal" which he decribes as today's conservative.
I was shocked to hear him coming over the radio waves on the NPR dial and I had to check the radio setting twice to make sure I was on NPR!and not the nearby religious station.
Horseshoe Theory is proven
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory
Hahaha, sure, kinda.
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anyway, Charlie
Sykes is a "classical liberal" which he decribes as today's conservative.
Classical liberals are not the same as "today's conservative". A classical liberal is more like a libertarian, i.e. "Mind your business". Shoot your guns, drink a beer, smoke a joint, and wish the fellas next door a happy honeymoon!
Yes, good clarification. I was using Sykes's own explanation, his one word characterization, he is speaking to the NPR audience, after all, so he has to be S I M P L E . He is likely a constitutional conservative which I think of a libertarian or the early version of the contemporary Tea Party.
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Just wanted to say that my wife and I will be attending the March for Science in DC. First march for both of us. We also got two friends to make plans to attend.
My boss and I are marching! Science, it works bitches.
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Just wanted to say that my wife and I will be attending the March for Science in DC. First march for both of us. We also got two friends to make plans to attend.
My boss and I are marching! Science, it works bitches.
Anyone know if there will be a march in the SF Bay Area for this one? Can't find any info so far but would like to participate if I can.
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Just wanted to say that my wife and I will be attending the March for Science in DC. First march for both of us. We also got two friends to make plans to attend.
My boss and I are marching! Science, it works bitches.
Anyone know if there will be a march in the SF Bay Area for this one? Can't find any info so far but would like to participate if I can.
https://www.marchforscience.com
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Just wanted to say that my wife and I will be attending the March for Science in DC. First march for both of us. We also got two friends to make plans to attend.
My boss and I are marching! Science, it works bitches.
Anyone know if there will be a march in the SF Bay Area for this one? Can't find any info so far but would like to participate if I can.
https://www.marchforscience.com
Thanks. My reading comprehension is poor it seems. When I first checked it I thought the site only had info for the DC march.
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Sam, I would totes join you for the science march. Think it'll be safe enough to bring the bebe, a la Women's March, or should she stay with HusbandX?
I was using Sykes's own explanation, his one word characterization, he is speaking to the NPR audience, after all, so he has to be S I M P L E .
Please refrain from the derogatory language regarding NPR listeners. (For the record, I am not one regularly, or by choice. However, they do have lots of thoughtful articles and, despite your characterization, do a lot more centrist/right-leaning content than you seem to think.)
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I'll probably go to the science march in Boston.
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I need this thread in my life right now.
What I did today:
- Left a public comment for DAPL's EIS: http://indigenousrising.org/leave-a-public-comment-for-the-dapl-e-i-s/
- I started a small ($10 LOL) monthly donation to DCCC
- I sent in my notes to construct an agenda for the civic group I'm treasurer of; our retreat is on Saturday
- I avoided talking about politics in my gaming chat room and spent less time on Facebook so I could rest up and fight on
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I got this message from the SPLC about Steve Bannon on the National Security Council. Please copy/paste on FB/Twitter/etc!
We just learned that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security is taking calls about Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council (NSC).
We’re told that they’re tallying calls.
You might get a busy signal but try, try, try again all this weekend. Leave a message if you get through to voicemail.
The number: 202-224-4751
Be sure to tell the committee that you believe no individual whose primary responsibility is political in nature should be allowed on the NSC or authorized to attend its meetings. Partisan politics have no place in our national security.
Please also email the committee using this form: https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/contact
Sample email:
Hello,
Please do not allow Steve Bannon to be part of the National Security Council. I do not believe any individual whose primary responsibility is political in nature should be allowed on the NSC or authorized to attend its meetings. Partisan politics have no place in our national security.
Thank you,
MJ
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In addition to my usual phone calls and reading and thinking, my act of resistance today was to work on my book, for the first time since the election. I keep feeling like the only important thing is politics right now, but it's not true. Other stuff is also still important and I won't let The Regime take it from me.
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Following!
Thanks for the additional info on Bannon. Emailed my Senators about that the other day, though it sound like they may have exploited a loophole where he is not a member, just you know, attends all the meetings and provides input. Need to look into it more.
Did the DC March, circled the WH last weekend, donated to Rescue International and ACLU and bought a Washington post subscription.
Happy to see the bill for selling public lands bite the dust today. Need to learn more about the coal waste stream thing. Urgh.
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Following.
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Following!
Happy to see the bill for selling public lands bite the dust today. Need to learn more about the coal waste stream thing. Urgh.
The coal waste stream thing is a big deal. The knee jerk reaction's I've heard is that it is mostly an Appalachia issue and since they voted overwhelmingly for Trump, then karma that their water will be poisoned. However, I used to live in Southwestern CO and much of the groundwater is contaminated from mining activities, though not just coal. Seeing the sludge flowing from all mines is heartbreaking in the back areas of CO, which most people don't see. I always had to tell visitors that Coors commercials to the contrary, don't drink the water. Over a century of mining - all kinds - means that you never know if the water is safe even though it looks crystal clear.
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I don't know the truth, but I recently read about a new clean coal burning technology. I think it said 90% reduction in pollution? Did anybody else see it?
I was hoping we'd continue towards sustainable energy, but this could send us back towards coal. It would be good for the coal economy, and 90% better for the oil. Might reduce the fracking industry. I'm sure plenty of other good/bad repercussions.
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I don't know the truth, but I recently read about a new clean coal burning technology. I think it said 90% reduction in pollution? Did anybody else see it?
I was hoping we'd continue towards sustainable energy, but this could send us back towards coal. It would be good for the coal economy, and 90% better for the oil. Might reduce the fracking industry. I'm sure plenty of other good/bad repercussions.
This is the issue with some reporting. Yes, "clean-coal" technology significantly reduces the pollution of Coal. However, the pollution put out by "clean coal" is still significantly more than natural gas and (obviously) renewable sources like solar. So it is clean only in comparison to how dirty it used to be.
An analogy I like, is my bathroom floor is clean, but I still don't want to eat off it.
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I'm passing this along from an email I just received from the Southern Poverty Law Center:
We just learned that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security is taking calls about Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council (NSC).
We’re told that they’re tallying calls.
You might get a busy signal but try, try, try again all this weekend. Leave a message if you get through to voicemail.
The number: 202-224-4751
Be sure to tell the committee that you believe no individual whose primary responsibility is political in nature should be allowed on the NSC or authorized to attend its meetings. Partisan politics have no place in our national security.
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Done, it picked up immediately and I left a message!
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I also called and left a message
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I called. Left a message.
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Following!
Happy to see the bill for selling public lands bite the dust today. Need to learn more about the coal waste stream thing. Urgh.
The coal waste stream thing is a big deal. The knee jerk reaction's I've heard is that it is mostly an Appalachia issue and since they voted overwhelmingly for Trump, then karma that their water will be poisoned. However, I used to live in Southwestern CO and much of the groundwater is contaminated from mining activities, though not just coal. Seeing the sludge flowing from all mines is heartbreaking in the back areas of CO, which most people don't see. I always had to tell visitors that Coors commercials to the contrary, don't drink the water. Over a century of mining - all kinds - means that you never know if the water is safe even though it looks crystal clear.
Even if you were not correct that it isn't just an Appalachian issue, I didn't vote for that asshole and I don't have it coming. And there are hundreds of thousands of people like me here in Appalachia at a bare minimum.
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Even if you were not correct that it isn't just an Appalachian issue, I didn't vote for that asshole and I don't have it coming. And there are hundreds of thousands of people like me here in Appalachia at a bare minimum.
Yeah. Even the reddest states in the union were still about 1/3 Democrat votes. We need to fight for what's right on a national level and not let certain states degenerate into hopeless wastelands in the name of "states' rights" and "they got what they voted for."
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I'm passing this along from an email I just received from the Southern Poverty Law Center:
We just learned that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security is taking calls about Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council (NSC).
We’re told that they’re tallying calls.
You might get a busy signal but try, try, try again all this weekend. Leave a message if you get through to voicemail.
The number: 202-224-4751
Be sure to tell the committee that you believe no individual whose primary responsibility is political in nature should be allowed on the NSC or authorized to attend its meetings. Partisan politics have no place in our national security.
I called and left a message.
Re DeVos, I also faxed every office of one of the GOP Senators from the state where I grew up.
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Following!
Happy to see the bill for selling public lands bite the dust today. Need to learn more about the coal waste stream thing. Urgh.
The coal waste stream thing is a big deal. The knee jerk reaction's I've heard is that it is mostly an Appalachia issue and since they voted overwhelmingly for Trump, then karma that their water will be poisoned. However, I used to live in Southwestern CO and much of the groundwater is contaminated from mining activities, though not just coal. Seeing the sludge flowing from all mines is heartbreaking in the back areas of CO, which most people don't see. I always had to tell visitors that Coors commercials to the contrary, don't drink the water. Over a century of mining - all kinds - means that you never know if the water is safe even though it looks crystal clear.
Even if you were not correct that it isn't just an Appalachian issue, I didn't vote for that asshole and I don't have it coming. And there are hundreds of thousands of people like me here in Appalachia at a bare minimum.
I agree, I was trying to point out a knee jerk reaction I heard from a couple people. I guess what I meant to say is that it is everywhere, in my state which voted for Trump, in my former state which voted for him and in my former former which did not and in the state that I was born in that that also did not.
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I don't know the truth, but I recently read about a new clean coal burning technology. I think it said 90% reduction in pollution? Did anybody else see it?
I was hoping we'd continue towards sustainable energy, but this could send us back towards coal. It would be good for the coal economy, and 90% better for the oil. Might reduce the fracking industry. I'm sure plenty of other good/bad repercussions.
This is the issue with some reporting. Yes, "clean-coal" technology significantly reduces the pollution of Coal. However, the pollution put out by "clean coal" is still significantly more than natural gas and (obviously) renewable sources like solar. So it is clean only in comparison to how dirty it used to be.
An analogy I like, is my bathroom floor is clean, but I still don't want to eat off it.
True, but the reduction in coal pollution over the past few decades has been truly amazing. No more acid rain, reclaimed lands are beautiful and states that have high numbers of coal plants still rate as the cleanest air in the nation by the EPA, asthma rates are dropping, etc. It's not as if they're spewing pure posion into the air; one is at least as safe, and lrobably safer from an air quality perspective, living near a modern coal power plant than they are living in a large city.
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I don't know the truth, but I recently read about a new clean coal burning technology. I think it said 90% reduction in pollution? Did anybody else see it?
I was hoping we'd continue towards sustainable energy, but this could send us back towards coal. It would be good for the coal economy, and 90% better for the oil. Might reduce the fracking industry. I'm sure plenty of other good/bad repercussions.
This is the issue with some reporting. Yes, "clean-coal" technology significantly reduces the pollution of Coal. However, the pollution put out by "clean coal" is still significantly more than natural gas and (obviously) renewable sources like solar. So it is clean only in comparison to how dirty it used to be.
An analogy I like, is my bathroom floor is clean, but I still don't want to eat off it.
Yes. The problem is that coal can't compete with natural gas from a cost perspective, and massive investments would be needed for widespread implementation of clean coal, so it makes no economic sense. Gutting basic rules about dumping waste into streams makes it obvious that any talk of clean coal is just hypothetical lipservice from the industry lobbyists. Cleaner energy is already providing lots of jobs, so this is all dangerous pandering that will benefit a vanishingly small bunch.
Methane rule for oil and gas drilling on public land also being gutted. I have homework for the weekend.
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Once again, someone beat me. Was coming here to post about Bannon. Now, at least, I can add my voice saying that I called to register my strong opposition.
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It's not as if they're spewing pure posion into the air; one is at least as safe, and lrobably safer from an air quality perspective, living near a modern coal power plant than they are living in a large city.
Unless you're talking Beijing or Mexico City, this isn't true. Over 60% of SO2 comes from coal burning. Over 60% of Arsenic is from coal burning. (Not all of the rest comes from city living, either. Paper mills and incinerators pollute too.)
SO2, for example, has an attainment level of 75 ppb. There's no way a coal plant can get to that level.
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It's not as if they're spewing pure posion into the air; one is at least as safe, and lrobably safer from an air quality perspective, living near a modern coal power plant than they are living in a large city.
Unless you're talking Beijing or Mexico City, this isn't true. Over 60% of SO2 comes from coal burning. Over 60% of Arsenic is from coal burning. (Not all of the rest comes from city living, either. Paper mills and incinerators pollute too.)
SO2, for example, has an attainment level of 75 ppb. There's no way a coal plant can get to that level.
I would let the respiratory difficulty studies speak for themselves. No one is suggesting breathing directly from the exhaust stack of any power plant.
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It's not as if they're spewing pure posion into the air; one is at least as safe, and lrobably safer from an air quality perspective, living near a modern coal power plant than they are living in a large city.
Unless you're talking Beijing or Mexico City, this isn't true. Over 60% of SO2 comes from coal burning. Over 60% of Arsenic is from coal burning. (Not all of the rest comes from city living, either. Paper mills and incinerators pollute too.)
SO2, for example, has an attainment level of 75 ppb. There's no way a coal plant can get to that level.
I would let the respiratory difficulty studies speak for themselves. No one is suggesting breathing directly from the exhaust stack of any power plant.
Do you have studies that compare asthma rates near a coal power plant and asthma rates in an urban area? Please cite.
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Please move this coal conversation to a new thread.
Thank you.
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Well then. They're trying to take away supplemental security insurance. (https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/2016/52183) I can think of at least a few people, including my mother, who would be impacted by this.
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Posting to follow. Thank you for this!
I've been calling daily since inauguration day.
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Today I talked with my kid about:
- what "facts" and "alternative facts" are (thanks to response to my earlier q on here)
- what "newspeak" is
- how some people are not safe to speak out, which makes it incredibly important that people who are relatively safe do
Are there truly people who "are not safe to speak out?" Other than Milo Yiannopolis who is physically threatened and kept from speaking at specific places, it seems like the populace here in the U.S. Is energized and into speaking out, as evidenced by this thread. I think it is GREAT for our democracy!
Or perhaps you mean in Canada people are not "safe to speak out." There is that pesky Human Rights Tribunal that clamped right down on Mark Steyn''s writing. I dont know who else they are threatening into silence, sorry, I dont follow Canadian politics that closely.
To keep this focused on the thrjead intent, and because speech is really a big one with me, I sent small contribution to the ACLU today. Small! But it has been years since
I donated , decades even, and I hope they will continue in defending free speech in the U.S.
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Posting to follow! My friend and I are writing postcards to our state and federal reps during the super bowl and I've being calling my senators a few times each week.
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Are there truly people who "are not safe to speak out?"
Yes.
I see it in my work every day, in a wide variety of political applications. It's the entire nature of my primary work.
Could you be more specific, and on another thread? I am curous what you mean but do not want ro derail this. Is this a Canadian thing?
I seldom "felt safe" to speak out about politics at work, but political speak wasnt part of my job, so I stuffed it. And that is ok, the greater world did not suffer because of that. :)
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Yesterday I went to an organizing planning meeting, briefly dropped in on a rally, and had a good strategy conversation with a friend. Today I called around to various representatives to leave messages opposing Bannon's appointment to the NSC. Day before yesterday I sent off a flurry of emails to Dianne Feinstein, including one complaining about her full mailboxes and busy signals.
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I went to a Represent.Us (https://represent.us/) meeting and told the organizer about Indivisible. She is now asking me to distill their guide down and present to the group at the next monthly meeting. I'm thinking of asking the Indivisible folks to put something together and host it on their site, since they will have consistent formatting and themes. I also want to ask for the guide itself to be updated with links to how to find your Local Groups and reminders that you don't need to read the whole thing before joining up with a group.
I've been posting occasional rallies and tools to my Indivisible group. I don't have a ton of time for this, but it's a start. I need to schedule an in-person meeting to divvy up responsibilities and plan our next steps.
I started reaching out to creators of various sites and tools when I see either room for improvement or an opportunity to pair up with another site. If you see similar opportunities for improvement, remember that as long as there's a contact button or Facebook page, you can do the same
New March: Fire the Fool
I got a FB message about a Rachel Maddow/Stephen Colbert effort called Fire the Fool: https://twitter.com/FIRE_THE_FOOL
I checked it out, and it's actually not associated with them, but it is legit. The organizers have publicly stated that they're not affiliated with any celebs.
They're holding a march on the National Mall in DC on Saturday, April 1st 2017 10:00am - 10:00pm. There are sister marches being planned in other cities.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/397831337233562/
http://www.firethefool.com/
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you don't need to read the whole thing
For anyone here who didn't read the whole guide, I found these two tables from the guide handy references and reminders:
(http://i.imgur.com/X1DfGqi.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/Cvkx0lQ.png)
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I've been concerned about the tone and content of certain public statements by members of the executive branch. I think it has stepped beyond the bounds of acceptable standards for behavior. Would my best recourse be to contact my individual representatives (house and senate?) and ask them to consider censuring (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censure_in_the_United_States) the individuals for their behavior? Is that tilting at windmills?
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I've been concerned about the tone and content of certain public statements by members of the executive branch. I think it has stepped beyond the bounds of acceptable standards for behavior. Would my best recourse be to contact my individual representatives (house and senate?) and ask them to consider censuring (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censure_in_the_United_States) the individuals for their behavior? Is that tilting at windmills?
I think that you should follow your conscience and it is better to tilt at windmills than do nothing at all.
ETA: I think of it as encouraging certain people to grow spines, and supporting the people who have already done so.
Today I bought two subscriptions for Teen Vogue.
Are there truly people who "are not safe to speak out?" Other than Milo Yiannopolis who is physically threatened and kept from speaking at specific place
Yes, there are lots of people who feel it is not safe to speak out. As you have mentioned names, I will point to Zoë Quinn, Brianna Wu, Anita Sarkeesian - who have received rape threats, death threats. Plus the people who have been SWAT'd and doxxed. They've continued to speak out, but I'm sure that many others have not because they saw what might happen if they did. I'd argue that there was an atmosphere created by language which made people feel safe in taking actions which the majority of North America would say are not indicative of the type of society they want to live in.
You also mentioned "Human Rights Tribunal that clamped right down on Mark Steyn". Looking at this in Wikipedia (sources etc.) I see "The federal Canadian Human Rights Commission dismissed the Canadian Islamic Congress' complaint against Maclean's in June 2008". There was a letter to the editor which indicated that we should be afraid of hateful language because it can lead to hateful actions.
Given your chosen examples, I would suggest that perhaps this is not a welcoming thread for you.
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Two of my friends (in a red state) decided to go to the airport today and stand at international arrivals with a sign saying something along the lines of "welcome home, friends!" in Arabic and English. They had heard they were letting flights through with the people who had been temporarily blocked by the travel ban, and they wanted to make sure those people knew they were still welcomed as neighbors. I thought that was such a nice thing to do, yet still a defiant gesture against those who would prefer to wipe their feet on the Constitution.
Naturally, someone complained about their sign and airport security asked them to leave. :-/
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Given your chosen examples, I would suggest that perhaps this is not a welcoming thread for you.
I would like to throw in my vote toward encouraging Iris Lily to stick around. I (and most of us here) may fall on a different part of the political spectrum than she does, but I feel that she has been quite thoughtful in her contributions to the conversation.
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Anyone know where to find a schedule of what/who is getting voted on, which day(s)? I'd hate to make calls after a vote or even maybe the same day since I don't know how much message-checking the staffers are doing. Maybe it's not possible to know too much ahead of time?
Anyway, called about DeVos both Fri and this morning, but I don't want to let the Pruitt vote slip through the cracks. Or Sessions.
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Anyone know where to find a schedule of what/who is getting voted on, which day(s)? I'd hate to make calls after a vote or even maybe the same day since I don't know how much message-checking the staffers are doing. Maybe it's not possible to know too much ahead of time?
Anyway, called about DeVos both Fri and this morning, but I don't want to let the Pruitt vote slip through the cracks. Or Sessions.
I was wondering about that also. I just called both my senators about Devos, but figured that Sessions had to be after her so they could count on his vote. Because of course he won't recuse himself.
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This is in Publisher - it's a homemade 1st Amendment Greeting card - to go with the idea above.
A tip from someone who works in print production :-) If you share it as a PDF it will be usable by a lot more people. I don't have Publisher on my computer to give the exact instructions, but I think you just have to do File > Publish as PDF or something similar, it should be very simple.
Use free PDFCreator to print this picture to a PDF.
Or bring it into free LibreOffice Writer (word processor) as a picture, and then click the "Export as PDF" button.
LibreOffice is free open-source software for Linux, Mac and Windows. There is also a PortableApps.com version.
Anyone who needs software - let me know. There is probably a free open source software project I can tell you about that will get the job done well.
Also - for those very active in the internet political realm - eep a close eye on your computers' security. Would not surprise me in the least if people start getting hacked by malware and adware that undermines their ability to get the word out.
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I just disagree libertarian
Not only should vanguard be exercising it's shareholder power in stop Exxon Mobil from wasting money on right wing wing thanks - but it should also be ratcheting down the bloated executive salaries.
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One of my current Republican Representatives has written this opinion piece: Trump can’t Twitter-shame his way to economic growth (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-cant-twitter-shame-his-way-to-economic-growth/2017/01/31/08ca9aea-e6fb-11e6-b82f-687d6e6a3e7c_story.html?utm_term=.553abc2b22b7) talking about the economic dangers of Trump's actions and policies if not checked.
I agreed very much, and publicly thanked the representative for having a spine.
If you have Republican representatives, I would suggest dropping off, faxing, or Facebooking them a copy of the editorial, and asking for them to also publically and consistently stand up for the current world order of open trade policies and free flow of capital that has made America a very rich country and helped raise millions worldwide out of poverty.
Republicans' pride them selves on being pro economic growth, hold them accountable to that.
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Lots of protesters at Town Hall meeting of Congressional Republicans are causing the party to put a pause on outright repeal of the ACA
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/us/politics/obamacare-tom-price-trump.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
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Betsy DeVos was confirmed. This isn't actionable, just depressed. Sorry, MJ.
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This has got to be my favorite resist t-shirt so far:
https://teechip.com/takecc#id=0&c=131313&sid=fruit-of-the-loom-cotton-t&s=front
I'm not really one to buy this sort of thing, but I may have to make an exception!
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Invited over a new acquaintance who told me that she's a lifelong Democrat who voted Trump. I want to know what made her make that choice.
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I joined the #Resist Meetup for my country and shared with my Indivisible group. Thanks Joon!
You can find a local group here: https://www.meetup.com/pro/resist/
I told two people on OKCupid about Indivisible today. They started the conversation about politics, so it wasn't totally out of left field. But remember that you can tell people about it anywhere you are!
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Invited over a new acquaintance who told me that she's a lifelong Democrat who voted Trump. I want to know what made her make that choice.
I'd love to know if she is happy with the actions thus far.
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House joint Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you support this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Joint House Resolution 48 (115th congress). Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Here's more info on the amendment: https://movetoamend.org/amendment (https://movetoamend.org/amendment)
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you are support this this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Resolution 48. Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Here's more info on the amendment: https://movetoamend.org/amendment (https://movetoamend.org/amendment)
edited your letter and sent it to my congressman. He is an R, but has submitted bills in the past forcing term limits and eliminating lawmakers pay when they don't get a budget passed (all bills that will never go anywhere), so I hope this is up his alley.
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Invited over a new acquaintance who told me that she's a lifelong Democrat who voted Trump. I want to know what made her make that choice.
I'd love to know if she is happy with the actions thus far.
Me too. I don't know whether politics will come up this time, but if they do, I will ask her, since she seems open to conversation.
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you are support this this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Resolution 48. Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Here's more info on the amendment: https://movetoamend.org/amendment (https://movetoamend.org/amendment)
Done! I went to school with my rep's daughter so I added a personal touch to the message. :)
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I've been concerned about the tone and content of certain public statements by members of the executive branch. I think it has stepped beyond the bounds of acceptable standards for behavior. Would my best recourse be to contact my individual representatives (house and senate?) and ask them to consider censuring (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censure_in_the_United_States) the individuals for their behavior? Is that tilting at windmills?
I think that you should follow your conscience and it is better to tilt at windmills than do nothing at all.
ETA: I think of it as encouraging certain people to grow spines, and supporting the people who have already done so.
Today I bought two subscriptions for Teen Vogue.
Are there truly people who "are not safe to speak out?" Other than Milo Yiannopolis who is physically threatened and kept from speaking at specific place
Yes, there are lots of people who feel it is not safe to speak out. As you have mentioned names, I will point to Zoë Quinn, Brianna Wu, Anita Sarkeesian - who have received rape threats, death threats. Plus the people who have been SWAT'd and doxxed. They've continued to speak out, but I'm sure that many others have not because they saw what might happen if they did. I'd argue that there was an atmosphere created by language which made people feel safe in taking actions which the majority of North America would say are not indicative of the type of society they want to live in.
You also mentioned "Human Rights Tribunal that clamped right down on Mark Steyn". Looking at this in Wikipedia (sources etc.) I see "The federal Canadian Human Rights Commission dismissed the Canadian Islamic Congress' complaint against Maclean's in June 2008". There was a letter to the editor which indicated that we should be afraid of hateful language because it can lead to hateful actions.
Given your chosen examples, I would suggest that perhaps this is not a welcoming thread for you.
Dude, I dont shrink from "not ...welcoming" online environments, but thanks for your concern.
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you are support this this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Resolution 48. Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Here's more info on the amendment: https://movetoamend.org/amendment (https://movetoamend.org/amendment)
Done - I sent it to my NC Republican rep. Thanks for the info.
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Indivisible is providing calling scrips on some issues now. https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/6/scripts (https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/6/scripts)
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Woke up this morning to the news that Nordstrom has dropped Ivanka Trump's fashion line from their clothing options available for sale. Hard to know whether the reason for the decision is fact or alternative fact - poor sales, poor sales as a result of boycotts, or if it is just a crap product.
Got me thinking that of all the barbs and jabs directed at your President, hitting him financially is the only real way to hurt this guy. And there is also nothing worse for a captain of industry to be labelled with the adjective "disgraced former businessman..."
I would expect to see more problems with the Trump retail brands over the coming months as people begin to question their purchasing choices further.
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Woke up this morning to the news that Nordstrom has dropped Ivanka Trump's fashion line from their clothing options available for sale. Hard to know whether the reason for the decision is fact or alternative fact - poor sales, poor sales as a result of boycotts, or if it is just a crap product.
Got me thinking that of all the barbs and jabs directed at your President, hitting him financially is the only real way to hurt this guy. And there is also nothing worse for a captain of industry to be labelled with the adjective "disgraced former businessman..."
I would expect to see more problems with the Trump retail brands over the coming months as people begin to question their purchasing choices further.
My Trump voting friend just ordered her 3rd case of Trump wine, so there is that side as well, shoring up the sales.
To keep this focused of acts of resistance, I did NOT order a case of Trump wine today. Haha. But
I will probably drink a glass of it this evening at the home of my friend.
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you are support this this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Resolution 48. Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Done! Thank you for providing the basic letter, I adjusted it to fit my situation/rep and sent it off.
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I just emailed my senators and complained about the whole Elizabeth Warren situation. I'm disgusted.
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On Jan 30, 2017, the house of reps introduced House Resolution 48 "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only." (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48)
While there's a lot of noise about Trump's administration, ultimately, our problem is that we've lost our representative democracy. We have 158 families controlling the representatives that are supposed to represent 320,000,000 of us. There are lots of pieces to fix - one of which is clearly legislating that the constitution applies to people and not corporations. An amendment of this sort would kill the Citizen's United ruling, and walk us back to a political system where money != speech.
If you are support this this - PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERGATROID - contact your representative in the house of reps. Tell them to co-sponsor Resolution 48. Point out the other reps from their state and/or party who are already on board. ((actually all but one are Dems - who's the rockstar republican here? That's right - the badass out of the shallow south - Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]) You can find the names of the bill's co-sponsors here (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/cosponsors)).
Here's what I sent to my representative:
Dear Ms. ---,
I'm a supportive constituent registered to vote in (your district). While everyone is battling over the latest oddity from the Trump administration, please take a step back and recognize that we are where we are because our privately funded two party system. This system has given rise to corporate personhood. I'm 100% against corporations (including PACs) being given the same rights under the constitution as citizens.
Please - join 5 of your California colleagues and sponsor House Joint Resolution 48. ( https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-joint-resolution/48/ )
"H.J.Res.48 - Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only."
Already on board from CA are:
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
PLEASE - even as you deal with the latest developments from the current administration, PLEASE do all you can to FIX THE SYSTEM. Please co-sponsor joint resolution 48, and support any and all efforts to end this privately funded political system. Stopping corporate personhood (and the idea that $ is speech) is a start. There's much more to do. But let's start with Res 48.
I'm rooting for you!
Malaysia41
Done! Thank you for providing the basic letter, I adjusted it to fit my situation/rep and sent it off.
Here's the current list of co-sponsors as of this morning:
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17]
Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5]
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3]
Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4]
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16]
Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25]
Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-3]
Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep. Conyers, John, Jr. [D-MI-13]
Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16]
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Capuano, Michael E. [D-MA-7]
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33]
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
Rep. Jones, Walter B., Jr. [R-NC-3]
Rep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]
Rep. Serrano, Jose E. [D-NY-15]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
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Yay! My rep joined! I feel like it was because of me! :D
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Awesome guys! Note: it is 'house joint resolution 48 (out of the 115th congress).
Pointing that out to make sure your reference is precise. I fixed my OP on the call to action, but thought I should point it out.
Also you can register on congress.gov and sign up for updates on the resolution
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I just called the ethics hotline to complain about Conway using her position as a federal employee to tell people to buy Ivanka trump products:
202-482-9300 and press 5 to leave a message
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Don't just concentrate on the national stage... get educated about and involved in your local political scene. To see why this is important, read the following article:
http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/07/19/gerrymandering-republicans-redmap
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I'm going to a postcard writing gathering tonight, so I'm going to include a letter about house joint resolution 48 as well. Two representatives from Oregon have already cosponsored, but not MY representative. He's a democrat, but not the most liberal democrat.
What else should I write about? It's not there are not enough issues abounding, it's just that I live in Oregon. My senators are dong what I want them to do, the Representatives mostly are too.
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Emailed state senate education committee to oppose stripping climate change from education standards.
YAY, Idaho's not in enough of a time warp. Let's hobble our kids then wonder why they can't get jobs.
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A go fund me (https://www.gofundme.com/senator-burr-lost-and-found-ad) to try to get our senator to have a town hall. He's not had one since 2010. If we can get 8k for the full page, it might make an impression. Sadly, we've got two senators and both are ass hats.
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Freckles, you can thank your reps for doing what you want them to do. They need that positive feedback to cancel out the negative feedback they are surely getting from R's.
A go fund me (https://www.gofundme.com/senator-burr-lost-and-found-ad) to try to get our senator to have a town hall. He's not had one since 2010. If we can get 8k for the full page, it might make an impression. Sadly, we've got two senators and both are ass hats.
Is there a way to get press around the GoFundMe? And if someone reports on GFM, they will be more likely to report on the ad itself when it goes live, and future attempts to call out your reps.
Does the NC Indivisible team have a media list going?
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Freckles, you can thank your reps for doing what you want them to do. They need that positive feedback to cancel out the negative feedback they are surely getting from R's.
A go fund me (https://www.gofundme.com/senator-burr-lost-and-found-ad) to try to get our senator to have a town hall. He's not had one since 2010. If we can get 8k for the full page, it might make an impression. Sadly, we've got two senators and both are ass hats.
Is there a way to get press around the GoFundMe? And if someone reports on GFM, they will be more likely to report on the ad itself when it goes live, and future attempts to call out your reps.
Does the NC Indivisible team have a media list going?
Good idea. I'm asking around. Some of the admins have local media contacts, so hopefully we can put them on notice so they ca report on it and give us a little extra boost.
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IF YOU LIVE IN VIRGINIA (or know someone who does, or might know someone who knows someone who does)
Please send them here: http://bluevirginia.us/2017/02/need-democratic-recruits-virginia-need-now
And here: https://www.runforsomething.net/
You can share on other sites with "Action alert: Read and forward to anyone you know in Virginia. They desperately need candidates to win easy seats in the state legislature. Seats that Hillary Clinton carried but have Republicans running unopposed!"
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Once again, I'm sorry but this is not an actionable post. However, this is an important read for all of us. (https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/how-our-likes-helped-trump-win) It's about the mining of data and how it (
probably almost certainly) helped elect Trump. Hive mind, what shall we do to counteract this type of thing in the future?
It's also MMM relevant because the same stuff could be used for targeted ads which, apparently, have huge returns for the marketers. So there's that. The more you know?
To (hopefully) make up for my lack of anything concrete and actionable, here's your daily dose of inspiration:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1a/e7/98/1ae798d560cbd31a3bf23ba015935bfc.jpg)
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Sent an email responding to a political article in a national news source... have been invited by the author to be interviewed for a followup article! Not sure I should take the opportunity... what kind of protections are there on my privacy? If they say they won't print my full name, do they have to keep their promise??
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This may be the wrong thread to ask this question, but who would investigate Michael Flynn for violating the Logan Act as well as his initial denials that he never discussed sanctions with Russia in December? Would it be the OGE? Trying to figure out my Monday roster of calls/emails.
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Sent an email to the author, responding to a political article in a national news source... have been invited to be interviewed for a followup article! Not sure I should take the opportunity... what kind of protections are there on my privacy? If they say they won't print my full name, do they have to keep their promise??
I wouldn't do it unless it was a publication I trusted.
The only time I did a newspaper interview, they did the interview via e-mail (so everything was in writing) and then they deliberately changed the words I sent them so that what I "said" was wrong, made no sense, and made me appear to be an absolute idiot. With my full name and photo attached, and the name of the company I worked for. :-( It was not a top-tier newspaper but it is a major city daily with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, so I'd assumed they would at least be professional.
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This is a top-tier publication, but I'm not sure about the author. Have been speed reading her articles trying to get a handle on how she will spin what I say.
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Thanks for the info on Indivisible. We have a local group so I signed up.
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The only time I did a newspaper interview, they did the interview via e-mail (so everything was in writing) and then they deliberately changed the words I sent them so that what I "said" was wrong, made no sense, and made me appear to be an absolute idiot. With my full name and photo attached, and the name of the company I worked for. :-( It was not a top-tier newspaper but it is a major city daily with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, so I'd assumed they would at least be professional.
I've had that kind of experience too, multiple times. There seems to be no requirement for papers to quote a person accurately, never mind to hold things in context, etc. After several such experiences, I stopped participating and have taken every news article since with a grain of salt. ("This person may or may not have said this.") I only trust first-person accounts now (opinion pieces, books, etc), and only if I'm fairly confident the author had an editor they trust. There was one article, though, that was spot on and that I learned a lot about me from. That was really cool. I think that journalist was highly skilled. But, it was a one-off.
I would do the article, Poundwise, only if you (a) really trust the journalist and publisher after your speed read and (b) are willing for there to be some errors about you.
I've had the same experience, three times. (Once via email and twice with a face-to-face interview that was recorded.)
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Hmm. Thanks for your input, Joon, Kris, and Dollar Slice! I think I may pass on this... I was tempted because I thought I might get my words out there, but really I would just be used to color somebody else's agenda.
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On the daily acts, today I hope to attend my first-ever event held by a state senator. I am not sure what to do when I am there, will just go and watch and see what issues are brought up.
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Anyone in NYC who wants to do something resistance-y and arty on Monday: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resistance-soup-tickets-31934138869
Event calendar of NYC protests, political actions, demonstrations, workshops, organizing trainings, and planning meetings. Attend, act, and create social change! http://takeactionnyc.com/nyc-protest-event-calendar/
If anyone knows of similar calendars for states or cities, please let me know.
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On the daily acts, today I hope to attend my first-ever event held by a state senator. I am not sure what to do when I am there, will just go and watch and see what issues are brought up.
That's great. Being present, holding witness. Agree/disagree as you see fit. At the very least, you're showing that people are paying attention, and that might impact their future decisions.
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Well, I went and listened for a while (mostly questions/complaints about highway conditions, school taxes, etc. some of which should properly have gone to the county) and then I raised my hand and by way of introduction said, "I'm with Indivisible." At which point, there was kind of a collective gasp and murmur. I asked a question regarding reproductive rights, which was answered to my satisfaction. After the event, I was contacted by several other women, who turned out to belong to an Indivisible group in a neighboring town, and we were able to spread the word to some other women who came up to us!!
So that was a productive hour, I think.
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My political action yesterday was to remove a political sign from my yard, a sign someone had placed there without my permission. It was a "Lyda Krewson for Mayor " sign. And while I had considered voting for Lyda, when I heard her support for the ridiculous "sanctuary city for reproductive rights" bill that recently passed here, I discounted her as losing any common sense she might have had.
One can be supportive of all forms of reproductive rights and still deny validity to this silly, convoluted ordance. Several sensible aldermen turned it down on the premise it was illegal, impossible to carry out, and just plain goofy.
But in Aldermanic circus of St. louis, it is important to shout loudly about "rights" and such, to mimic the national temperature. I guess they think it makes them appear to be doing something against Trump! This is an election year for them.
My next political action today will be to email my own alderman to chide him for voting for this albatross.
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Swing Left National Campaign Kickoff Call happening in 30 minutes: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1632/19781
"The campaign to win back the House in 2018 starts NOW. Join our kickoff call to hear our plan and find out how to get started—no matter where you live. Enter your information to register for the call, and you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to join the call on Sunday."
I will not be calling in. If anyone does, please take notes and share!
Awesome, Poundwise! Next time get photos and videos. :)
I went to a planning session for NYC Indivisible today and volunteered for a few things:
The Media Relations team
The Voter Outreach team (I will be a liaison to a red district in our state)
The Feb 22 Town Hall
That last one is gonna be crazy. We're trying to find a venue that holds 1,000+ people, coordinate branding, speakers, security, A/V, media outreach, etc. In ONE WEEK. Whew.
Please contact me if you:
Have experience coordinating town halls or other large events and can give us some advice
Know the people who organized the Chaffetz town hall in Utah
Know of a venue in NYC (Manhattan ideal, Brooklyn okay) that can hold 1,000+ people
Thank you!
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The Feb 22 Town Hall
That last one is gonna be crazy. We're trying to find a venue that holds 1,000+ people, coordinate branding, speakers, security, A/V, media outreach, etc. In ONE WEEK. Whew.
Please contact me if you:
Have experience coordinating town halls or other large events and can give us some advice
Know the people who organized the Chaffetz town hall in Utah
Know of a venue in NYC (Manhattan ideal, Brooklyn okay) that can hold 1,000+ people
Thank you!
That's spectacular. Good luck!
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Thanks Metric Mouse!
BREAKING NEWS: Michael Flynn resigned (http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-flynn-replace-kushner-234977?cmpid=sf).
Action item: I guess... call your senators and thank them for putting pressure? Or tell them they should have put pressure? I don't know. There will hopefully be a call script tomorrow in one of these places:
https://thesixtyfive.org/home
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/6/scripts
Okay, let's go with: Keep investigating Trump's ties with Russia. Keep (or start) putting pressure. Yeah. Do that.
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Thanks Metric Mouse!
BREAKING NEWS: Michael Flynn resigned (http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-flynn-replace-kushner-234977?cmpid=sf).
Action item: I guess... call your senators and thank them for putting pressure? Or tell them they should have put pressure? I don't know. There will hopefully be a call script tomorrow in one of these places:
https://thesixtyfive.org/home
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/6/scripts
Okay, let's go with: Keep investigating Trump's ties with Russia. Keep (or start) putting pressure. Yeah. Do that.
Yes, I'll be calling my representative today about this.
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I just wanted to say thank you for pointing me in the direction of Indivisible. I don't really go to the Facebook page much but I'm liking their daily emails because they're a lot easier to digest than attempting to watch the news and figure it out for myself. I also really like that mine has state and local issues as well.
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Thanks Metric Mouse!
BREAKING NEWS: Michael Flynn resigned (http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-flynn-replace-kushner-234977?cmpid=sf).
Action item: I guess... call your senators and thank them for putting pressure? Or tell them they should have put pressure? I don't know. There will hopefully be a call script tomorrow in one of these places:
https://thesixtyfive.org/home
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/6/scripts
Okay, let's go with: Keep investigating Trump's ties with Russia. Keep (or start) putting pressure. Yeah. Do that.
Yes, I'll be calling my representative today about this.
Same here. This is ridiculous. This goes far beyond Benghazi and if there was a Democrat in the White House, a bipartisan investigation would already be underway amid cries of treason and yelling about the National Security lapses of the last week. Sadly, the GOP is silent on all of it.
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I just wanted to say thank you for pointing me in the direction of Indivisible. I don't really go to the Facebook page
Anyone can also check for a local meetup group if it is more your style: https://www.meetup.com/pro/resist/
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Small Action: Wednesday Feb 15
Tom Price's seat in Georgia's sixth district is open. Today's action is to sign up to help flip that seat blue.
And as always, remember to share this with your own networks. Even if you think nobody will care. I shared similar info about Delaware's special election on Facebook and a guy I met once thanked me. Turns out he's from Delaware, so he donated and told all his friends to vote.
Sign up: http://dailykos.com/story/2017/02/11/1632687/-Here-s-how-you-can-volunteer-to-help-Jon-Ossoff-win-the-special-election-for-Tom-Price-s-House-seat
Background on why this is important: http://www.nationalmemo.com/its-time-to-grab-the-gop-by-tom-prices-seat/
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I called Cory Gardner's office today and a staffer called me back! I pushed on 3 issues:
- someone who has repeated labor and immigration violations against them should not be the Labor Secretary unless the goal is to dismantle all the protections that department provides
- when are we getting a town hall (no answer on this) and why does Sen Gardner keep dismissing us as paid out of state protesters? Staffer directed me to an interview on Channel 7 last night where the senator addressed this and supposedly acknowledged that lots of us are legit. I asked him if the senator apologized, he said he did not (I watched the interview afterwards, Senator lied about how Trump administration has the biggest delay in confirmations since George Washington. Sigh.)
- I asked Sen Gardner's position on investigating the administration's ties to Russia, and why so few in Republican leadership seem willing to participate. Staffer told me there are investigations going on all over Washington, I countered with the statements from Chaffetz and Ryan that it didn't make sense for Republicans to investigate their own side. He claimed to be unaware of these statements and said that he didn't know the Senator's position. I said that it is absolutely unacceptable for the Sen to be silent on this wildly important issue
Interesting that I got a personal call back, but I wasn't at all impressed with the content of the answers. I shared this with the staffer as well.
***
Also, someone tried to schedule a work call for Monday when we are supposed to have the day off. I declined and asked for it to be rescheduled. *Very* small act of resistance against corporate rule but no one else in my company seems to even push back a little.
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If you are in Florida - Trump tweeted this a few hours ago. Seems like a good opportunity to have a protest that might or might not get mistaken for supporters.
Join me in Florida this Saturday at 5pm for a rally at the Orlando-Melbourne International Airport!
Tickets: http://bit.ly/2lQarqaFLORIDA
ETA - Tickets are free.
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Madgey: for local Indivisible guide on handling missing members of Congress: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/12/missing-members-of-congress-action-plan
Puzder withdrew from consideration as labor secretary!
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Madgey: for local Indivisible guide on handling missing members of Congress: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/2/12/missing-members-of-congress-action-plan
Puzder withdrew from consideration as labor secretary!
He's such a missing person that our group is hosting a Town Hall for him, the event is called "With or Without You." 😂 A bunch of people are going down to his office to present a huge invitation with media attention (hopefully). I love my local Indivisible group so much!
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I went to my rep's Townhall meeting this weekend. I mostly sat quietly and listened but took a moment to thank my representative and the ACLU for their efforts on the behalf of refugees.
If I go to another townhall meeting with a rep or senator I will be sure to wear a bra without underwires. I kept setting off the metal detector and having to go back through the machine. Also they searched my purse so next time I will carry a smaller purse or no purse to avoid this hassle. (The men walked right in after a quick metal detector trip.) In the future I will wear my airport security garb to speed my way to my seat.
(Couldn't one of you here have mentioned proper clothing for townhalls? I had no idea they were so high security.)
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https://medium.com/join-scout/the-rise-of-the-weaponized-ai-propaganda-machine-86dac61668b (https://medium.com/join-scout/the-rise-of-the-weaponized-ai-propaganda-machine-86dac61668b)
My latest act of political resistance was to like stuff I actually dislike on FB - to confuse the bots. You know, Nascar, military gun ammo, etc. I couldn't bring myself to like MRA / red pill stuff tho. Just couldn't do it.
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Woke up this morning to the news that Nordstrom has dropped Ivanka Trump's fashion line from their clothing options available for sale. Hard to know whether the reason for the decision is fact or alternative fact - poor sales, poor sales as a result of boycotts, or if it is just a crap product.
And - all of the Ivanka Trump goods I've seen were made in China. I don't see how Trump can preach about American jobs and Chinese competition while he and his family are having their products manufactured in China!
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If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
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A small group from the Indivisible group Pooperman started is meeting with an aide to our Congressman on Wednesday. Congressman refuses to meet with anyone and won't hold a town hall. Our first question will be when is he going to have town halls again. I spoke with a reporter at the Raleigh news paper about the issue of our absent Congressman. Story ran today and I didn't get misquoted!
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A small group from the Indivisible group Pooperman started is meeting with an aide to our Congressman on Wednesday. Congressman refuses to meet with anyone and won't hold a town hall. Our first question will be when is he going to have town halls again. I spoke with a reporter at the Raleigh news paper about the issue of our absent Congressman. Story ran today and I didn't get misquoted!
Good for you!
Edited to make sens, I really did NOT mean "goof for you." Doh.
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I hope this moronic survey is beingn blown uphttps://gop.com/mainstream-media-accountability-survey/
It's a tiny thing, but it's pissing me off, so I took it last night, and my dog took it this morning.
Hats off to everyone in this thread who is doing so much more.
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A small group from the Indivisible group Pooperman started is meeting with an aide to our Congressman on Wednesday. Congressman refuses to meet with anyone and won't hold a town hall. Our first question will be when is he going to have town halls again. I spoke with a reporter at the Raleigh news paper about the issue of our absent Congressman. Story ran today and I didn't get misquoted!
High five!
horsepoor:
If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
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If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
I'm totally fine with him getting an email list full of addresses like impeachhim@fucktrump.com
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If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
I'm totally fine with him getting an email list full of addresses like impeachhim@fucktrump.com
I filled it out with yourmom@wasafuckingimmigrant.com
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I'm always baffled how people can't tell the difference between opposing illegal and opposing legal immigration. Hint: were only opposed to the illegal one.
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Who is "we"? If you mean Trump supporters, I find it hard to reconcile both supporting the EO and supporting legal immigration. I have many other things I could say on this topic, but please start a new thread if you want to continue debating immigration.
Thank you.
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Who is "we"? If you mean Trump supporters, I find it hard to reconcile both supporting the EO and supporting legal immigration. I have many other things I could say on this topic, but please start a new thread if you want to continue debating immigration.
Thank you.
Rational conservatives, is the we.
Save your sanctimony for whoever it was that derailed to simplistic platitudes about immigraton in the first place. I won't persist with it any more in this thread if it's left alone.
MOD EDIT: Stop.
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There's no need to be rude.
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If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
Meh. Think of how embarrassing it would be renting out the list and having some big wig going through half of the emails being along the lines of fartsandbeans@trump.ru lol.
Also, I love this at the end:
But now President Trump is asking you to go the extra mile and make a contribution to help defend our movement from the outrageous attacks from the media coming our way.
Contribute now to help us fight back against the media’s attacks and deceptions
I thought the billionaire didn't need to beg for money...
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Here is a really easy action item. I just did this and left a message. I wish I would have added why I oppose Steve Bannon. Maybe one of you can add a sentence or two to help sum up the reasons why he should not be on the NSC.
Super-Easy Action Item:
Help block Steve Bannon in 15 seconds or less. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security is inviting comment and COUNTING calls before deciding whether or not to approve Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council.
Call and leave a message at: 202-224-4751.
Message: "My name is ______. I am from the state of ____ and am an American citizen. I oppose Steve Bannon being confirmed to sit on our National Security Council."
I just did this -- voicemail box was NOT full.
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
If you're worried about Trump's Russian connections, you could also write about an independent investigation into Flynn's contact with the Russians.
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If you want a script on Russia, you can go here: https://thesixtyfive.org/weeklyCTA
Hi, I'm [NAME], a constituent.
I'm calling to urge the [Senator/Representative's NAME] to support [H.Con.Res. 24], and demand full transparency about Michael Flynn's communication with Russia in the months prior to Donald Trump's inauguration. Although Flynn has resigned, there are still serious unanswered questions about the extent of the President's involvement. The American people deserve to know what President Trump knew and when he knew it. Tell the [Senator/Representative's NAME] that I want them to condemn Flynn's actions in the strongest possible terms, and continue to push for an exhaustive investigation into the entire adminstration's communications with Russia both during the election and in the months after.
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Town halls this coming week. Unlikely for MOCs to come, but we'll be hosting anyway!
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Hundreds marched in Ann Arbor in pro-environment rally
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/02/hundreds_march_in_pro-environm.html
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From Indivisible Facebook:
MONDAY 2/20/17 ACTIONS, NATIONAL: INVESTIGATE TRUMP TEAM'S RUSSIA TIES! Please copy & paste.
There's obviously a lot going on out there. No harm in calling about anything else that concerns you. But for today, I'm recommending hammering the Russia ties again (see linked article for the latest development). I believe the administration is vulnerable there, and we need to keep the pressure on from our legislators.
The Republicans are trying to sweep the Trump administration's potentially treasonous ties to Russia under the rug. We can't let them do that, and we can't let this story die. This is not just about Michael Flynn; it goes much deeper than that. Today, let's make a bicameral sweep of calls to demand a real investigation.
SENATE ACTION: Call your Senator.
If you're in Minnesota, these are your Senators' numbers:
Senator Al Franken: (202) 224-5641 / 651-221-1016. Thank him for cosponsoring SB 27.
Senator Amy Klobuchar: (202) 224-3244 / 612-727-5220 Thank her for cosponsoring SB 27.
Script: "Hello. My name is _______. My zip code is _____. I don't need a personal response. I'm calling for the Senator to support S.B. 27, which calls for independent investigations of the Trump administration's ties to the Russian government. We need an independent investigation of a compromised government. If you could pass my concerns along, I'd appreciate it." Be sure to thank the staffer for their time.
= = = = =
HOUSE ACTION: Expose Trump's Russia ties and conflicts of interest.
"On Feb 9th Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) filed a 'resolution of inquiry', a relatively obscure parliamentary tactic used to force presidents and executive-branch agencies to share records with Congress. Under House practice, such a resolution must be debated and acted upon in committee or else it can be discharged to the House floor for consideration." —Washington Post
1A. WHAT TO DO: Call the House Judiciary Committee at 202.225.3951.
Script: "Hello. I'm calling to support Jerrold Nadler's resolution of inquiry to shed light on the President's conflicts of interests and ties to Russian intelligence. I urge the Committee to debate and act on this matter at once. Thank you for your time." (If your representative serves on the Committee, make sure to mention that: here's a list of committee members: https://judiciary.house.gov/…/115th-Full-Committee-020917-u…)
1B. Call your member of the US House of Representatives and urge them to support the inquiry as well— especially if they serve on the House Judiciary Committee! Use the above script again.
If you're in Minneapolis, call Congressman Keith Ellison: (202) 225-4755 / 612-522-1212
If you're in St Paul, contact Congresswoman Betty McCollum: (202) 225-6631/ (651) 224-9191
BONUS ROUND: Looking for more action items? This lady is not messing around: http://roganslist.blogspot.com/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/19/us/politics/donald-trump-ukraine-russia.html
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Last week I went to the local indivisible meeting. This week I submitted testimony to support a bill requiring presidential candidates to release tax returns in order to qualify to appear on the state ballot in Connecticut. Since trump has already kicked off his 2020 campaign, I'm glad to see this bill being introduced. Tomorrow evening I attend a town hall held by one of our senators.
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If you'd like to fill out an impressively biased survey on media bias sent out by the Trump camp:
Welcome to the Media Accountability Survey (https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/02/16/think-media-has-crazy-liberal-bias-trump-campaign-wants-hear-from-you/0OVoyfpz3igaB67cgrAQoM/amp.html)
Please DO NOT TAKE THIS SURVEY and similar ones that will pop up in the future. Their only purpose is to build their email list, which they can sell down the road.
http://www.avclub.com/article/second-thought-maybe-stop-taking-donald-trumps-med-250586?
I'm totally fine with him getting an email list full of addresses like impeachhim@fucktrump.com
I filled it out with yourmom@wasafuckingimmigrant.com
Obviously I need to fill it out properly next time
Luckily for you, you have another chance. Poor little SCROTUS didn't like the way Democrats rained on his last survey, so they changed the URL and sent it out again to the true believers.
Here it is. They didn't even bother to change the shitty, awkward-as-hell sentence structure of the last one:
https://action.donaldjtrump.com/mainstream-media-accountability-survey/
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I’m helping flip/keep seats blue! I donated to special elections in Delaware and Georgia. Delaware’s is in 5 days, Feb 25. A Democrat won in 2014 by only 267 votes.
You can also help by making calls to voters in those districts.
https://www.flippable.org/upcoming-elections/
It also helps to share this on Facebook etc even if you don't think people will care. I posted about the Delaware election previously, and someone I only met once thanked me, since he's from there. He donated and told all his friends about it.
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I’m helping flip/keep seats blue! I donated to special elections in Delaware and Georgia. Delaware’s is in 5 days, Feb 25. A Democrat won in 2014 by only 267 votes.
You can also help by making calls to voters in those districts.
https://www.flippable.org/upcoming-elections/
It also helps to share this on Facebook etc even if you don't think people will care. I posted about the Delaware election previously, and someone I only met once thanked me, since he's from there. He donated and told all his friends about it.
Awesome! Thanks!
A friend and I wrote ~15 postcards each today over lunch.
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
Have you read the Indivisible guide? They say phone calls get tallied every day. I don't think the letters get tallied.
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
Have you read the Indivisible guide? They say phone calls get tallied every day. I don't think the letters get tallied.
It may vary by rep. My reps tally calls, emails, and letters/postcards. It's worth calling once and asking what gets counted. Calls do have a bigger impact, especially if you have a personal story. If you don't have time to call or can't get through, emails and postcards are a decent alternative (probably).
Also postcards are better than letters in envelopes. There's a huge backlog of letters since they need to be opened and screened for containing substances. Postcards get through much faster.
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
Have you read the Indivisible guide? They say phone calls get tallied every day. I don't think the letters get tallied.
It may vary by rep. My reps tally calls, emails, and letters/postcards. It's worth calling once and asking what gets counted. Calls do have a bigger impact, especially if you have a personal story. If you don't have time to call or can't get through, emails and postcards are a decent alternative (probably).
Also postcards are better than letters in envelopes. There's a huge backlog of letters since they need to be opened and screened for containing substances. Postcards get through much faster.
Yes I have, but my schedule is more friendly to writing postcards. My two federal Senators, my state senator and my state representative have all responded to my e-mails and postcards quite quickly. The only person who has not responded to anything is my congressional representative. I think I'll have to call his D.C. Office or visit his district office. Unfortunately I don't have time during the week to make calls so I will have to try this weekend
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Writing my weekly letters to my elected officials. Which topic should I write to them this week? Last week was reiterating my concern about 45's conflicts of interests. Along those same lines I was thinking this week to ask for an investigation into his Russian ties. Anyone else have suggestions?
Have you read the Indivisible guide? They say phone calls get tallied every day. I don't think the letters get tallied.
It may vary by rep. My reps tally calls, emails, and letters/postcards. It's worth calling once and asking what gets counted. Calls do have a bigger impact, especially if you have a personal story. If you don't have time to call or can't get through, emails and postcards are a decent alternative (probably).
Also postcards are better than letters in envelopes. There's a huge backlog of letters since they need to be opened and screened for containing substances. Postcards get through much faster.
Yes I have, but my schedule is more friendly to writing postcards. My two federal Senators, my state senator and my state representative have all responded to my e-mails and postcards quite quickly. The only person who has not responded to anything is my congressional representative. I think I'll have to call his D.C. Office or visit his district office. Unfortunately I don't have time during the week to make calls so I will have to try this weekend
I like to mix up my method of contact--postcards, e-mails, fax (faxzero.com for 5 free faxes/day), and calls.
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http://abc11.com/politics/angry-constituents-vent-to-cardboard-senators-in-cary/1768437/
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http://abc11.com/politics/angry-constituents-vent-to-cardboard-senators-in-cary/1768437/
Well done!
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Anyone know how to craft a press release? Met with my representative's district counsel yesterday and heard some interesting things. Two things stood out (1) she did not expect us to discuss National Security and our congressman's No vote on 45's tax returns on the Ways and Means committee. She expected us to want to talk about the ACA and had a pre-prepared sheet that started off with an inflammatory statement and proceeded to list talking points and meaningless platitudes. (2) She also mentioned that his scheduler had received hundreds of emails asking to meet with the congressman but that he would not hold a town hall and that the scheduler was having trouble responding to all the requests. We asked for a meeting with him in two months and was told she could not confirm in that he was so busy.
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I hope this moronic survey is beingn blown uphttps://gop.com/mainstream-media-accountability-survey/
It's a tiny thing, but it's pissing me off, so I took it last night, and my dog took it this morning.
Hats off to everyone in this thread who is doing so much more.
Use throw away email addresses i.e. get a free email account and use that address otherwise you will get SPAMMED sooner or later. My throw away address gets tens of SPAM messages a day. I check it once a month and delete everything. Hundreds of messages!
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But now President Trump is asking you to go the extra mile and make a contribution to help defend our movement from the outrageous attacks from the media coming our way.
Contribute now to help us fight back against the media’s attacks and deceptions
I thought the billionaire didn't need to beg for money...
Let trump and his billionaire friends fund whatever the flip they want to fund.
Billionaire asking a guy that makes $40K a year for money. Are you kidding me??? Let the GOP create a GoFundMe page.
From the survey: "Do you believe that if Republicans were obstructing Obama like Democrats are doing to President Trump, the mainstream media would attack Republicans?"
IF Republicans were obstructing Obama? Oh that's rich...
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Here is a really easy action item. I just did this and left a message. I wish I would have added why I oppose Steve Bannon. Maybe one of you can add a sentence or two to help sum up the reasons why he should not be on the NSC.
Super-Easy Action Item:
Help block Steve Bannon in 15 seconds or less. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security is inviting comment and COUNTING calls before deciding whether or not to approve Steve Bannon's appointment to the National Security Council.
Call and leave a message at: 202-224-4751.
Message: "My name is ______. I am from the state of ____ and am an American citizen. I oppose Steve Bannon being confirmed to sit on our National Security Council."
I just did this -- voicemail box was NOT full.
Did it!
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Anyone know how to craft a press release?
PM me your email address and I'll ask NY's PR team to get in touch with you. They may have templates or examples.
ETA: There are also tips in the Indivisible Group Leader Toolkit: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/group-toolkit#media-header
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NY Indivisible held a Town Hall last night. I am traveling, but by all accounts it went fabulously! We packed an 800+ seat venue and had people watching the livestream from all over the country. This was our first big event and I'm so, so happy it went well. We didn't get our senators to show up (booo!) but we had 6 speakers from amazing organizations. Still following up with media outlets to ensure coverage.
Short clip from NYCLU speaker, and a glimpse of an audience member waving a flag: https://twitter.com/ny_indivisible/status/834581645629997056
I drafted the follow-up email to encourage attendees to get involved further.
We're also raising funds to cover the cost of the venue. A couple people in our group generously put up the money in advance. We're already up to $1,190 of the $1,500 needed!
I am coordinating a meeting between my district's Indivisible group and our House Rep. No town hall, so we will need to press for one during the next congressional recess.
I didn't expect to be doing this much work while on vacation!
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Called my senator to thank him after attending his town hall meeting earlier this week and contributed to his reelection campaign.
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Does anyone have a script for how to ask what counts, in terms of phone calls/emails/faxes/etc.? I tried to ask the other day but fumbled the question so I got a kind of wishy washy answer.
I finally added the different office numbers into my phone for my senators, the timing works out well for me to take my break and walk the parking lot. I get the Indivisible email every day and write down my one issue on a post it to take with me as I go outside. I can call a few numbers and get through the busy signals and full voice mail boxes and finally get through to a person for each senator, then walk back in within fifteen minutes.
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I made all my phone calls for the day. Congress got messages regarding the NSC. With State representatives I asked them to pass the sanctuary state bill. I've been calling my congresspeople for a while, but have expanded it to include state representatives.
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Another idea if calls and postcards aren't your "thing": Friend signed up for 2 tickets at the Trump rally in FL on DT's website. Friend DID NOT GO. So 2 empty seats. You can use a dummy email so as not to be spammed by DT and company.
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Contact your state rep and ask him/her to please cosponsor Rep. Nadler's demand that the Department of Justice turn over all relevant material on Trump's potential ties with Russia and any possible business conflicts of interest.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-conflicts-house-resolution-235288
My rep responds well to tweets so I am going to reference #ResolutionofInquiry.
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Inspiration: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/false-flag-operation-at-cpac/517842/
(MJ, if this is something you'd rather I not post I will delete it.)
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New GOP survey.
https://gop.com/trump-first-month-approval-survey/
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Called the Senate Intelligence Committee, and asked for a truly bi-partisan inquiry and transparency regarding their findings. Call, leave a message or send a fax
202-224-1700
202-224-1772
Optional script:
I am urging Sen/Rep_____ to ask for a bi-partisan select committee to investigate Trump’s ties with Russia. I believe that this is the only way to conduct a truly independent and thorough investigation – one that happens in the public eye, and results in a transparent delivery of its findings.
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5 Calls has apps for Google Play and Apple now: https://5calls.org/
The site also still has plenty of scripts to use. You can choose which issue you care about, and they will give you background, scripts, and numbers to call.
I was at a NY Indivisible meeting on Sunday, and one item we discussed is that the call volume is dropping off significantly. It is VITAL that we keep calling! The pressure put on Sessions, and the outcry after he was confirmed, helped force him to recuse himself.
If you fax, include your full name, address, and phone number. Otherwise it won't get counted.
I am helping plan another NY Indivisible town hall for the April congressional recess. We wanted to try for March 16, but we did the last event in 2 weeks and it was insane pressure.
Instead, we are teaming up with a group already holding an event on the ACA and LGBTQ rights next Sunday. They need our help getting the word out so they can fill the 350-seat space.
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Daily Action for March 6, 2017: Georgia's Special Election to Replace Tom Price
I donated more money yesterday to Jon Ossoff. Contributions are being matched by anonymous donors, so even if you can only contribute $10, that's $20 going to him.
This is the most critical election of 2017. Jon is running in a traditionally red district in Georgia that Trump only won by 1.5 points. If a Democrat can take this seat, it would create huge momentum for other special elections in 2017 and the larger map in 2018.
To donate: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/flipga6
To volunteer (they reportedly set up virtual phone banking): https://electjon.com/volunteer/
We can make a real difference.
Flippable (https://www.flippable.org/) and Sister District (https://www.sisterdistrict.com/) helped raise $130,000 and mobilize volunteers for a state senate special election in Delaware. This seat would determine control of the Delaware Senate. The Republican candidate had lost the previous election by only 2 points, and turnout is always low in special elections, which favors Republicans.
The Democrat, Stephanie Hansen, won by 16 points.
Every dollar helps, and every call helps.
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Hey MonkeyJenga, my local Indivisible group had our kickoff meeting yesterday. We are small but feisty! I invited two friends whom I thought would be interested, and they were!
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Attended swing left house party Saturday night and congresswoman 's town hall Sunday. Emailed state rep Monday about a conversion therapy bill in my state, called congresswoman with follow up comments on town hall, contributed to senator 's re-election campaign.
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I'd like some thoughts about calling. My congress rep is R, and basically a robot. One of the ones who didn't do a town hall, etc.
My senator is D and seems fairly awesome based on his twitter & positions.
5calls only has things to call on my senator for. I can call to say he is great, and I support him, but I feel like it would make more of a difference to get my congress rep actually feeling some pressure and voting his conscience on a couple of the more egregious measures.
Thoughts/ideas? When I couldn't sleep on Sunday night, I was trying to figure out a script along the lines of "I want the congressman to think about what line he isn't willing to cross in supporting this WH leadership and write it down. And then look at it every day to make sure he hasn't crossed it yet. It would also be great if he communicated to his constituents what that line is." But I fear that is sounding crackpotty.
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I'd like some thoughts about calling. My congress rep is R, and basically a robot. One of the ones who didn't do a town hall, etc.
My senator is D and seems fairly awesome based on his twitter & positions.
5calls only has things to call on my senator for. I can call to say he is great, and I support him, but I feel like it would make more of a difference to get my congress rep actually feeling some pressure and voting his conscience on a couple of the more egregious measures.
Thoughts/ideas? When I couldn't sleep on Sunday night, I was trying to figure out a script along the lines of "I want the congressman to think about what line he isn't willing to cross in supporting this WH leadership and write it down. And then look at it every day to make sure he hasn't crossed it yet. It would also be great if he communicated to his constituents what that line is." But I fear that is sounding crackpotty.
You need help from whoever else in your area has the same feelings. Democrats? Indivisible? There will be someone who is already organising in your area and whom you could support. For representatives who are "missing in action" there have been some awesome "missing" posters and milk cartons, etc.
If you are contacting your representative direct, you need to make it positive, specific and actionable: "support the inquiry into the Trump campaign's Russia connections", for instance.
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Plainjane, both are necessary. Call your senator to express support on specific votes or actions, and call your congressman to express displeasure.
The most effective call is about a specific vote or action you want them to take in the next few days. A general request to be better isn't going to do anything.
Do you have an Indivisible group in your district? They or another local activist group can help organize around issues and develop scripts. Indivisible has a guide on getting invisible reps to hold town halls.
Two important issues to call about now at all levels is Sessions/Russia and the ACA. Both houses can call for investigations and other actions on Russia, and the house is about to vote on ACA repeal and "replacement". Tell your rep to vote against repeal.
You mentioned one senator. What about the other?
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Attended swing left house party Saturday night and congresswoman 's town hall Sunday. Emailed state rep Monday about a conversion therapy bill in my state, called congresswoman with follow up comments on town hall, contributed to senator 's re-election campaign.
Hey MonkeyJenga, my local Indivisible group had our kickoff meeting yesterday. We are small but feisty! I invited two friends whom I thought would be interested, and they were!
High five to both of you!
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I am in a blue state, and most of what my congressional representatives say and do I am in general agreement with. In Senator Blumenthal's town hall recently, someone asked the question of what use it is to call your senators/representatives if you agree with them, and he said we should "keep preaching to the choir, because we (they) need to hear it." They keep track of numbers of calls/emails on specific issues. So I call my people to thank them when they do things I like and to remind them to keep talking about Russia and taxes etc because we the people think it's important, and I let them know when I contribute to their reelection campaign because I appreciate that they did x.
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You mentioned one senator. What about the other?
Oh, one senator is good from the get go. The other senator needed a slight spine adjustment, but seems on track for everything I've looked at recently.
One of my challenges is that I'm an overseas voter. So I can't attend anything. And there are some topics I can't speak to from a personal perspective. It's more a moral perspective. And for the ppl who don't like the overseas voters getting involved - stop making me file taxes (which reduces the tax advantaged savings I can do in my home country), and I will stop phoning.
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The following bills have been introduced while we are distracted by imaginary bugging, etc.
1. HR 861 Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency
2. HR 610 Vouchers for Public Education
3. HR 899 Terminate the Department of Education
4. HJR 69 Repeal Rule Protecting Wildlife
5. HR 370 Repeal Affordable Care Act
6. HR 354 Defund Planned Parenthood
7. HR 785 National "Right to Work" (anti-union)
8. HR 83 Mobilizing Against Sanctuary Cities Bill
9. HR 147 “Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act” (criminalizing abortion)
10. HR 808 Sanctions against Iran
You can read the full text of these bills here: https://www.congress.gov/browse
And summaries are here:
http://www.snopes.com/bills-introduced-by-republicans/
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/mar/07/social-media/social-media-post-pending-gop-bills-largely-accura/
If there are things on this list that bother you call your House Representative and ask them to not only vote "NO"...but to speak up for our rights, health & safety, and our country. And PASS IT ON...
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Brought my district Indivisible group to our rep's town hall today and got contact info for her staff and some of the speakers. Also recruited more people to Indivisible. Just randomly started talking to people and asking if they had heard of it.
Tomorrow I will attend the NY Indivisible weekly meeting and then staff an event on the ACA and LGBT issues.
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Today I attended an ACLU resistance training. It was a broadcast from Miami and I went to a house party here in town to watch it. Nice group of people came -- we met at a local co-operative house and that was also cool. I also went to a coffee shop and did some work on my book.
Tomorrow I'm making my podcast and then Monday I'm singing at the bedside of a man who's in hospice care. All good resistances!
Hey I'm gonna have to stop calling Cory Gardner my piece of shit senator because he is one of 4 republican senators who have come out against any curtailments of the Medicaid expansion in the ACA. I think the thousands of phone calls and the many town halls we had without him are having an impact! Great to see. Rachel Maddox had a segment on him last night and how the pressure seems to be working. Great stuff.
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Today I hosted about a dozen like minded souls to write postcards for the "ides of Trump" action on March 15. It was cathartic and supportive. Will it help? Probably not likely, but it is satisfying to visualize the avalanche of mail hitting 1600 Pennsylvania NW with so many people registering their discontent.
One thing that came out of our group was the idea that we'd like to meet on a semi regular basis to write to congresspeople with cards of thanks for jobs well done, and also to those who are performing deplorably in the areas of climate change, the ACA, education, et al, remind them that they work for ALL the American people.
Resist!
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Just donated to Jon Ossoff's campaign. This is the first time I've ever donated to a campaign for someone I do not personally know!
Also signed up for Sierra Club's Climate Defenders Conference call (https://sierra.secure.force.com/events/details?id=70131000001E1XmAAK&formcampaignid=70131000001DwMaAAK) tonight at 7:45 EDT.
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Called House Intelligence Committee, both the Minority Staff and Majority Staff, requesting an independent investigation into Trump and his administration's Russian ties. Minority staff said they are logging calls. Majority staff sounded sulky.
Minority Staff Office: (202) 225-7690
Majority Staff Office (202) 225-4121
By the way, I don't remember who recommended Rogan's list, but it's great! http://roganslist.blogspot.com/
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Called House Intelligence Committee, both the Minority Staff and Majority Staff, requesting an independent investigation into Trump and his administration's Russian ties. Minority staff said they are logging calls. Majority staff sounded sulky.
Minority Staff Office: (202) 225-7690
Majority Staff Office (202) 225-4121
By the way, I don't remember who recommended Rogan's list, but it's great! http://roganslist.blogspot.com/
Haha, I also got a friendly minority staffer and a technically polite but grumpy sounding majority staffer.
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http://jdaysy.tumblr.com/post/158342651491/sanguinarysanguinity-khealywu
For mathematicians:
A 5-day summer school will be offered at Tufts University from August 7-11, 2017, with the principal purpose of training mathematicians to be expert witnesses for court cases on redistricting and gerrymandering.
Topics covered in the summer school will include:
the legal history of the Voting Rights Act and its subsequent renewals, extensions, and clarifications;
an explanation of “traditional districting principles,” especially compactness;
a course in metric geometry and mathematical ideas for perimeter-free compactness;
basic rudiments of GIS and the technical side of how shapefiles work;
training on being an expert witness;
ideas for incorporating voting and civil rights into mathematics teaching.
Applications due March 31.
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Well, my god. Math and GIS; that happens to be right up my alley. Application submitted.
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Well, my god. Math and GIS; that happens to be right up my alley. Application submitted.
Passed this on to a friend who is a math prof. Asked him to share with his network - and he has a LARGE network.
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Forwarded the link to that site to my dad, who has a master's in math. Perhaps a good use of retirement time?
Sam, you'd be such a kick-ass expert witness.
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I'm headed to the airport again tonight. We won the last round on the Muslim ban. Building on our past successes is how we will turn this ship around. We can do this!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/15/battle-over-new-travel-ban-here-protest
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I'm headed to the airport again tonight. We won the last round on the Muslim ban. Building on our past successes is how we will turn this ship around. We can do this!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/15/battle-over-new-travel-ban-here-protest
Nice! Maddow just tweeted that Muslim Ban 2.0 has been blocked by Hawaii Federal Courts already!
https://twitter.com/maddow/status/842144926611697664
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Nice! Maddow just tweeted that Muslim Ban 2.0 has been blocked by Hawaii Federal Courts already!
https://twitter.com/maddow/status/842144926611697664
I just saw that! I guess I am not headed to the airport tonight :)
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Well, my god. Math and GIS; that happens to be right up my alley. Application submitted.
Keep us posted on this. Awesome!
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My daily acts of resistance have been communicating with the GOP ideologues in my family. It's maddening. But there are ways to talk to them to find common ground. (Right?)
I've been mulling over an idea. The reason, as far as I can tell, that the Republican Noise Machine has been so effective over the last 4 decades, is that they've flooded news, radio, book, 'academic' paper channels with their toady talking points. I'm thinking of publishing an ebook that recasts the talking points in language that will resonate, but bring more of a civil rights, human rights, *actual* science perspective.
Sure - there's lots of books calling this shit out - but they're written liberals, not conservatives. I want to bring the same info but to a conservative reader. you know - one who 'likes' the Rowdy Republican FB page and gets off on authoritarian disciplinarian stories. (shudder - it's ugly in there folks.).
Hey - if you know of a book that brings progressive minded ideas to more conservative minded reader, please point me to it - I'll send a copy to everyone in my family, and put this idea of authoring a new book to rest immediately.
If any of you think you'd want to contribute to such a book, PM me. It's just an idea at this point, on the back burner ... but I've been accumulating emails and Facebook chats, my own online articles, etc. and maybe we could borrow from other books - like the idea of corp/govt collusion and profiteering as cited by Lakoff so often in his works.
It's tough work, and it makes me angry, because these people are so unwilling reconsider. One maddening behavior is their willingness to get distracted into non-answers or to jump over to a talking point that doesn't even address the issue I've brought up.
Even as I type this I want to give up. I mean what's the point? It seems hopeless. I suppose we could just wait to see what their 'rock bottom' authoritarian anti-human government will look like. I just don't see them recognizing how bad things are until we've been dragged way lower than we want to be.
I want to give up. But then I think oh hell no. We're smart people. We can write, we can call this shit out - even when the game rules have our hands tied and our feet in cement boots. We can still type with our noses. No?
And I have had some small wins: I did convince him to call his house rep and ask him to co-sign/support HJR48(115th) to make the constitution only apply to humans and not corporations.
Why let the Frank Luntz's and 18 hyper-funded conservative think tanks get away with this manipulation? Maybe this is a little too late, but perhaps getting out a book that brings rights-of-man, clean business practices, government-corporation healthy balance perspective to a conservative reader - maybe we can soften what's coming. IDK.
At least we can make a little scratch selling to progressives who have die hard conservatives in their families.
Edit - sorry that was a long post - and hardly a daily act of political resistance. But - in all y'alls experiences, maybe we can sling together something. Even if it's not done in a day - it could take a little bit of work every day.
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Along the lines of your queries, Malaysia41, this Ted Talk was recommended to my tribe recently:
http://www.ted.com/talks/megan_phelps_roper_i_grew_up_in_the_westboro_baptist_church_here_s_why_i_left
My computer doesn't have sound, so I haven't listened to it yet!
But, its blurb says:
What's it like to grow up within a group of people who exult in demonizing ... everyone else? Megan Phelps-Roper shares details of life inside America's most controversial church and describes how conversations on Twitter were key to her decision to leave it. In this extraordinary talk, she shares her personal experience of extreme polarization, along with some sharp ways we can learn to successfully engage across ideological lines.
And person recommending it said what changed the speaker's path was people asking her (non-attacking) questions online. Apparently there is a yummy, life twist to this story too :)
That's an exciting and favourite topic to me: Genuine conversation as path to more kindness.
Thank you - I'll check this out today!
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My daily acts of resistance have been communicating with the GOP ideologues in my family. It's maddening. But there are ways to talk to them to find common ground. (Right?)
Today I sent a link to the Sanctuary Churches podcast from 99% Invisible to my very religious parents.
We also have a common ground on religious tolerance (we don't want to be one of "those" countries), and environmental protection (we are stewards & it is wrong to make people sick in the effort to make more money for the rich - easier for a camel etc.). The parable of Lazarus & the Rich Man is pretty useful. The Good Samaritan is also good, but now is an overused phrase, has lost its punch.
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Malaysia41 and plainjane, the other day somebody sent me this link to a TED talk that might have what you need.
http://www.ted.com/talks/robb_willer_how_to_have_better_political_conversations
It may help to lead your family to recall the words on the Statue of Liberty, which we all learned as children: "Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." This welcoming stance was one of the greatnesses of America, that made us a beloved beacon across the world. To deny it, is actually un-American.
Also, any decent member of the GOP should be alarmed and outraged by the infiltration of their party by big money, chickenhawks, bigots, and foreign interests. I have Republican friends who don't consider themselves racist and get offended by implications that their Trump vote makes them so. I am trying to persuade them that they need to fight to kick the white supremacists off their coattails.
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In a similar vein to the Ted Talks, I recently watched The Brainwashing of My Dad (http://www.thebrainwashingofmydad.com/). It's a documentary about the political conversion of the filmmaker's father through heavy consumption of talk radio and Fox News. There are a lot of comparisons to drug addiction and the changes drugs make in the brain. The ending carries a lot of hope. It's currently on Amazon Prime.
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Today I donated to the Connecticut Democratic Party and called my 3 legislators about trump's proposed budget. I bought tickets to a NARAL fundraiser brunch in April and I am attending my town's democratic committee meeting this evening.
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I second that Ted Talk about political conversations. I find the more emotional I am, the less effective I am at making a point someone could agree with. I also like the idea of making your point by asking questions rather than lecturing because it puts the person you are addressing in the position of having to think through a position themselves.
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Malaysia41 and plainjane, the other day somebody sent me this link to a TED talk that might have what you need.
http://www.ted.com/talks/robb_willer_how_to_have_better_political_conversations
Thanks Poundwise. This statement of this particular argument resonated more with me than other examples I've heard.
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When I have actually contributed to changing someone's decision and vote, it was because I approached them with an open mind and a desire to truly understand their beliefs. I can get riled up when talking to people who already agree with me, but if not, I try to keep things emotionally neutral and free from accusation and insults.
Although, I always avoid insults, regardless of who I'm talking to. They're counter-productive and put the other person on defense, which makes people dig in harder.
Today I donated to the Connecticut Democratic Party and called my 3 legislators about trump's proposed budget. I bought tickets to a NARAL fundraiser brunch in April and I am attending my town's democratic committee meeting this evening.
Awesome!
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I still despise our privately funded 2 party system. Still, I'll go with the dems over those GOP ass hats.
You can subscribe to this subreddit for ideas on helping to make the 2018 elections go to democrats.
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/)
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AHCA/Trumpcare vote is happening in less than a week. These 27 Reps have been identified as potential No votes. If you or anyone you know lives in their districts, please encourage them to reach out.
Find the reps and sample scripts here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AsDez86TCuKD4WYuO_0QOB7dbhMwFa7HZ90gzRPahdk/edit#gid=0
The link also includes photos to tweet/share on FB.
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Small Daily Action for March 20: Facebooky things!
Spread the word about the special election in Georgia for Tom Price's seat. Jon Ossoff is the Democrat with the best chance of flipping this red seat.
1) Voter registration ends tomorrow (Monday) March 20th. First thing you can do is click the below link to find out if you have a FB buddy who lives in Georgia. If you do, then find out if they live in the 6th District. https://www.facebook.com/search/people/?q=friends%20in%20georgia
2a) If they do live in the 6th District, then point them to this site to register to vote: https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/welcome.do#no-back-button
2b) If they don't live in the 6th District, send them the voter reg link anyway and ask them if they have friends in District 6.
3) Remind them that the runoff election is April 18th. Contacts in Georgia report high voter registration in the district, but people don't know when the actual election is. Remind them that it's April 18th.
4) Post on FB publicly about the runoff, with a link to flippable: https://www.flippable.org/upcoming-elections/
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Small Daily Action for March 20: Facebooky things!
Spread the word about the special election in Georgia for Tom Price's seat. Jon Ossoff is the Democrat with the best chance of flipping this red seat.
Thanks for this. I will speak in person to friends who still live in the area.
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Hung out with my oldest friend, who is a moderate Republican, and had a good, respectful conversation with her. Remembered that dad of my son's good friend is originally from Georgia, and asked him to remind family about voter registration (though they aren't in the right district, can help word to get around.)
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Adding to the resources on how to have better conversations about politics, I've been enjoying a book called Don't Think of an Elephant (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455.Don_t_Think_of_an_Elephant_Know_Your_Values_and_Frame_the_Debate). It talks about framing arguments in a way that supports a more 'liberal' world framework.
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For anyone who can get to Manhattan, there is an event near Astor Place on March 30th with, get this, FREE DINNER.
"Are you interested in protecting and advancing healthcare equity? How about in social justice movements, like racial justice, immigrant rights, women's rights, rights of people with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and income inequality?
Caring for Us Indivisible and the Human Rights Association of NYU's College of Global Public Health are proud to present a panel on how all of these intersect, and what YOU can do to help protect the Affordable Care Act from Republican ravaging! "
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/422931614717862/
Google form to RSVP: https://goo.gl/forms/pQI2U2LeGDvIrMdo1
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As you've probably heard, the ACHA is going for a vote today in the House. Here's a good article by the NY Times (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/20/us/politics/health-care-whip-count.html?_r=0) showing how the different Reps are voting. I was able to do a CTRL+F to find mine and it had a link to an interview with him explaining why he's voting the way he is. I called and thanked him for voting against it and was able to include specifics, which was nice because we have very different view points and I actually had a couple items we agreed on.
When I first called this morning it went to voicemails, which were all full, but I called again a little later and was able to get through to a human and left my message with her.
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I am really loving the resist-bot tool that allows you to fax your legislators by just sending a text (to get started just text "resist" to 50409). I saw it recommended several places before I finally started using it yesterday. It really is incredibly easy to use. I have been using it to fax my people about Trumpcare.
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I am really loving the resist-bot tool that allows you to fax your legislators by just sending a text (to get started just text "resist" to 50409). I saw it recommended several places before I finally started using it yesterday. It really is incredibly easy to use. I have been using it to fax my people about Trumpcare.
Thanks, I've been testing this out too. Ease of use is great. I don't like that the same message goes to both senators and reps. I also had weird formatting on some messages from them, with question marks before each letter, did you experience that?
I emailed them about the latter issue, but want to get in touch to discuss more customization options. My rep doesn't need to be told to vote against Gorsuch for example.
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I haven't had formatting problems, but I agree that it would be nice to be able to tailor the message depending on whether it's directed toward senators or my representative. I'm still planning to augment with phone calls. Maybe the "feedback" feature can help suggest some changes to the tool?
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Check this out - I sent feedback to the resist-bot and got the following back:
Did you know?
You can target your message to just the House or Senate, or even just an individual Senator. When you are asked if you want to "send" the message, you can say:
house - only contact Elizabeth H. Esty
senate - only contact both senators
senior - only contact Senator Richard Blumenthal
junior - only contact Senator Christopher Murphy
all - send to both House and Senate
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A good point from a recent Rogan's List:
" From Reba (one of our own) who spent a year as a policy fellow in a US Senate office and now is a federal science policy professional: This is the rule of thumb: the harder it is for a constituent to do, the more weight it is given. Which makes sense - people are driven to undertake a "heavy lift" (in any situation) when they are most passionate and involved and care the most. Members and their staff know this - it is basic human psychology. So they pay attention when constituents do things that are hard/ time-consuming/ personal/ require commitment. That is, in rough order: show up in person (at an office, or a town hall, or a local protest); call them on the phone; send a *personal* email that includes a personal story and is written in your own words, from your personal email account. That's it. Faxes, petitions, social media, postcards create buzz and PR but are not much of an influence on a member. And there is no way around that."
Fax is great, but slower to be counted and gets less attention than calls. Call AND fax!
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Check this out - I sent feedback to the resist-bot and got the following back:
Did you know?
You can target your message to just the House or Senate, or even just an individual Senator. When you are asked if you want to "send" the message, you can say:
house - only contact Elizabeth H. Esty
senate - only contact both senators
senior - only contact Senator Richard Blumenthal
junior - only contact Senator Christopher Murphy
all - send to both House and Senate
Thank you for this!
Poundwise, definitely agree with the order of priority. Faxing by text can bring in a lot of people who otherwise wouldn't take the time to call, but hopefully callers won't switch to faxes. Ideally the texters will progress to calling at some point.
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Agreed. But my faxes are personal, too! I feel like I can get more detailed in emails/faxes than on the phone, because I don't want to take up too much of their time.
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ACHA IS GOING TO VOTE TWO HOURS FROM NOW!
Please call! Fax! Something! Make your voice heard!
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Sent three faxes. Will follow up with a call. It sounds like concessions to the "Freedom" Caucus have made Trumpcare even worse.
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Thank you, jrhampt, for the text-bot info! I tried the "house only" option. When you're ready to send and are prompted, just type back the single word "house". Don't add your Rep's name.
Makes me also feel like typing "Do you want to play a game?" (Kids, ask your parents.)
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I am really loving the resist-bot tool that allows you to fax your legislators by just sending a text (to get started just text "resist" to 50409). I saw it recommended several places before I finally started using it yesterday. It really is incredibly easy to use. I have been using it to fax my people about Trumpcare.
That bot rules! I just sent $6 to paypal to support it, well worth it. I have sent a link to almost everyone I know.
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Thank you for sharing the resist bot! For those of us with wicked phone anxiety, calling is definitely still worthwhile, but lowering the bar to interacting with those who represent us can make it much easier to continue voicing our opinions week after week.
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Called House rep, a Republican perceived as swing vote, on ACHA yesterday. All offices.
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My R congress critter's phone lines were down all day and now are up, but not taking messages.
I will call on Monday to thank them for their courageous stand on ACHA (they went on record).
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Awesome! I faxed mine to thank her.
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ACA repeal pulled! It won't go for a vote. This is because of all the public pressure we put on our elected officials.
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/house-republicans-pull-health-care-bill-house-floor-n738281?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma
BOOM.
Schumer is saying Democrats will filibuster Gorsuch for the Supreme Court, but he's leaving the door open for individual Dems to vote for him. Next up: call your senators to vote against cloture for Gorsuch.
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Can someone explain to me what the point of filibustering Gorsuch is? It just seems like a losing battle that will end up making the democrats look bad. I'd prefer to focus on something else, like Russia. Or whatever stupid thing trump does next thT we actually have some hope of defeating.
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Can someone explain to me what the point of filibustering Gorsuch is? It just seems like a losing battle that will end up making the democrats look bad. I'd prefer to focus on something else, like Russia. Or whatever stupid thing trump does next thT we actually have some hope of defeating.
Before today, I'd have answered it this way: The Republicans are not entitled to this seat. It should have been Garland's, and Trump honestly shouldn't be allowed to appoint justices when his administration is freaking under investigation. Republicans fought dirty, so Democrats should fight dirty. Playing nice doesn't win anything: it doesn't win points, it doesn't win results. Make them nuke the filibuster. I mean, what's the benefit of *not* filibustering? Do we actually think that if Democrats don't filibuster, Trump will think, what nice Democrats, I'll pick a more centrist nominee next time? Ha ha ha ha. Fight back - don't let the Republicans win everything just because they're more ruthless. Maybe they'll stop being such assholes after they've experienced being on the receiving end.
After today, I'm less sure the Republican leadership can get its caucus to do whatever it wants. I still stand by the above, but I'm less sure about it.
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Can someone explain to me what the point of filibustering Gorsuch is? It just seems like a losing battle that will end up making the democrats look bad. I'd prefer to focus on something else, like Russia. Or whatever stupid thing trump does next thT we actually have some hope of defeating.
Well, there's a chance that the filibuster works... I know, small chance, but it's there. It's also the principle of the thing, due to R's treatment of Merrick Garland.
The main point, though, is that it's what their base wants them to do. Frankly, if the filibuster is going to be killed, it's going to be killed either now or on the next nominee. There's this fear that we need to preserve the filibuster so Democrats can prevent a truly crazy nominee from being nominated next time.*
But Republicans will just kill the filibuster then.
According to this article (http://www.npr.org/2017/03/23/521233951/schumer-says-hell-oppose-gorsuch-nomination-sets-up-filibuster-showdown-with-gop), Democrats offered to allow a vote on Gorsuch if R's promised to keep the filibuster for the next nominee. That proposal was rejected.
So. If Democrats want to keep their voters happy and show that they can put up a fight, they need to fight. On Gorsuch. On Russia. On the ACA. On Donner. On Blitzen. They need to fight, even if they lose. Because ultimately, they can't do jack shit on anything unless they start winning some elections. Nobody's going to be excited about voting for, volunteering for, and donating to, a party that's rolling over and taking it.
Republicans prevented Merrick Garland from even having a hearing for a full year, let alone a vote. The moment the Republicans had control of the nomination, they started grandstanding about Democratic obstructionism and how the American people won't stand for it. Nobody on their side cares that it's hypocrisy. Democrats aren't going to look bad, except among people who already hate Democrats.
The Supreme Court is extremely important and has uniquely long-term implications, but only Republicans in general seem to realize it when it comes time to vote. Lots of Republicans voted for a man they personally disliked simply because of who he would put on the court. I don't know of any Democrats who overcame their bitterness over Bernie or dislike of HRC simply because the SC was vital. They may have voted for HRC for other reasons, but the court was never a rallying cry. More attention paid to this on the blue side is needed.
Russia is important. The next issue will be important. Dems need to fight on all those important things. It's a good thing our news cycles are 24/7 so we can cover everything. ;)
*I don't like this argument because it dismisses the extremism of Gorsuch himself, but everyone seems to think there will be someone up next who's as extreme but less palatable to the masses.
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Democrats aren't going to look bad, except among people who already hate Democrats.
yeah, this.
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Texted the resist bot yesterday and sent messages to my Senators asking them to oppose Gorsuch's nomination. I like this tech. It is a little glitchy yet (I had to type my message one short sentence at a time, otherwise it missed large chunks), but it's something I can definitely use no matter how anxious I'm feeling that day.
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Sent a post card to my Rep to voice my opposition to S.J. res 34 which would allow broadband companies to track your internet activity and sell to third parties, will follow up with a phone call Monday. The Senate already passed the resolution. Also emailed him to thank him for opposing the AHCA
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Thanks for the responses. I know the base wants the filibuster. I'm really angry about the way Merrick Garland was treated, too. I think the Republicans stole the presidency and this Supreme Court seat. I just think we can't win this battle and we will have plenty of other battles to fight...it just doesn't make strategic sense to me, other than placating the base. Seems like throwing a tantrum.
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We had our monthly Indivisible meeting this morning and it was AWESOME. So many folks in our group are doing great things on the state level in addition to the federal-level activities and it's heartening. Especially in the afterglow of yesterday's stunning smack down of the Republicans.
I volunteered to start a newsletter for our group, because all the great things people are doing are getting buried in our Facebook page. So I'm going to get info from our committee leads on the actions they are taking and the wins they are getting and publish it out to everyone, probably on a monthly basis to start. I think as the months go on it is going to be more and more important to look back on our efforts and realize what we've accomplished thus far, so I'm excited to get the ball rolling now.
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Can someone explain to me what the point of filibustering Gorsuch is? It just seems like a losing battle that will end up making the democrats look bad. I'd prefer to focus on something else, like Russia. Or whatever stupid thing trump does next thT we actually have some hope of defeating.
Before today, I'd have answered it this way: The Republicans are not entitled to this seat. It should have been Garland's, and Trump honestly shouldn't be allowed to appoint justices when his administration is freaking under investigation. Republicans fought dirty, so Democrats should fight dirty. Playing nice doesn't win anything: it doesn't win points, it doesn't win results. Make them nuke the filibuster. I mean, what's the benefit of *not* filibustering? Do we actually think that if Democrats don't filibuster, Trump will think, what nice Democrats, I'll pick a more centrist nominee next time? Ha ha ha ha. Fight back - don't let the Republicans win everything just because they're more ruthless. Maybe they'll stop being such assholes after they've experienced being on the receiving end.
After today, I'm less sure the Republican leadership can get its caucus to do whatever it wants. I still stand by the above, but I'm less sure about it.
Honestly, Gorsuch never really bothered me until yesterday. He seemed very much the same that's been around. And with Republicans in charge, I didn't really see a way to fight or stop it. But then I heard this story:
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/23/in-a-case-of-a-truckers-life-vs-his-cargo-judge-neil-gorsuch-ruled-for-the-cargo/
Now maybe there are more details, but he basically ruled against a driver who was pretty much ordered to die. And that's someone I can't get behind.
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Can someone explain to me what the point of filibustering Gorsuch is? It just seems like a losing battle that will end up making the democrats look bad. I'd prefer to focus on something else, like Russia. Or whatever stupid thing trump does next thT we actually have some hope of defeating.
Before today, I'd have answered it this way: The Republicans are not entitled to this seat. It should have been Garland's, and Trump honestly shouldn't be allowed to appoint justices when his administration is freaking under investigation. Republicans fought dirty, so Democrats should fight dirty. Playing nice doesn't win anything: it doesn't win points, it doesn't win results. Make them nuke the filibuster. I mean, what's the benefit of *not* filibustering? Do we actually think that if Democrats don't filibuster, Trump will think, what nice Democrats, I'll pick a more centrist nominee next time? Ha ha ha ha. Fight back - don't let the Republicans win everything just because they're more ruthless. Maybe they'll stop being such assholes after they've experienced being on the receiving end.
After today, I'm less sure the Republican leadership can get its caucus to do whatever it wants. I still stand by the above, but I'm less sure about it.
Honestly, Gorsuch never really bothered me until yesterday. He seemed very much the same that's been around. And with Republicans in charge, I didn't really see a way to fight or stop it. But then I heard this story:
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/23/in-a-case-of-a-truckers-life-vs-his-cargo-judge-neil-gorsuch-ruled-for-the-cargo/
Now maybe there are more details, but he basically ruled against a driver who was pretty much ordered to die. And that's someone I can't get behind.
Reading that article brings up a lot of questions for me. But as presented in the article this seems to be a horrible ruling. It is always frustrating to me to see both parties flip the script when it benefits them. Republicans should not be complaining about the talk of a filibuster by the Democrats.
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Sent a post card to my Rep to voice my opposition to S.J. res 34 which would allow broadband companies to track your internet activity and sell to third parties, will follow up with a phone call Monday. The Senate already passed the resolution. Also emailed him to thank him for opposing the AHCA
I am calling my rep today to oppose this bill. I also spread the word among my district group. Apparently rep is undecided, which is surprising. I assumed solid no vote.
The house version is called H.J. Res. 86.
Script from Indivisible:
I'm a constituent, and I'm asking Rep. X to vote NO on H.J. 86., which would repeal important FCC privacy rules.
Republicans are trying to ram this through the House on Tuesday before anyone discovers the damage it will cause to privacy online.
If signed into law, broadband companies will be able to use and sell data about us without our consent.
I care about the digital rights of consumers over corporations. Will Rep. X commit to vote NO?
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DH and I called our rep, Daniel Webster, this morning to request he vote "no" on this bill.
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I've already gotten 7 people from my district to call about HJ 86!
I also sent information on how to volunteer for Jon Ossoff to a co-worker who's from Georgia. He will pass on to his friends who live there.
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I faxed my rep about HJ 86. Thanks for the info.
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Just called her office, too.
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
It is massively funded by the Koch brothers, which frankly is probably all you need to know.
I think it is quite a big deal. Wisconsin is voting on this today, I think. I'm fairly surprised it's not getting more press, but you know, it's a tiny bit complicated, and people prefer to read about THE ONE WEIGHT LOSS TRICK DOCTORS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW!
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
It is massively funded by the Koch brothers, which frankly is probably all you need to know.
I think it is quite a big deal. Wisconsin is voting on this today, I think.
Okay, so what can people who don't live in Wisconsin do about this?
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
That link didn't tell me what the subject matter of the constitutional convention would be. Based on Kris's clue, it appears to be an amendment to require a balanced budget.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2017-03-20/wisconsin-gop-moving-to-call-for-constitutional-convention
Holy shit they're 5 states away.
You know what's scary? 32 of 50 state legislatures are GOP controlled. It takes just one more ALEC bound legislature and they can pass all the amendments their hearts desire. That happens and these few months of baby Trump will look like a day at the park.
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
That link didn't tell me what the subject matter of the constitutional convention would be. Based on Kris's clue, it appears to be an amendment to require a balanced budget.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2017-03-20/wisconsin-gop-moving-to-call-for-constitutional-convention
Holy shit they're 5 states away.
You know what's scary? 32 of 50 state legislatures are GOP controlled. It takes just one more ALEC bound legislature and they can pass all the amendments their hearts desire. That happens and these few months of baby Donald will look like a day at the park.
Hmm. It seems the only thing to do right now is wait - and if this nonsense comes to our home states to get active with our legislators.
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Need help from the political hive mind. Common Cause has a petition going to stop an Article V convention to rewrite the U.S. Constitution (https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1881&s_src=1881&s_subsrc=fb-2017-03-27-01). My high school civics course is failing me. How legit is this issue? It seems like it would be a REALLY BIG DEAL if it's a real threat, but this is the first I'm hearing about it.
It is massively funded by the Koch brothers, which frankly is probably all you need to know.
I think it is quite a big deal. Wisconsin is voting on this today, I think.
Okay, so what can people who don't live in Wisconsin do about this?
It will pass in Wisconsin, so that's a done deal.
You can educate yourself about it.
And if you live in one of the remaining states -- or even if you don't -- you can work to educate others and advocate for awareness and resistance so that it doesn't get passed there.
The seven states (assuming the Wisconsin vote hasn't happened yet) are Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. They need five of them to vote for this. So, especially if you're in one of the other states, pay attention.
http://billmoyers.com/story/kochs-to-rewrite-constitution/
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/right-wing-billionaires-want-to-rewrite-our-constitution-and-theyre-frighteningly-close-to-pulling-it-off/
And, a more alarmist version:
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/3/26/1647374/-Legit-This-Should-Scare-The-Bejesus-Out-Of-You?detail=facebook
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I was posting elsewhere and it reminded me of a conversation I had that I thought might be helpful to some people here and spark some conversation here.
I went to a local school board meeting to ask them to be supportive of trans students (we're in the middle of a rather conservative area so I felt it wasn't something to be taken for granted). I have a toddler so I asked my not-politically-involved husband if he minded doing bedtime solo since I'd be going out.
Him: "Are you .... getting extra credit or something? Why are you going to a school board meeting?"
Me: "I'm going to ask them to support our trans students."
Him: [something about how I'm not trans, our kid isn't trans, etc. so again, why am I doing this?]
Me: "Because the people who are trans might be afraid of speaking up and it costs me nothing but a little time to speak up for them."
Him: "Huh. Well, okie doke."
From there the conversation moved on to other domestic topics. Would it be nice if he were more enthusiastically supportive? Sure. But his lack of interest doesn't have to hold me back. My work breaks are flexible so I'm able to step out to the parking lot and use that time to call my representatives using the issues from my daily Indivisible email, so that doesn't impact him but he also doesn't see the efforts I'm doing. I'm most likely going to attend the local March for Science and I'd like to take my kid with me in a stroller but I think he might be leery of taking our kid. He wasn't crazy about me doing that for the anti-Trump protest in November after the election but there were tons of other people there with their kids (kiddo ended up coming down with a cold so he stayed home anyway).
I feel like between some of my internet bubbles composed of people who are very enthusiastic about calling, providing scripts, what's today's issue, etc. and then existing in "real life" where I don't talk about it much (work, home) there's a weird contrast.
Is anyone else having similar interactions with lukewarm friends or family?
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Is anyone else having similar interactions with lukewarm friends or family?
I have been slooowly working on my DH. There are some local issues he is interested in - mostly because they will affect development and property values in our area. Unfortunately he sees the state/national political landscape through a very cynical lens and our elected officials probably deserve the cynicism!
As I find well written articles about some of the scarier aspects of the current presidency I have been sending them to him so he understands how the landscape has changed and just how much is at stake. I've also been talking up the local climate march, which is scheduled for the end of April. I think he'll be willing to march when the time comes.
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Fortunately, my husband can't stand Trump, particularly his anti-science, anti-environmental policies. He's gone to a local indivisible meeting with me, a swing left take back the house party, and a couple of town hall events with me, but I don't think his utter loathing is quite as energetic and incandescent as mine. Or maybe he doesn't feel quite as at home with the mostly liberal crowds, since he only last fall renounced his party to re-register as an independent. My anti-trump rage is probably obsessive enough for both of us, but I don't mind taking the lead on this.
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Just called my Republican rep about HJ Resolution 43 which goes to vote today. It would repeal protections for funding for women's health care centers like Planned Parenthood. Since my rep is pro-life I phrased my message as protecting unborn babies because of the pregnancy services offered by these clinics as well as providing women's health care for the mothers so they can be healthy for their children.
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My daughter came home from college yesterday and we both went to the polls to vote for Jon Ossoff. I feel very lucky to be on the front lines here (6th district Georgia). I went to the local office for Jon Ossoff and picked up a couple of yard signs for me and my neighbor. I am only seeing Jon Ossoff signs in neighborhood yards here. The other candidates signs I have only seen on public property (road intersections) and I only began to notice them a couple of days ago. Seems like Ossoff has a lot of supporters in the city of Alpharetta, which is predominately conservative and I mean extremely conservative. I sometimes feel like the only democrat in Georgia! It feels great to have so many supporters putting up yard signs for Ossoff. During the presidential race, I only saw Trump signs. I was afraid my family would be targeted if I put up a Clinton sign or Bernie.
Hoping we can send a message to Washington Republicans, that we will not tolerate the dirty, slimy politics anymore! We need people in office that work for the citizens, not for their own self interest, foreign or corporate interests. We need representatives that want to work to improve the lives of the voters and will compromise to find solutions to real problems using real scientific information and facts. Just my opinion!
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My daughter came home from college yesterday and we both went to the polls to vote for Jon Ossoff. I feel very lucky to be on the front lines here (6th district Georgia). I went to the local office for Jon Ossoff and picked up a couple of yard signs for me and my neighbor. I am only seeing Jon Ossoff signs in neighborhood yards here. The other candidates signs I have only seen on public property (road intersections) and I only began to notice them a couple of days ago. Seems like Ossoff has a lot of supporters in the city of Alpharetta, which is predominately conservative and I mean extremely conservative. I sometimes feel like the only democrat in Georgia! It feels great to have so many supporters putting up yard signs for Ossoff. During the presidential race, I only saw Trump signs. I was afraid my family would be targeted if I put up a Clinton sign or Bernie.
Hoping we can send a message to Washington Republicans, that we will not tolerate the dirty, slimy politics anymore! We need people in office that work for the citizens, not for their own self interest, foreign or corporate interests. We need representatives that want to work to improve the lives of the voters and will compromise to find solutions to real problems using real scientific information and facts. Just my opinion!
Awesome! I hope he does well.
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My daughter came home from college yesterday and we both went to the polls to vote for Jon Ossoff. I feel very lucky to be on the front lines here (6th district Georgia). I went to the local office for Jon Ossoff and picked up a couple of yard signs for me and my neighbor. I am only seeing Jon Ossoff signs in neighborhood yards here. The other candidates signs I have only seen on public property (road intersections) and I only began to notice them a couple of days ago. Seems like Ossoff has a lot of supporters in the city of Alpharetta, which is predominately conservative and I mean extremely conservative. I sometimes feel like the only democrat in Georgia! It feels great to have so many supporters putting up yard signs for Ossoff. During the presidential race, I only saw Trump signs. I was afraid my family would be targeted if I put up a Clinton sign or Bernie.
Hoping we can send a message to Washington Republicans, that we will not tolerate the dirty, slimy politics anymore! We need people in office that work for the citizens, not for their own self interest, foreign or corporate interests. We need representatives that want to work to improve the lives of the voters and will compromise to find solutions to real problems using real scientific information and facts. Just my opinion!
Yessss! This is great.
I am planning to come down to Georgia to help with GOTV efforts in the final week of the campaign. Maybe I'll run into you. :)
Donations to Ossoff's campaign are being triple-matched right now! Anyone who wants to help out can send a little cash their way: https://electjon.com/
You can also do virtual phone banking from wherever you are. That link can set you up with that, under Volunteer. https://electjon.com/volunteer/
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This is from Executive Women for Her: a free trip and free housing to Georgia to GOTV in the last week of the Ossoff campaign!
You need to register by TOMORROW, April 3.
Canvass in Atlanta! Join a FREE bus going from several cities including NYC to Atlanta. Busses leave Friday the 14th and return Wednesday the 19th, with free accommodations while you’re there. You must RSVP by filling out this form by Monday April 3rd by 5pm RESERVATION FORM. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYHH5gbcFHb8W7hcVVZG8fD0PpExL4-u1Rr4sP8YCMth_3DA/viewform)
Cities:
NYC
Baltimore
DC
Charlotte
Nashville
Chattanooga
Birmingham
Raleigh/Durham
There is also space to enter a new city if not already listed.
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This is from Executive Women for Her: a free trip and free housing to Georgia to GOTV in the last week of the Ossoff campaign!
You need to register by TOMORROW, April 3.
Canvass in Atlanta! Join a FREE bus going from several cities including NYC to Atlanta. Busses leave Friday the 14th and return Wednesday the 19th, with free accommodations while you’re there. You must RSVP by filling out this form by Monday April 3rd by 5pm RESERVATION FORM. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYHH5gbcFHb8W7hcVVZG8fD0PpExL4-u1Rr4sP8YCMth_3DA/viewform)
Cities:
NYC
Baltimore
DC
Charlotte
Nashville
Chattanooga
Birmingham
Raleigh/Durham
There is also space to enter a new city if not already listed.
Awesome. I sure hope Ossoff wins in the first round.
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Just saw this horrible ad on TV this morning in the Atlanta area attacking Jon Ossoff. It's so ugly, misdirecting, untrue, sensationalized, ect.... What the heck is happening to our society? What turns my stomach the most lately is just how disgusting politics and society in general has gotten with just verbally attacking people and dividing us up. The way Trump and most of the rest of the GOP have been speaking about fellow citizens is not just ruthless and unjust, it's morally corrupt. Obviously some of our fellow citizens believe this stuff. It's meant to rile up their emotions and create as much fear as possible. I for one dream of a US where people are smart enough not to fall for the crap that is being flooded into the world. Ugh.... I just hope very few of our citizens fall for it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr4RYY7Mpw4
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Just saw this horrible ad on TV this morning in the Atlanta area attacking Jon Ossoff. It's so ugly, misdirecting, untrue, sensationalized, ect.... What the heck is happening to our society? What turns my stomach the most lately is just how disgusting politics and society in general has gotten with just verbally attacking people and dividing us up. The way Trump and most of the rest of the GOP have been speaking about fellow citizens is not just ruthless and unjust, it's morally corrupt. Obviously some of our fellow citizens believe this stuff. It's meant to rile up their emotions and create as much fear as possible. I for one dream of a US where people are smart enough not to fall for the crap that is being flooded into the world. Ugh.... I just hope very few of our citizens fall for it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr4RYY7Mpw4
Wow that ad's so bad it's almost funny. Except that I know it'll get into some peoples' heads and take hold. So, not so funny.
This whole liberal agenda conspiracy boogeyman is so stupid. Liberal minded people are like la la la la, what? Liberal minded people are just going about their days, completely disorganized politically.
Meanwhile Grover Norquist continues his Wednesday meetings pushing talking points to all wings of the GOP base. The GOP propaganda arm is a well tuned machine at this point.
The amount of projection from the right is absolutely astounding.
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My senator, Claire McCaskill, dithered last week about supporting Gorsuch but now has decided that even though calling herself a "moderate" she will vote against Gorsuch.
So, this morning I called her D.C. office to express my unhappiness that she is not representing her constituency. Moderate my ass, she lines up in lock step with every big Democratic vote.
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Dear Iris lily, All I want for Christmas is a moderate Justice. Take it from me... lifelong registered independent, socializing the whole day long with Republicans and Libertarians, have voted in the past for local Republican mayors and selectmen. It is not McCaskill who is extreme, it's Gorsuch. What you are seeing here is a revolt of the moderates.
The Republicans don't HAVE to go nuclear. They don't HAVE to change the rules. All they have to do is find a candidate who is more palatable to everyone.
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Claire McCaskill has voted with Trump’s position 44% of the time. Lower than expected considering Trump's vote share in her state, but she is a Democrat.
This is a good resource to see how senators and reps align with Trump: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/
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My senator, Claire McCaskill, dithered last week about supporting Gorsuch but now has decided that even though calling herself a "moderate" she will vote against Gorsuch.
So, this morning I called her D.C. office to express my unhappiness that she is not representing her constituency. Moderate my ass, she lines up in lock step with every big Democratic vote.
Yeah...not wanting Gorsuch DOES make her a moderate. He's so extremely right wing on quite a few important issues that no one could call themselves moderate and want him on the SC.
The fact that conservatives don't even realize how extreme their side is getting, and that the standard for all of our politics keeps getting pushed RIGHT year after year (Clinton was actually a moderate-right candidate) makes me depressed for the state of the future.
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Are we now debating actions and ideas now on this thread?
cool, I thought that was forbidden.
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My senator, Claire McCaskill, dithered last week about supporting Gorsuch but now has decided that even though calling herself a "moderate" she will vote against Gorsuch.
So, this morning I called her D.C. office to express my unhappiness that she is not representing her constituency. Moderate my ass, she lines up in lock step with every big Democratic vote.
Iris Lily, much respect for calling your Senator.
Are we now debating actions and ideas now on this thread?
cool, I thought that was forbidden.
To me it appears that "Moderate my ass..." was the bait that began the discussion. MJ set the thread rules and already responded by discussing, so I guess whether it's open season for debate depends on whether she reiterates the "please don't debate the issues" principle or not.
Personally, I prefer the just-the-reporting-of-actions-and-mentioning-of-possible-actions format because I've read enough politics discussion threads. I like it when people whose views oppose mine take action on them as citizens, as you did, because it's better to have a republic of full participation than just one that agrees with me. IMHO a thread that focuses on the action part is valuable. Fwiw, I created a Politics Octagon thread for discussions of politics that branch off from this thread (it hasn't been used much).
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Sorry, I guess I derailed the thread! I'll get it back on track:
Forwarded this awesome spreadsheet "NoProbeNoRobe" to family out of state.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XpnUJdUuMvhszIX3RWJ8b0N7F3UYQHVFAB56DS4v3DE/edit#gid=0
Wrote to Gov. Cuomo and leaders of the NY Assembly in favor of early voting, auto-registration, and to close the LLC loophole allowing LLCs (mostly real estate groups) to make virtually unlimited donations to state candidates.
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One of my favorite things to do is infiltrate a space where my opinions are unpopular, spew unpopular opinions, point at the guidelines that don't specifically outlaw my presence, and sit back and laugh. I've found that it really endears me to people and helps accomplish lots of my goals.
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If you're concerned about the direction of global warming policy, you can get a good bang for the buck donating to
http://citizensclimatelobby.org (http://citizensclimatelobby.org)
They work with a bi-partisan climate change council in Washington.
(http://11bup83sxdss1xze1i3lpol4.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/climate-solutions-caucus-march30.png)
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One of my favorite things to do is infiltrate a space where my opinions are unpopular, spew unpopular opinions, point at the guidelines that don't specifically outlaw my presence, and sit back and laugh. I've found that it really endears me to people and helps accomplish lots of my goals.
What we all do have in common is a genuine interest in improving our country, and doing that by greater involvement in political systems. I greatly respect that process and that activity. I wouldn't expect everyone to agree on all issues facing our nation.
That we disagree here on this board on issues of "improvement" is a testament to diversity, on this board and in this country. God Bless America.
Now, to get back to topic:today my citizen action today will be to vote. We have a municipal election with several propositions and city offices.
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My daily acts of resistance today were less tangible. I biked home (13 miles, including a grocery stop) because Fuck Climate Change.
I got most of my victory garden planted/seeded.
I watched a documentary about spacetime and relativity, because educating ourselves on any and all topics is both a generally good idea and, apparently, against what this president wants (a stupid population).
Am going to go email my congress people about Gorsuch right now.
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http://thehill.com/homenews/news/327343-harvard-graduate-students-form-dumbledores-army-to-fight-against-trump-agenda
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Yesterday I helped a friend gather signatures and put the papers together for a local election run against an incumbent who lately has made a big and seemingly unjustifiable decision which will cause great harm to our local environment. She's now on the ballot!
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My daily acts of resistance today were less tangible. I biked home (13 miles, including a grocery stop) because Fuck Climate Change.
I got most of my victory garden planted/seeded.
I watched a documentary about spacetime and relativity, because educating ourselves on any and all topics is both a generally good idea and, apparently, against what this president wants (a stupid population).
Am going to go email my congress people about Gorsuch right now.
We haven't owned a car since June 2016. We bike everywhere. We've contemplated getting a car but, like you, I keep thinking, "fuck climate change."
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You can phonebank, donate, and/or or vote in upcoming elections:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated
(https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated)
April 11th- James Thompson for Congress (Kansas)
April 18th- khalid kamau for City Council (Georgia)
April 18th- Jon Ossoff for Congress (Georgia)
June 15th Julie Bird Ashworth (Tennessee)
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How to Call Your Reps When You Have Social Anxiety (http://echothroughthefog.cordeliadillon.com/post/153393286626/how-to-call-your-reps-when-you-have-social-anxiety), in webcomic form.
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You can phonebank, donate, and/or or vote in upcoming elections:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated
(https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated)
April 11th- James Thompson for Congress (Kansas)
April 18th- khalid kamau for City Council (Georgia)
April 18th- Jon Ossoff for Congress (Georgia)
June 15th Julie Bird Ashworth (Tennessee)
Thanks Malaysia41, I donated to Thompson through your link (http://www.votejamesthompson.com/), and phonebanked a little too! He's the dark horse from Kansas... special elections in 3 days! I hear he's turning out to be a surprise hit, despite being in a ruby-red state, having little or no support from the national or state Democratic party, and no press from nationwide campaigns like flippable (https://www.flippable.org/) and Sister District (https://www.sisterdistrict.com/) who focused on Ossoff, whose race was seen as winnable. The House Republicans have been pouring money into the race at the last minute, and even Pence and Cruz are mobilizing against him.
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I've been doing so many things... Fundraising, tabling, phone banking, organizing meetings, going down to Georgia this week to GOTV for Ossoff, who we're going to have a pool party with!
Right now I'm getting awareness around the Kansas race by sharing this on Facebook. You can post this too and tag friends you know are active.
There's a really tight race going on in Kansas TOMORROW. We have a chance to flip a red district blue! If you have half an hour today, please call some voters for James Thompson. They give you a script, and the system you call into automatically connects you to voters. Easy peasy. http://www.votejamesthompson.com/phonebank?
If I can do this with terrible cramps, you have no excuse.
Also, can we please all be nice? Even if we disagree? This thread is intended for resistance against the Republicans and making sure Dems support that goal, but Iris lily has given some valuable suggestions on how to make a difference.
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My local Indivisible is getting more sporadic about sending out the daily action email, but even though I didn't get one today I did make a point of calling my rep to verify that he changed his mind on Trump disclosing his tax returns and also to thank him for doing two town halls in my area in two months, and being respectful about fully answering constituents' questions when he was there. Both town halls were organized by the local Indivisible group and I wasn't able to attend either one, but I still appreciate that he took the time to come to them. Even though I disagree strongly with a bunch of his political views, I do feel that he's conducting himself very well in his actions and given how divided things feel right now in our country it's nice to be able to reach out with a friendly message. Too bad there's a video clip of him accidentally admitting that he thinks he works for the president first and his constituents second-ish.
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You can phonebank, donate, and/or or vote in upcoming elections:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated
(https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueMidterm2018/comments/62p0hn/phonebank_list_updated)
April 11th- James Thompson for Congress (Kansas)
April 18th- khalid kamau for City Council (Georgia)
April 18th- Jon Ossoff for Congress (Georgia)
June 15th Julie Bird Ashworth (Tennessee)
Don't forget May 25th - Rob Quist for Congress (Montana). I think the SC election for Mick Mulvaney's seat will be in June, but they have to hold the primaries first.
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MJ can slap my wrist if I'm off topic, but political affiliate aside, I think we can all agree about the horrible merchandise (I mean political merchandise in general, but some of it is more horrible than others)
(http://wondermark.com/c/2017-04-25-1306merch.png) (http://wondermark.com/c1306/)
(http://wondermark.com/c/2017-04-28-1307merch2.png) (http://wondermark.com/c1307/)
In more relevant material. How are things going? I've been mobile again and left my previous local Indivisible group so I don't see updates. Going to be stationary again for a while.
Latest thing pissing me off is going to be random announcements about leaving trade agreements. I really assume at some point the Republican oligarchy would stand up as the party of the rich and say "stop making us poor again", but the isolation seems to be winning over staying great.
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Spent the afternoon knocking on doors in my community and informing them about upcoming local elections. Well out of my comfort zone, and I was dreading it for weeks, but in the end a surprisingly positive experience. We found and informed a surprising number of people who had no idea about off year elections, as well as enjoyed good conversations with several interested voters. Some even invited us for coffee! Would do it again.
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Voiced my opposition to the AHCA. My Rep is SUPER Red, so I framed it as damaging to small business owners and entrepreneurs like me.
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Spent the afternoon knocking on doors in my community and informing them about upcoming local elections. Well out of my comfort zone, and I was dreading it for weeks, but in the end a surprisingly positive experience. We found and informed a surprising number of people who had no idea about off year elections, as well as enjoyed good conversations with several interested voters. Some even invited us for coffee! Would do it again.
that is the HARD chit, I think. Knocking on doors, ugh. So, good for you!
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Spent the afternoon knocking on doors in my community and informing them about upcoming local elections. Well out of my comfort zone, and I was dreading it for weeks, but in the end a surprisingly positive experience. We found and informed a surprising number of people who had no idea about off year elections, as well as enjoyed good conversations with several interested voters. Some even invited us for coffee! Would do it again.
that is the HARD chit, I think. Knocking on doors, ugh. So, good for you!
Agreed. Awesome work, Poundwise.
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Spent the afternoon knocking on doors in my community and informing them about upcoming local elections. Well out of my comfort zone, and I was dreading it for weeks, but in the end a surprisingly positive experience. We found and informed a surprising number of people who had no idea about off year elections, as well as enjoyed good conversations with several interested voters. Some even invited us for coffee! Would do it again.
that is the HARD chit, I think. Knocking on doors, ugh. So, good for you!
Agreed. Awesome work, Poundwise.
WOW! You're awesome, Poundwise! I struggle with making phone calls!
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Thanks Iris, LifeHappens, 4alpacas! Actually it was much easier than I expected, after having been hardened by internet trolls and making phone calls. People are usually quite nice face to face, and it's easier to avoid misunderstandings. I followed up in the last week by going to two protests (I was too early for one protest, and ended up walking around alone with a sign like a crazy person, and being yelled at by some mean ladies in MAGA hats.)
I think after having been through all this, I'm pretty much prepared for anything except perhaps being arrested or beaten up (and hopefully it will never come to that). It's been a growing experience for me. I've had to overcome a lot of fears and anxieties. Even if I achieve nothing politically, at least I have accomplished a lot of positive personal development in only half a year.
I recognize that all this activism is not for everyone. Probably, a lot of it can be bypassed by donating money to politicians and causes that we support. But this is MMM after all, where we do it ourselves instead of paying to outsource. ;)
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Mother's Day idea: donate some money to help other mothers get out of jail. (https://www.thenation.com/article/this-mothers-day-black-lives-matter-activists-will-give-more-than-30-women-their-freedom/) These are women who can't pay bail. They're in jail without having stood trial, almost always for very minor offenses. They deserve to be with their families too.
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I have not been posting much on this thread, but I have been staying politically active. My latest project seems like one I should share here. Tomorrow I am going to print out a number of these and distribute them:
http://www.avclub.com/article/people-are-printing-out-sean-spicers-and-hiding-th-255255
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I have not been posting much on this thread, but I have been staying politically active. My latest project seems like one I should share here. Tomorrow I am going to print out a number of these and distribute them:
http://www.avclub.com/article/people-are-printing-out-sean-spicers-and-hiding-th-255255
OMG Nooooooooo!!! ! Haha, that is hilarious. It is pranky, but political. You get the politicall action points.
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Thanks Iris, LifeHappens, 4alpacas! Actually it was much easier than I expected, after having been hardened by internet trolls and making phone calls. People are usually quite nice face to face, and it's easier to avoid misunderstandings. I followed up in the last week by going to two protests (I was too early for one protest, and ended up walking around alone with a sign like a crazy person, and being yelled at by some mean ladies in MAGA hats.)
I think after having been through all this, I'm pretty much prepared for anything except perhaps being arrested or beaten up (and hopefully it will never come to that). It's been a growing experience for me. I've had to overcome a lot of fears and anxieties. Even if I achieve nothing politically, at least I have accomplished a lot of positive personal development in only half a year.
I recognize that all this activism is not for everyone. Probably, a lot of it can be bypassed by donating money to politicians and causes that we support. But this is MMM after all, where we do it ourselves instead of paying to outsource. ;)
I'm impressed and inspired Poundwise. I'm working with a group to come up with language to provide to people like you going door to door. I keep reminding myself of the Mark Twain quote: "It's easier to fool a man, than convince him he's been fooled." Our framing has to inspire ideas that invite people to consider them. And I'm just talking about framing discussions back to simple clear language that isn't loaded with a presumption of a solution. It isn't the loaded language the word crafters of the Republican Noise machine have been pushing for 3 decades ('death taxes', 'government takeover of healthcare', 'death panels', 'climate change'). But it's hard work.
Anyway - you're inspiring me to keep going with the group I organized. Sometimes I get so discouraged I want to give up. But then I read the news and I know I can't. So thanks. And keep it up. We MUST get people to ALL elections - especially off-cycle elections.
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I am organizing a trip to Georgia for New Yorkers to volunteer with the Ossoff campaign. I went down with a group in April for the primary. I had an amazing time and made a lot of great contacts. The next trip will likely have a bus/van going on June 17-21.
If anyone knows someone in NYC who might be interested, please PM me! The campaign will house them, feed them, and pay for their trip down. (Unless you want to fly, for compliance reasons.)
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I am organizing a trip to Georgia for New Yorkers to volunteer with the Ossoff campaign. I went down with a group in April for the primary. I had an amazing time and made a lot of great contacts. The next trip will likely have a bus/van going on June 17-21.
If anyone knows someone in NYC who might be interested, please PM me! The campaign will house them, feed them, and pay for their trip down. (Unless you want to fly, for compliance reasons.)
Thank you for doing this, MJ
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Aw shucks joon and Malaysia! :blush
I am organizing a trip to Georgia for New Yorkers to volunteer with the Ossoff campaign. I went down with a group in April for the primary. I had an amazing time and made a lot of great contacts. The next trip will likely have a bus/van going on June 17-21.
If anyone knows someone in NYC who might be interested, please PM me! The campaign will house them, feed them, and pay for their trip down. (Unless you want to fly, for compliance reasons.)
Thank you for doing this, MJ
+1. A big credit for my new activism goes to you, MonkeyJenga! If I hadn't heard about Indivisible from you I might still be sitting around getting mad at the news, but not actually doing anything besides signing an internet petition every few months. You have been an inspiration!! <B
[And yes, I'll pass the word about the bus...]
SisterX, thank you for telling us about the Brooklyn Bail Fund for mothers. (https://brooklynbailfund.org/national-bail-out-day-donate) It's great because the same donation can be used again and again.
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While doing some spring cleaning I found 10 unused women's march post cards. I'm embarrassed I forgot about them so now I've written about 2020 census funding and public service student loan forgiveness to my federal reps.
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I am organizing a trip to Georgia for New Yorkers to volunteer with the Ossoff campaign. I went down with a group in April for the primary. I had an amazing time and made a lot of great contacts. The next trip will likely have a bus/van going on June 17-21.
If anyone knows someone in NYC who might be interested, please PM me! The campaign will house them, feed them, and pay for their trip down. (Unless you want to fly, for compliance reasons.)
Thank you for doing this, MJ
+1. A big credit for my new activism goes to you, MonkeyJenga! If I hadn't heard about Indivisible from you I might still be sitting around getting mad at the news, but not actually doing anything besides signing an internet petition every few months. You have been an inspiration!! <B
[And yes, I'll pass the word about the bus...]
:))))) Thanks y'all. I keep saying my biggest strength is in getting other people to do work.
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I sent an email today to the Senate committee regarding the Health Care Bill that they are drafting in secret.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/opinion/health-care-bill-senate.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
Senate is taking up a very quiet and closed to the public effort to draft its own legislation of the AHCA. A select few people have been invited to send feedback to an email address healthreform@finance.senate.gov no later than today
The CBO should release the score for the house version tomorrow.
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Made triple-matched donation to Ossoff campaign.
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I'm still making my regular NRA contributions and lighting a candle daily in thanks that Hillary lost.
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Hahahaha, complaining about ACA, how about you buck up and take care of yourself instead of your desire to sponge off the work of others!! I am going to ask that means testing be part of the law. I can write letters as well!!
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I encourage everyone to participate in the political process as much as possible, but, honestly, I don't see anything I do having any kind of impact politically. The USA is owned and operated by a small number of very wealthy people who set all policy to enrich themselves rather than advance the nation. Look at this past election as an example. People thought they were electing an outsider to flip tables and instead they elected yet another elite who placed his billionaire friends in positions of power and then immediately started working to redirect tax money from the middle class and poor to the rich. It never ends and I don't believe it's ever going to change.
I suppose my own personal act of resistance is to decide to largely disengage from a mentality of always putting others first before myself. I thought I was being selfless and altruistic, but maybe I was just being unassertive this whole time. The funny thing is that when I started looking out for "number one" more consistently, it also allowed me to donate more to charity and do more good than I ever have before.
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I encourage everyone to participate in the political process as much as possible, but, honestly, I don't see anything I do having any kind of impact politically. The USA is owned and operated by a small number of very wealthy people who set all policy to enrich themselves rather than advance the nation. Look at this past election as an example. People thought they were electing an outsider to flip tables and instead they elected yet another elite who placed his billionaire friends in positions of power and then immediately started working to redirect tax money from the middle class and poor to the rich. It never ends and I don't believe it's ever going to change.
I suppose my own personal act of resistance is to decide to largely disengage from a mentality of always putting others first before myself. I thought I was being selfless and altruistic, but maybe I was just being unassertive this whole time. The funny thing is that when I started looking out for "number one" more consistently, it also allowed me to donate more to charity and do more good than I ever have before.
I agree with this. Act at the community level. To focus on political parties is absurd, guess what, both parties only look out for the interest of the party, that's why they exist, to promote the party.
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Posts that discourage people from being politically engaged or supporting the administration should be in their own thread.
WTC, if you want to encourage people to be politically engaged, then go encourage people! Spreading the idea that things are never going to change and it's pointless to try is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Hahahaha, complaining about ACA, how about you buck up and take care of yourself instead of your desire to sponge off the work of others!! I am going to ask that means testing be part of the law. I can write letters as well!!
The proposed AHCA sets subsidy on age, not income which leaves older low income folks out to dry. You must feel great right now.
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Made triple-matched donation to Ossoff campaign.
High-five!
My local, district-level activist group developed a relationship with our congressperson's aide after only one in-person meeting. They respond to our questions and are open to hearing our input on framing and messaging. We now have clout. Surprisingly easy to get it, too.
We also coordinated a last minute presence at a local politician's small event, to ask tough questions and get their answers on camera.
We had speakers from two other, more established groups speak about NYC issues at our last team meeting.
I have confirmed another group to educate us in June on a confusing electoral/legislative issue unique to our state.
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Hahahaha, complaining about ACA, how about you buck up and take care of yourself instead of your desire to sponge off the work of others!! I am going to ask that means testing be part of the law. I can write letters as well!!
I do take care of myself, as do just about everyone on here who is so motivated to take care of themselves that they are successfully investing hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions.
Part of taking care of myself means to be politically engaged - supporting candidates who have values that help middle class and working class and the poor to gain access to health care affordably.
Sponging off the work of others is a canard, lots of the super rich got their income because of the cultural values that favored them - the "super man" is going to take care of all the decisions so let's pay this "super man" an absurdly ridiculous amount of money even though in reality he isn't doing a whole lot.
WhiteTrashCan not only should you be politically active, but you should in fact run for elected office since you said you're good at public speaking. And in so doing you should bring the values of helping the working poor etc. against the efforts of other politicians to only favor the rich.
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WhiteTrashCash, you have a talent for writing. You could use that gift to reach a lot of people and influence them. Plus the public speaking DavidAnnArbor mentioned.
One org you might want to look into is Represent Us (https://represent.us/). They organize volunteers locally to pass Anti-Corruption Acts (https://anticorruptionact.org/). The only way to eventually get a federal framework in place is to start at the city level, build to the states, and finally build to federal.
The American Anti-Corruption Act is model policy that sets a framework for city, state and federal laws to fix our broken political system. It fundamentally reshapes the rules of American politics and restores the people as the most important stakeholders in our political system. An Anti-Corruption Act has three primary goals:
- Stop political bribery so special interests can’t use job offers and donations to influence politicians.
- End secret money so people know who’s buying political power.
- Fix our broken elections so the people, not the political establishment, are the ones in control.
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The global warming deniers have to get the boot in 2018. First up, that bully, and head of the House Science Committee: Lamar Smith.
I just donated $30 to his opponent Joseph Kopser (https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/193261/joseph-kopser-new-leadership-for-tx-21). Kopser is a pro-gun former republican who happens to believe we need to reduce fossil fuel use. Read up on him. If he's palatable to you, for goodness sakes send him a few bucks. You'll only be charged when he decides to officially run. It's a heavily gerrymandered district, but Lamar Smith is a class A cunt. (I know - I troll him on twitter - he's the worst). Just cuz it ain't easy doesn't mean it's not worth doing.
If you've got a few dollars to spare - boot rep Lamar smith in 2018 by donating to his opponent. Please.
https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/193261/joseph-kopser-new-leadership-for-tx-21 (https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/193261/joseph-kopser-new-leadership-for-tx-21)
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Hahahaha, complaining about ACA, how about you buck up and take care of yourself instead of your desire to sponge off the work of others!! I am going to ask that means testing be part of the law. I can write letters as well!!
The proposed AHCA sets subsidy on age, not income which leaves older low income folks out to dry. You must feel great right now.
Not losing any sleep.
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Today I defended an Indivisible protagonist on NextDoor. So there, You People!!! Haha.
She had respectfully asked what the neighborhood thought about her having a table to give away literature durhg our summer house tour which brings in 3,000 -4,000 people. A few voices in responded saying "please keep politics out of our house tour" but most were supportive, mainly because they liked her goals.
Since she is setting up shop on her own lawn, it is entirely her business and no one else's and I thought it was very nice of her to even ask.
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You can contact sponsors and tell them to stop advertising on shows and channels that shill and divide. For example...
https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/05/23/these-are-sean-hannitys-advertisers/216607 (https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/05/23/these-are-sean-hannitys-advertisers/216607)
Here's my recent chat with Joshua at Capital One:
Joshua at 21:14, Jun 2:
Good afternoon M41, how may I help you?
Malaysia41:
Hi Joshua,
I have a credit card account, a savings account, and multiple brokerage accounts with Cap One.
I'm also a (small time) investor in COF. I was profoundly disappointed to learn that Cap One advertises on the Hannity Program specifically, and on the Fox news channel in general.
That media outlet has turned the majority of my family members into hateful people. Hannity in particular peddles conspiracy stories that are based on zero facts. I request for Cap One to stop advertising with Fox news. There are plenty of other places to advertise.
Malaysia41 at 21:18, Jun 2:
I for one, happily spread the word. ...on the regular. But not since I found out your company was a primary sponsor for Hannity.
Malaysia41 at 21:18, Jun 2:
If my info is in error please tell me.
Joshua at 21:18, Jun 2:
Thank you for sharing your feedback. Mr. Hannity’s views are his own and do not reflect the views of Capital One. We appreciate you taking the time to chat and will pass on your concerns to the appropriate departments.
Malaysia41 at 21:20, Jun 2:
Yes please pass that along. I have approx IDK, $800k in assets under management with you.
Joshua at 21:21, Jun 2:
I will definitely pass on your concerns to the appropriate department.
Malaysia41 at 21:21, Jun 2:
This is serious and important for me. Ill be checking back in a couple months to find out if your company is still advertising with Fox. It'll be a real pain in the arse to move my money elsewhere, but it's always an option. In the meantime Thank you I appreciate you passing along my concerns.
Malaysia41 at 21:22, Jun 2:
I hope I didn't come across as rude here by the way. I'm just utterly devastated at what my parents and a couple siblings have become, and Fox news is a big component in their change.
Joshua at 21:23, Jun 2:
You did not come across rude! I totally understand your view points. I am sorry to hear about your family!
Malaysia41 at 21:24, Jun 2:
Thank you. Other than that I love Cap One.
Malaysia41 at 21:24, Jun 2:
Have a good day and great weekend.
Joshua at 21:25, Jun 2:
You're welcome! We do listen to the voices of our customers and you are not the first one to speak out about this. Thank you for chatting with us and have a wonderful weekend as well!
Malaysia41 at 21:25, Jun 2:
:)
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You don't think much of your family if you think some guy on TV has changed them into such monsters.
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You don't think much of your family if you think some guy on TV has changed them into such monsters.
Oh, please. This stuff is insidious, and clever. It's a form of advertising, and advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry that exists because it works. We are all, always, susceptible to the messages we are receiving - it's part of what makes us human and what makes human society work. You may not have fallen for that particular brand message, but like all of us there are other brand messages you have fallen for, and will fall for.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
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That ^ would be a great debate for a new thread. Let's keep this one one point. Thanks.
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You don't think much of your family if you think some guy on TV has changed them into such monsters.
Oh, please. This stuff is insidious, and clever. It's a form of advertising, and advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry that exists because it works. We are all, always, susceptible to the messages we are receiving - it's part of what makes us human and what makes human society work. You may not have fallen for that particular brand message, but like all of us there are other brand messages you have fallen for, and will fall for.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
I'm very conservative in my political views and I can't stand Hannity. He's as fake a conservative as I've ever seen. But if you think Hannity is poisoning minds, what can we conclude about radical leftists like Rachel Maddow and her legion of idiots?
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You don't think much of your family if you think some guy on TV has changed them into such monsters.
Oh, please. This stuff is insidious, and clever. It's a form of advertising, and advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry that exists because it works. We are all, always, susceptible to the messages we are receiving - it's part of what makes us human and what makes human society work. You may not have fallen for that particular brand message, but like all of us there are other brand messages you have fallen for, and will fall for.
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
I'm very conservative in my political views and I can't stand Hannity. He's as fake a conservative as I've ever seen. But if you think Hannity is poisoning minds, what can we conclude about radical leftists like Rachel Maddow and her legion of idiots?
We can conclude that you should take this commentary to another thread where it's actually on topic.
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Lol. I wasn't aware that I had invaded your safe space. Carry on.
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Lol. I wasn't aware that I had invaded your safe space. Carry on.
Seriously man, this is a thread specifically against your current administration. Don't be a troll, take your bat and ball and go home. Nobody wants to play with you.
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Lol. I wasn't aware that I had invaded your safe space. Carry on.
Seriously man, this is a thread specifically against your current administration. Don't be a troll, take your bat and ball and go home. Nobody wants to play with you.
I though my post was clear. Carry on.
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With the US pulling out of the Paris Accords, a few non-national solutions have popped up. At the state level, governors can join the Climate Alliance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Climate_Alliance), and at the city level, there is the Mayor's National Climate Action Agenda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayors_National_Climate_Action_Agenda). Not sure there is anything but a call that one can do here, but at least it's a direct action item.
And yes, I know the Mayor's National Climate Action Agenda was not created in response to the US pulling out of the Paris Accords, but that's how I came to the realization that it's a real thing.
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Started a monthly donation to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
You don't have to be an actual scientist to do this; it's an advocacy organization, open essentially to scientists and allies. Not strictly speaking a climate change org, but that has become a major focus. (Eg, they published a "Half the Oil Plan" to show that there are facts indicating the US can cut its oil use in half by 2035, as a counter to the oil industry's messaging that this isn't possible/realistic).
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DH and I went to our first Indivisible meeting last night. The topic was local environmental issues. I was impressed by the turnout and met some interesting people.
Today is a day of action to support after school and summer school programming. The current proposed federal budget includes $0 for after school. The Afterschool Alliance (https://afterschoolalliance.rallycongress.net/ctas/call-congress-to-support-afterschool-summer-learning-programs) has a call-in tool and phone script for guidance.
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Cool, LifeHappens!! And thanks for defending your neighbor, Iris!!
Here's something I just heard about today which I thought would be of interest to Mustachians:
The Senate will decide TODAY (6/8/17) whether to roll back consumer protections for people who use prepaid credit cards. The rule that will be under attack extends the consumer protections associated with regular credit card accounts to prepaid accounts. These include provision of detailed and regular account information on balances, transactions and fees, company assistance in resolving problems related to card loss or unauthorized use, and limitation of liability for credit card fraud.
Who uses prepaid cards? Historically, people without bank accounts were the primary users. A recent PEW study found that about half of prepaid card users have bank accounts, and use the prepaid cards as a form of fiscal discipline or to avoid overdrafts. Now, there are some 65 million who would be affected.
Let’s try to stop this: call your Senators THIS MORNING and urge them to REJECT SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 19.
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Done, Poundwise. Thanks for the alert. I was quite proud of myself for calling the resolution "a bad deal for American consumers." I've been studying George Lakoff's work and trying to incorporate his framing ideas into my messages.
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Yay everyone!
Note on calling about upcoming votes: if you want your opinion to influence the vote, call at least one day BEFORE the vote happens. Calls and emails are tallied at the end of the day, so politicians won't get your opinion on this until the day after you call.
It's still useful to call after the vote, to either say thanks or "bad girl" in iris lily's immortal words. ;)
Done, Poundwise. Thanks for the alert. I was quite proud of myself for calling the resolution "a bad deal for American consumers." I've been studying George Lakoff's work and trying to incorporate his framing ideas into my messages.
I'm in a new group dedicated to studying framing and passing our ideas up to D pols. PM me if you want to join our call June 12, 5-6 pm EST.
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I would specifically like to know how to frame the reproductive choice argument to Republicans in the Bible Belt. If you have any calls like that coming up, I would be very interested.
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And, on a lighter note, we have the British elections:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170609/faec4330d609424b94e51f74bbecfe63.jpg)
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And, on a lighter note, we have the British elections:
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170609/faec4330d609424b94e51f74bbecfe63.jpg)
This makes me love the country I live in.
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^ I'm willing to bet that Elmo would secure us a better Brexit deal than May. :)
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Congrats you happy Brits!! But to get back onto topic please,
Called my senators begging them to stop the Senate version of AHCA. Phone was picked up within 2 rings on the main Washington line-- a bad sign. We need to get off our butts and start calling again, and get friends and family to call!
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Called my senators begging them to stop the Senate version of AHCA. Phone was picked up within 2 rings on the main Washington line-- a bad sign. We need to get off our butts and start calling again, and get friends and family to call!
I've heard that phone calls are back to pre-election levels. I don't have a source for that though, if anyone does it would be welcome. I'm going to try to find time to call later today.
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Called my senators begging them to stop the Senate version of AHCA. Phone was picked up within 2 rings on the main Washington line-- a bad sign. We need to get off our butts and start calling again, and get friends and family to call!
I've heard that phone calls are back to pre-election levels. I don't have a source for that though, if anyone does it would be welcome. I'm going to try to find time to call later today.
I have also heard that. I'm going to call on my layover, and I've been coordinating with other NY'ers to see what responses they've been getting so far. Schumer is being really wishy-washy.
For now I'm going to Resistbot it and text them.
Shameful confession: I've been slacking on calls. I've used the excuse that I'm doing so many other things, but I need to call. It's so basic. Y'all are going to be my accountability buddies.
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So a couple of weeks ago, I attended a talk given by some congressional staffers, and they said that when we call, they check our names with a database of people who called already, so duplicate calls by the same person on the same issue don't really help that much (unless of course you have more info to add, like a personal story about why the issue is important to you.)
So if you already called your senators on AHCA (and you have to call each one separately, doesn't count that you already called your House rep), the biggest thing you can do is contact family and friends and get them to call.
Also, in solidarity with Labour supporters, some friends & I bought British cheese today in celebration!
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I'm posting here to remind myself that I have a new location, and new representatives for the time being. Apparently I'm in the NY 27th now. Next step to find out what local groups might be active with things going on. Congressman's office seems to be out of easy bike riding distance, that takes away half the fun :(
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So a couple of weeks ago, I attended a talk given by some congressional staffers, and they said that when we call, they check our names with a database of people who called already, so duplicate calls by the same person on the same issue don't really help that much (unless of course you have more info to add, like a personal story about why the issue is important to you.)
So if you already called your senators on AHCA (and you have to call each one separately, doesn't count that you already called your House rep), the biggest thing you can do is contact family and friends and get them to call.
Also, in solidarity with Labour supporters, some friends & I bought British cheese today in celebration!
I've only heard that it's not worth it to call multiple offices on the same day. Is the list of who's called EVER, or who called that day? Week? Month? I mean, Senate AHCA is a new thing. And Indivisible people said keep calling every day, because the calls get tallied. They didn't say the dupes get filtered out... At the state-level, there could be multiple people with the same name. Schumer's staff hasn't been taking zip codes, so how would they know whether I'm the same person?
This may be different depending on the politician.
ALSO. I have a personal example that contradicts this. Someone in my district group called our congressperson every day for a couple weeks about a specific bill, asking MoC to co-sponsor. Finally MoC became co-sponsor. When we met with MoC, they said, "Oh, that was you!"
This may apply more to issues where not a lot of attention is being paid, but I think calling repeatedly can work.
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I called Schumer and Gillibrand yesterday about the AHCA. I also said in general keep resisting.
I gave two people information on how to canvass for Jon Ossoff.
I gave feedback to an Indivisible friend on a speech he's going to give.
I'm posting here to remind myself that I have a new location, and new representatives for the time being. Apparently I'm in the NY 27th now. Next step to find out what local groups might be active with things going on. Congressman's office seems to be out of easy bike riding distance, that takes away half the fun :(
Here you go: http://www.luprogressives.org/event/a-demonstration-to-demand-answers-from-chris-collins/
"Sponsors: WNY Peace Center, ACTion Buffalo, Citizens Against Collins, Turning Election Emotion Into Action, #BuffaloResists, Huddle for the 27th, Indivisible NY 27th"
https://www.meetup.com/Resist-Rochester/events/238762055/
Hosted by: Michelle Johnston Schoeneman
Sponsored by: GLOW Progressives, WNY Peace Center, Buffalo Resists, Sister District for WNY, Indivisible NY 27th, Citizens Against Collins
Past events with contact info for hosts:
https://actionnetwork.org/events/rally7-chris-collins-were-still-here-you-arent?source=widget
https://actionnetwork.org/events/die-in-ny-27-chris-collins-geneseo?referrer=indivisible-austin-2&source=twitter
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I've only heard that it's not worth it to call multiple offices on the same day. Is the list of who's called EVER, or who called that day? Week? Month? I mean, Senate AHCA is a new thing. And Indivisible people said keep calling every day, because the calls get tallied. They didn't say the dupes get filtered out... At the state-level, there could be multiple people with the same name. Schumer's staff hasn't been taking zip codes, so how would they know whether I'm the same person?
This may be different depending on the politician.
Gillibrand's staffer said they filter out the duplicates. My current routine now is to make a call daily, new issue each time. If/when I run out of new issues (doesn't happen often, sadly), I'll start over if the phones aren't jammed. Otherwise, if they are busy and I've already called on that issue, I won't make the call, so that other people can get through.
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I've only heard that it's not worth it to call multiple offices on the same day. Is the list of who's called EVER, or who called that day? Week? Month? I mean, Senate AHCA is a new thing. And Indivisible people said keep calling every day, because the calls get tallied. They didn't say the dupes get filtered out... At the state-level, there could be multiple people with the same name. Schumer's staff hasn't been taking zip codes, so how would they know whether I'm the same person?
This may be different depending on the politician.
Gillibrand's staffer said they filter out the duplicates. My current routine now is to make a call daily, new issue each time. If/when I run out of new issues (doesn't happen often, sadly), I'll start over if the phones aren't jammed. Otherwise, if they are busy and I've already called on that issue, I won't make the call, so that other people can get through.
Good to know, thanks. I'll check with Schumer's office to see if they have the same policy, then let my groups know.
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
I'm not a fan of this approach. They're already claiming that they are getting fake calls as a way of delegitimizing the ones they are getting. Be your best self. Take the high road.
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
Not ethical, and actually dispicable. If you come into my state to lobby for a state issue and you arent a voter here affected by the legislation, you can go and ...well, I think you know what you can do.
But a small donation buys you a call, or a series of calls, IMHO. If there is a key Congressman you want ro lobby more than once, give them a donation. When you call you can say you are a donor to his/her campaign. They may tally that call differently, or may not tally ot at all. But remaining ethical in your dealigs is important, I think.
And I think by posting this tip you have set back Indivisible a step or two.
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I'm not a fan of this approach. They're already claiming that they are getting fake calls as a way of delegitimizing the ones they are getting. Be your best self. Take the high road.
And look where that's gotten us. You have asshole McConell invoking a rule to bypass the entire regular legislative procedure for a Senate bill. Not to mention the Merrick Garland bullshit. Fuck the whole going high BS, we need to fight with all that we have. People will die, they will go bankrupt as a result of this. I would say it's our moral imperative to do what we have to do.
Everything a congressman votes for can potentially affect us so in essence they represent everybody so I don't see any ethical issues.
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I do believe that this thread is for ways to 'resist' within the current political framework. Don't get me wrong, that framework needs some changes, but when it comes to manipulating that framework, I don't know that this would be the place to discuss that, and would probably be better suited for somewhere else.
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Luck12, not only is that a bad idea for image reasons, I don't think it works the way you think it does. I believe congressional offices check voter registration rolls.
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I totally agree with your anger Luck12. I think it helps to go to political marches and demonstrations.
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
I understand the impulse. Everybody is affected by the collective House. That being said, I don't advocate doing this, and I have seen org leaders specifically tell people not to do it.
I have heard that one option to reach other reps is call on behalf of a specific person who can't call themselves for whatever reason. You would say, "I'm calling on behalf of XYZ in zip whatever, blah blah vote this way."
If people have constructive advice, feel free to share!
And I think by posting this tip you have set back Indivisible a step or two.
I don't think Luck12 said they were affiliated with Indivisible. I know the groups I'm in have said not to do it. With grassroots efforts, there will always be individuals doing their own thing.
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SPEAKING OF INDIVISIBLE
They have put out a comprehensive guide around Trumpcare: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/stop-trumpcare/
They are also coordinating with local chapters to have weekly Wednesday calls on the topic.
Specific asks: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/stop-trumpcare-june-action-plan/
For Republican Senators: They need to know that you demand that they vote AGAINST TrumpCare. Voting yes means ripping away health care from millions of Americans. It means voting against the interest of their constituents to give Donald Trump a victory. We have resources on our website specific to your Senators that you should use when communicating with staff.
Ask them to commit to voting against any bill that will result in anyone losing coverage.
Ask them to commit to voting against any bill that does not guarantee people with pre-existing conditions won’t see higher premiums.
Ask them to vote against to any bill that eliminates funding for Medicaid.
For Democratic Senators: Does your Democratic Senator already oppose TrumpCare? Great. Now, what else are they doing to stop the bill from passing? They should be as fired up as you are, they should be doing everything within their power to stop or slow the process in the Senate. Ask them to withhold consent on all Senate business until Republicans agree to hold a public hearing on TrumpCare.
Indivisible groups are going to have an impact because these actions will happen all across the country. It’s important to engage in this plan in every state. That being said, there are a few frontline members that should receive some extra pressure: Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Dean Heller (NV), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Bill Cassidy (LA), Rob Portman (OH), Tom Cotton (AR), Cory Gardner (CO), Jeff Flake (AZ), Pat Toomey (PA) and Dan Sullivan (AK).
If you know anyone in those states above, ask them to call!
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I'll start bugging friends and family in Alaska to get on this. :)
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I'm in Arkansas. I'll call and resume bugging others to do the same.
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Note sent to my republican senator:
Hello Senator Gardner (or staffer who reads this),
I'm an independent voter, and while I am not superbly attached to the ACA, I request that you vote against the travesty that is TrumpCare. It's a poorly thought out plan (and I use this term loosely), and it seems like a step in the wrong direction. I don't feel that legislation should be introduced that takes things away, especially without some kind of road map to make those things less of an issue for those who would be negatively affected. I'd like to be able to tell people that my senator voted against it, and you will not vote to give a win to a party at the expense of other people. This is damaging enough legislation that if you do not choose to stop this, I will not give you my vote in the future.
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Note sent to my republican senator:
Hello Senator Gardner (or staffer who reads this),
I'm an independent voter, and while I am not superbly attached to the ACA, I request that you vote against the travesty that is TrumpCare. It's a poorly thought out plan (and I use this term loosely), and it seems like a step in the wrong direction. I don't feel that legislation should be introduced that takes things away, especially without some kind of road map to make those things less of an issue for those who would be negatively affected. I'd like to be able to tell people that my senator voted against it, and you will not vote to give a win to a party at the expense of other people. This is damaging enough legislation that if you do not choose to stop this, I will not give you my vote in the future.
Thanks for this, I paraphrase it a bit when calling my own Republican Senator. I also emailed a thank you to my Democratic Senator. Looking back in my call history it's the first time I've called in a month! I didn't realize it had been so long.
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Note sent to my republican senator:
Hello Senator Gardner (or staffer who reads this),
I'm an independent voter, and while I am not superbly attached to the ACA, I request that you vote against the travesty that is TrumpCare. It's a poorly thought out plan (and I use this term loosely), and it seems like a step in the wrong direction. I don't feel that legislation should be introduced that takes things away, especially without some kind of road map to make those things less of an issue for those who would be negatively affected. I'd like to be able to tell people that my senator voted against it, and you will not vote to give a win to a party at the expense of other people. This is damaging enough legislation that if you do not choose to stop this, I will not give you my vote in the future.
Thanks for this, I paraphrase it a bit when calling my own Republican Senator. I also emailed a thank you to my Democratic Senator. Looking back in my call history it's the first time I've called in a month! I didn't realize it had been so long.
Glad it's of use. I actually wound up adding another paragraph, drawing parallels between his 'all of the above' energy policy and what his vote should be on healthcare. He won't commit to purely renewable resources, because he says that it would be too big of a shock to the economy and prices of energy. Guess what? A big dumb change to healthcare would be a huge shock to the economy and the prices of, well, health.
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If you are on Twitter, check out @ezralevin for strategies on defeating the health care bill.
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Thank you everyone for all that you're doing.
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Thank you too, DavidAnnArbor! :)
I just finished canceling/changing payment source for 12 automatic payments on my CapitalOne card. It isn't such a great card anymore but I never got around to changing my accounts out of inertia. However, I want to cancel my account with CapOne because they continue to support Hannity on Fox. Will do so as soon as everything percolates through.
This action had the added win that I have changed the payments over to a newer card with better bonuses.
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. If you come into my state to lobby for a state issue and you arent a voter here affected by the legislation, you can go and ...well, I think you know what you can do.
I think there is an exception to this sentiment and I hope you'll agree. As a resident of Washington DC, I don't have voting representation in Congress and other members of Congress from other states can and do override what voters here have voted on. When they make rules (or disallow rules that we've put in place) that regulate my life, I should have the right to contact them and be heard the same as any other constituent. Of course, they don't always agree and sometimes tell us that they don't represent us, even while they try to loosen gun laws on our turf.
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(Called Senators repeatedly, got busy signals)
Emailed Senators to register opposition to health care bill.
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I've been using the Resist bot to fax my Republican Senator. I've been getting through with no problems.
I have figured out the bot is a little glitchy. If you want to send a multi-sentence message it works best to type each sentence out individually, send the text and wait for the bot to ask if you have more to say. Just typing a big paragraph tends to result in part of the message getting truncated.
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MJ, you inspired some resistance over here. Not part of the main organizing group, but I picketed and got others to picket, and we all piled into the Chamber for the vote. We lost, now we gear up for the appeal.
Can I point out to all you Americans that what happens in the US often spills over into Canada? Although here the company proposing the plant is European, I think Italian but not sure. Most of the cement will be exported to the US, so we are looking at pollution (air and dust [<10 microns, which is damaging]), potential damage to agriculture which is our biggest activity in the region, plus major increased traffic, with little local benefit.
https://thereview.ca/2017/06/14/mayors-hold-line-on-cement-plant/ (https://thereview.ca/2017/06/14/mayors-hold-line-on-cement-plant/)
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Just wanted to point out that Mitch McConnell had Polio as a child and was treated and recovered at government expense. March of Dimes funded it which started out as a government program. He now wants to deprive others from that same opportunity with his healthcare act.
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Just wanted to point out that Mitch McConnell had Polio as a child and was treated and recovered at government expense. March of Dimes funded it which started out as a government program. He now wants to deprive others from that same opportunity with his healthcare act.
This was a really interesting point to me, so I Snopes-ed it -- but Snopes says it's false: http://www.snopes.com/mitch-mcconnell-polio-government-healthcare/
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Thanks for the fact check, madgeylou! I fell for that meme too.
Picking myself up after a general slump, I requested permission to run a voter registration table in the hours leading up to our municipality's Fourth of July fireworks. There will be crowds of people passing by, hopefully feeling patriotic! Have got one other volunteer & need to find some more (pending permission.)
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MJ, you inspired some resistance over here. Not part of the main organizing group, but I picketed and got others to picket, and we all piled into the Chamber for the vote. We lost, now we gear up for the appeal.
High five!
Picking myself up after a general slump, I requested permission to run a voter registration table in the hours leading up to our municipality's Fourth of July fireworks. There will be crowds of people passing by, hopefully feeling patriotic! Have got one other volunteer & need to find some more (pending permission.)
Awesome! I may suggest a similar event for NYC.
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Tomorrow is Day of Dinners (https://www.dayofdinners.org/landing):
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
^--- This, gives good people on the left a bad reputation.
How you present and conduct yourself in the face of opposition says more about you than winning.
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Don't know if I have mentioned before but bears repeating: You can call any Senator or Rep, just use a fake name and fake zip code. I've contacted over 30 different reps and Senators using this approach. Imagine if everyone did this.
^--- This, gives good people on the left a bad reputation.
How you present and conduct yourself in the face of opposition says more about you than winning.
Ummmm ... really? When the Congressional GOP is willing to do fucking anything and everything to tear down our country's safety net, we should worry about phone etiquette? I mean, maybe you don't want to do it but I'm not gonna judge anyone who does.
In other more on-topic news, I continue to call Cory Gardner every day, at least once, and some days at every office. Right now the Denver police are arresting and removing half a dozen badass disability rights advocates who have been sitting in Gardner's office the last two nights. Many of them are in wheelchairs.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/29/15893492/activist-protest-trumpcare-resistance
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Wow really great political activism there !!!
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In other more on-topic news, I continue to call Cory Gardner every day, at least once, and some days at every office. Right now the Denver police are arresting and removing half a dozen badass disability rights advocates who have been sitting in Gardner's office the last two nights. Many of them are in wheelchairs.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/29/15893492/activist-protest-trumpcare-resistance
Based only on some quick research, I bet the Gardner's office is very confused, seeing as how the people in his office haven't even been asked to leave, let alone arrested. That article mentions the arrests in Arkansas, and a tweet about arrests in DC. Did I somehow miss something in the article?
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In other more on-topic news, I continue to call Cory Gardner every day, at least once, and some days at every office. Right now the Denver police are arresting and removing half a dozen badass disability rights advocates who have been sitting in Gardner's office the last two nights. Many of them are in wheelchairs.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/29/15893492/activist-protest-trumpcare-resistance
Based only on some quick research, I bet the Gardner's office is very confused, seeing as how the people in his office haven't even been asked to leave, let alone arrested. That article mentions the arrests in Arkansas, and a tweet about arrests in DC. Did I somehow miss something in the article?
The article I linked came out prior to the arrests. I watched the arrests happening live on Facebook at the same time that I was writing this post.
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/29/cory-gardner-office-protest-removal/
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In other more on-topic news, I continue to call Cory Gardner every day, at least once, and some days at every office. Right now the Denver police are arresting and removing half a dozen badass disability rights advocates who have been sitting in Gardner's office the last two nights. Many of them are in wheelchairs.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/6/29/15893492/activist-protest-trumpcare-resistance
Based only on some quick research, I bet the Gardner's office is very confused, seeing as how the people in his office haven't even been asked to leave, let alone arrested. That article mentions the arrests in Arkansas, and a tweet about arrests in DC. Did I somehow miss something in the article?
The article I linked came out prior to the arrests. I watched the arrests happening live on Facebook at the same time that I was writing this post.
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/06/29/cory-gardner-office-protest-removal/
Ah, probably not that confused then. I'll have to reach out.
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Ummmm ... really? When the Congressional GOP is willing to do fucking anything and everything to tear down our country's safety net, we should worry about phone etiquette? I mean, maybe you don't want to do it but I'm not gonna judge anyone who does.
I would say behaving like you are suggesting does more harm to the good of the country than you think. You don't garner any influence or build alliances by behaving like a 3 year old, why stoop to that level?
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Wow, awesome thread! Following.
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Ummmm ... really? When the Congressional GOP is willing to do fucking anything and everything to tear down our country's safety net, we should worry about phone etiquette? I mean, maybe you don't want to do it but I'm not gonna judge anyone who does.
I would say behaving like you are suggesting does more harm to the good of the country than you think. You don't garner any influence or build alliances by behaving like a 3 year old, why stoop to that level?
Clearly we disagree on this, and that's fine because this discussion is off topic anyway. But I do want to point out that our president has in fact garnered influences and building alliances EXACTLY by behaving like a 3 year old. So your logic doesn't hold.
I called Cory Gardner's office today to ask for a Town Hall, which I know will be fruitless but it's still worth asking. I then called another office to ask that he not vote for the healthcare bill.
It does seem like people's stamina for resistance is dropping off and it bums me out but I guess I've gone through my unmotivated phases, too. I just hope we can stand strong enough to stop some of the more terrible shit that they are trying to pull.
Like this voting fraud investigation, where all 50 states are supposed to provide voting records including some info that is not public. I'm sure that is TOTALLY INNOCENT. I called my Governor and Secretary of State about that today too ...
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Clearly we disagree on this, and that's fine because this discussion is off topic anyway. But I do want to point out that our president has in fact garnered influences and building alliances EXACTLY by behaving like a 3 year old. So your logic doesn't hold.
Yes, clearly we disagree on this. Just for sake of curiosity, and if you would not mind indulging me, I do have a question. How far would you be willing to support these types of actions where an individual seeks to influence a representative in a district other than their own?
Edit: Text moved to new thread, click here (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/influencing-state-representative-other-than-your-own/)
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^^^ Please move this into another thread if you want to continue the conversation.
I went to a bunch of stuff last week. Hosted a team meeting and learned about state senate issues, went to a voting rights and electoral reform meeting, went to a broken windows town hall, went to another team meeting, and made sure broken windows is in our list of concerns to de Blasio.
Go call your senators about healthcare!
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I went ahead and created a sister thread, hoping to keep this one on topic. Small Daily Acts of Political Discussion (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/). Anything that threatens to derail this one, go ahead and put into that one.
Today, thanks to madgeylou bringing it to my attention, I'm going to actually send more correspondence to Cory Gardner's office, asking for a statement about that. It seems to be ignored, and that's not okay to me. I need to do more research on the issue, as it appears the police weren't called by his office, and his aides actually did some cool stuff, but I want details. Also, when I sent him that email I posted earlier, I got a reply. One of the things that I wanted to focus on was that he mentioned "medicaid populations", which created a bit of a disconnect with the fact that people on medicaid are still constituents.
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I'm on the lazy side. I generally send money to organizations I support, like the NRA. Or I'll talk with my local politicians when I see them.
I'll email or call my congressmen or senators. Unless I run into them first.
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I emailed my state election commission to urge them to refuse to turn over voter information.
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Today, I kept myself informed on the topics and determined not much action was required, just discussions with people, and sharing of information and ideas.
Smooth sailing : )
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This is probably not a small act, but I just ran a nonpartisan voter registration/outreach table for 5 days, with the help of a dozen volunteers. We didn't end up registering a lot of voters, but at least we got the word out about online registration and off-year voting. And I learned a lot about voter registration such that I could do it again but better next time.
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I emailed my state election commission to urge them to refuse to turn over voter information.
I am not of the mind-meld of the rest of you, that anything Trump asks for is bad. Yet, I respect that state and local agencies are trusted with the voter records and election procedures, and
I would like to keep the feds out of it any more than are now in it. Overreach of the feds=not a good thing.
My state is in the "partially comply" group of states. so far we are sending only public record data. I guess this is ok since I take this to mean data that anyone could request.
So, I sent email to our Secretary of State complimenting him on the policy talk he made in radio in recent weeks, policy about photo ID. I was silent about the rest of it, for the moment anyway. We will see where this goes.
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I wrote my State Rep to reject the Illinois budget compromise. I highly doubt it'll do anything. At this point it's just kabuki theater. But worth a shot.
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What is the best way to call/email/influence Senators about the potentially upcoming healthcare vote? I could reach out to the office of Thom Tillis/Richard Burr, or just any of the swing state senators. I realize my individual action will make little difference, but I'd at least like to try.
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What is the best way to call/email/influence Senators about the potentially upcoming healthcare vote? I could reach out to the office of Thom Tillis/Richard Burr, or just any of the swing state senators. I realize my individual action will make little difference, but I'd at least like to try.
You can just call the office and register your opinion.
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What is the best way to call/email/influence Senators about the potentially upcoming healthcare vote? I could reach out to the office of Thom Tillis/Richard Burr, or just any of the swing state senators. I realize my individual action will make little difference, but I'd at least like to try.
If you're a constituent, call and tell them how you want them to vote. You can add why you think it's bad policy if you want, with a personal story if you have one. If you can't get through, email, and mention the call attempt. Then tweet/FB saying you couldn't get through.
To have a greater influence, round up a couple friends and show up in person. They may not be there, but you can still speak with a staffer. Take pictures regardless of outcome and post in social media about your unresponsive senators.
If you're not a constituent and haven't contributed to their campaigns, they won't care about your call. You could possibly threaten to donate to their opponents or something.
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Yeah, but what do people mean when they say call? For someone unfamiliar.
I assume when you call these offices they have automated messaging. Perhaps you just navigate through to an admin and then... tell them "Hi. I'm a North Carolina resident, and I want the senator to vote against the new healthcare bill?" Anything else?
I'm a NC resident right now, but in Seattle so can't go into their office. I can call Tillis and Burr's offices, though of course with 10 million constituents my influence will be pretty limited if it's noted at all.
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I have never had to go through an IVR to talk to someone. Either a person picks up, or I leave a message, or its busy and I never get through. Sometimes I need to try multiple offices before I get through.
And yes, you would say exactly what you wrote. They usually ask for your name and zip code too. You can add whatever personal reasons you have, but it's not necessary. That's most useful if someone has a very compelling story.
Staffers are supposed to tally all calls. Your call will add another notch to the "vote no" column.
Another way to influence senators in other states is to ask anybody you know who lives there to call. You can also call on their behalf if they can't call for whatever reason, if you identify that you're calling for another person.
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I have never had to go through an IVR to talk to someone. Either a person picks up, or I leave a message, or its busy and I never get through. Sometimes I need to try multiple offices before I get through.
And yes, you would say exactly what you wrote. They usually ask for your name and zip code too. You can add whatever personal reasons you have, but it's not necessary. That's most useful if someone has a very compelling story.
Staffers are supposed to tally all calls. Your call will add another notch to the "vote no" column.
Another way to influence senators in other states is to ask anybody you know who lives there to call. You can also call on their behalf if they can't call for whatever reason, if you identify that you're calling for another person.
Awesome, thanks MJ.
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Net Neutrality online protest.
https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/ (https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/)
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Net Neutrality online protest.
https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/ (https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/)
Is there something I can do as a citizen? Call someone? Online comment? I remember last time the online comments were dismissed by the people that disagreed with them but that won't stop me from commenting again.
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Here is the response I received. I think I got all the links right.
Hi there,
Thanks for signing up to participate in the Internet-wide day of action to save net neutrality on July 12th!
This online protest has gained a ton of momentum. If everyone does as much as they can, we’re on track to make it one of the largest moments in Internet history.
Here are some concrete things you can do right now:
Will you share the BattleForTheNet campaign to triple your impact? Share now on Facebook (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h0/HE2UYZIDTZxfLuJ8qHDFiLKL3eD76o-2FIeXIksbY8GYkjCRUQTB-2Be7pnQv3e5JfTMZGsrc3IpOZZr8r6ulgXNND4VRhy-2F4W-2FFE1jzXfFwXn0-3D) and Twitter (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h1/VE2atosPJwyp5yA4oN-2FSarAaKxHd2Ns-2Fy6obzb5E-2FfLaepNs-2FDSd0JjQ6g1ICbQvPoeQapjXm3C8-2BvKTFnn08BnK64UKidFzOOVnHr-2BntOg-2FykopAXU4DrOu8CgyBf-2B1d3nMfON4E8T7rvCFw0OOkNha-2BpTNH0dqVAKb62MvM3nH6l2SGg2Nnz5FN0TakFKeoqBWU0eRu7uIKBYdbspKgazJmApC1gqLj-2B1R7Iy4-2FgxPUzRk1lszAtgMGNwA61A9SXn7h04cJAVwwuIj545Mdjf2nj5w4YoVQfEXzchId-2Bj5P1ToTFlQMPnfK5ty-2BN9djFSy7t5TYOejCUBwPpy5mdLurM7RW2FODA5Z1N6Df-2BNCWN-2F1KWO1j6JIim09FElrjZeVHMdytlbWP7Q4jmZsNg-3D-3D) with just a couple of clicks.
Join a protest (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h2/WQ-2BlIwq7W2eCmkkcwbDiBWV8Azi28s6QICZKh179pjTlBBqY-2BOdNi3zvKwhqZBy5Oe54h6C4OEF6OcfPdKdKYRJpG-2F7brLnTesKczfv7GfEDjjUkwIm0wL58r-2F9MMiAY) happening near you on July 12th. We need you to show up and speak out for net neutrality!
If you run a website, display a prominent alert for the day of action using this code (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h3/4s-2Fi-2Ba-2BOqu7LisXPlEc00f8IewB2UBMUtmjXh9oum6J9JV2dld-2BSUv4eYRsDylyB4A7ITeEpp-2FepqLc54A2-2B-2BA-3D-3D) . You just need to embed a bit of javascript in the header of your site, and on July 12 your site will invite users to contact the FCC and Congress. You can also use the Cloudflare app (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h4/lcxyhgfC8IuW7DVH9PKOZdo4N9ZJQrpBL9PjNSKCcIZOh-2Fnn6t5qghRI-2F0L4w-2BUZ) or Wordpress (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h5/X7g7D15Tz5jcKBxgLR9Yb0aQe1GIUP0fhbPLjxt8uMBVUIft8wnPnak3oCMUmfI5) plug-in.
If you’re a video creator, use our 30 second bumper to explain why net neutrality matters. There are square, vertical, and horizontal versions for you to download here (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h6/ROa-2FdlSnN-2FXnUB7Kis3fSyFdnmhnvJUzIgvvEEzzYFt8IUYdkLEXHZ35UywntKPmOJNyU93oy8lmi48VVMD0ytgf8DA6rfQ-2FR5T5eDg3CA0-3D) .
Speak out on social media. Here is some suggested copy you use to spread the word (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h7/TQq8raW4D-2FfUJzgtPOAKaanrcwi88QcpsTzJjjtSaq6NmgfGtvIqF-2Bmw0vnf6koNcMgN0fgUHisP0opeqK1yJn0EdCIautSgAqCVQ08MGhc-3D). And be sure to share our awesome graphics to get the word out. You can see a huge folder of them here (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h8/ROa-2FdlSnN-2FXnUB7Kis3fSyFdnmhnvJUzIgvvEEzzYFt8IUYdkLEXHZ35UywntKPmoeP-2BBUeByJ7eK7Pmzv5CCQ7iF6yf8gXQtmIXtvfVemA-3D).
Blog about the day of action. Whether you’re a business or a blogger, tell your followers why net neutrality matters to you, and then send us a link. Feel free to borrow this language .
Share this video (http://click.actionnetwork.org/mpss/c/4QA/kLwXAA/t.28x/yJIf56h_SsuiyqMoqRZL7A/h10/trXlpRf87BxsDGhXkluuyDXShc9I0ihVJUv-2BStoCSdw-3D) so that everyone will know what net neutrality is.
We encourage everyone to get creative and think about how you can best get your friends, family, or audience to participate in the BattleForeTheNet.com campaign – whether it’s by sharing on Facebook and Twitter, putting something prominent on your site, sending a push notification to your mobile app users, making a video, or anything else you can think of!
There are tons of resources for you to pick and choose from at battleforthenet.com/july12 .
Don’t stop driving traffic to BattleForTheNet.com! We need to keep up the pressure long after July 12th to make sure the FCC and Congress get the message. If you’re ready to start, go for it! And don’t let up. We’re in this for the long haul.
Please take the steps above to join the big day, and let us know what questions and feedback you have by hitting ‘Reply’, or emailing <team@fightforthefuture.org>.
We’ll keep you in the loop on what comes next.
More soon,
Josh, Tiffiniy, Laila, Evan, Holmes, and the whole team at FFTF
https://battleforthenet.com/july12
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Filled out my Rep's highly biased survey to make it clear I do not support the efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act. I would not have found out about it if it wasn't posted on a Facebook group I follow, because only donors were emailed the link.
Tonight DH and I are going to the local Indivisible meeting and I'll encourage other people to do the same. The guest speaker is talking about immigration issues, so it should be an interesting evening.
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@Meerkat, @JordanRead, anyone seeking action re net neutrality:
The Federal Communications Commission is requesting comments on its proposed Net Neutrality rule through July 17.
The proposed rule, entitled "Restoring Internet Freedom" but more precisely called Notice of Proposed Rule Making WC Docket 17-108, is also called for short NPRM 17-108. Its text is 75 pages long, including remarks by the Commissioners, and may be found at the FCC link below.
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-17-60A1_Rcd.pdf
There are several dozen items, starting with what I think is Section III Part A Subpart 1 item 26 on page 9 of the linked pdf, in which FCC offers specific analyses and and requests comments about them. It seems that FCC's intent is to focus its consideration primarily on specific answers to these requests for comment, and ignore more general remarks that are not worded in response the these comment requests. To me it appears that the analyses are in themselves designed to support repealing the rules we normally call net neutrality.
As someone seeking to support net neutrality and oppose the proposed rule, I made a comment that the FCC's analysis in item 29 (III.A.29) was inaccurate, gave examples to support my statement, and offered a different conclusion. Obviously someone taking the opposite view could comment in support of the FCC's analysis.
Here is a link explaining how to make a comment. I followed the link in order to make the comment described above.
https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/27/how-to-comment-on-the-fccs-proposal-to-revoke-net-neutrality/
Here is a link that takes you straight to the FCC's comment page without TechCrunch's explanation.
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?proceedings_name=17-108
Brief remarks on the rule's construction, and the Commissioners' commentary:
The rule refers frequently to Title II. I think Title II refers to Title II of the Telecommunications Act, the 1996 law from which FCC derives its ability to regulate telecom services. At issue is whether broadband internet service, these days the normal internet service at a consumer's house, should be considered a "telecommunications service" or an "information service". The law treats the two differently. If I understand correctly, the law expects telecommunications service to be subject to Title II and therefore to be treated as a "common carrier", a term which implies relatively heavy regulation requiring the carrier to treat customers more or less equally. The law distinguishes that from an information service, which does not need to be so heavily regulated. Previous rulemaking in 2015 classified internet service providers as telecommunications service. The current Notice of Proposed Rule Making plans to reclassify them as an information service.
At the end of the NPRM are remarks by the Commissioners themselves. Dissenting Commissioner Mignon Clyburn's remarks starting on page 62 are one of the most scathing comments about a regulation I've ever seen in a public setting could be viewed as an official analysis opposing the proposed rule.
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If anyone lives in Chicago or knows people plugged in there, please PM me. I'll be there next week and would like to participate in an in-person action.
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Called both NC senators! I got IVR's for both: each of them said something to the effect of "Press 1 if you'd like to comment on current legislation and how'd you like the senator to respond; your response will be logged". No idea if they actually log them, but it's something.
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Called both NC senators! I got IVR's for both: each of them said something to the effect of "Press 1 if you'd like to comment on current legislation and how'd you like the senator to respond; your response will be logged". No idea if they actually log them, but it's something.
Way to go!
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If you have kids, or just like kids books, check out "A is for Activist", our local library had a copy highlighted. I was skeptical but it was a fun read and nice art. More kids books need to tout democracy and put down authoritarian rule :)
"K
Kings are fine for story time.
Knights are fun to play.
But when we make decisions
we will choose the people's way"
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If you have kids, or just like kids books, check out "A is for Activist", our local library had a copy highlighted. I was skeptical but it was a fun read and nice art. More kids books need to tout democracy and put down authoritarian rule :)
"K
Kings are fine for story time.
Knights are fun to play.
But when we make decisions
we will choose the people's way"
Thank you for that! I know (and have marched with) a couple of other toddler moms who would be very interested in that book.
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Reports are calls in certain states are now favoring repeal. If you know anyone in the states listed at the end of the post, especially Alaska and West Virginia, have them call their senators today! There may be a vote tomorrow.
You may have friends in these states that you don't know about. Find out who you know here: https://www.trumpcareten.org/
That site also has daily call scripts.
SPEAKING OF INDIVISIBLE
They have put out a comprehensive guide around Trumpcare: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/stop-trumpcare/
They are also coordinating with local chapters to have weekly Wednesday calls on the topic.
Specific asks: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/stop-trumpcare-june-action-plan/
For Republican Senators: They need to know that you demand that they vote AGAINST TrumpCare. Voting yes means ripping away health care from millions of Americans. It means voting against the interest of their constituents to give Donald Trump a victory. We have resources on our website specific to your Senators that you should use when communicating with staff.
Ask them to commit to voting against any bill that will result in anyone losing coverage.
Ask them to commit to voting against any bill that does not guarantee people with pre-existing conditions won’t see higher premiums.
Ask them to vote against to any bill that eliminates funding for Medicaid.
For Democratic Senators: Does your Democratic Senator already oppose TrumpCare? Great. Now, what else are they doing to stop the bill from passing? They should be as fired up as you are, they should be doing everything within their power to stop or slow the process in the Senate. Ask them to withhold consent on all Senate business until Republicans agree to hold a public hearing on TrumpCare.
Indivisible groups are going to have an impact because these actions will happen all across the country. It’s important to engage in this plan in every state. That being said, there are a few frontline members that should receive some extra pressure: Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Dean Heller (NV), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Bill Cassidy (LA), Rob Portman (OH), Tom Cotton (AR), Cory Gardner (CO), Jeff Flake (AZ), Pat Toomey (PA) and Dan Sullivan (AK).
If you know anyone in those states above, ask them to call!
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Faxed two very Republican senators this morning. Used the AARP script with my own addition - they know the AARP has influence here and that members show up at the polls (I'm a member).
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Called every single one of Cory Gardner's offices today and successfully avoided using foul language or the term "Mitch McConnell's lackey" so am counting that a win. I will do another couple rounds of calls throughout the day.
Today is the day to LIGHT THEM UP.
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Introduced a friend who works at a high school, to a club of teens at another high school who ran a successful voter registration drive. Hopefully she can introduce them to kids at her school and another registration drive will result.
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Faxed my Senators (Resist bot FTW!) on health care - again.
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I called both my senators to thank them for standing against ACA repeal. However your senators voted, call them today to express your opinion! This still matters, since the healthcare debate isn't going away.
It took me literally less than five minutes to make both calls. I find it easier and faster than using resist bot.
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I emailed my 2 Democrat senators from Michigan and thanked them for sticking together to not dismantle the ACA.
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Donated to "Terminate Gerrymandering" campaign, where the lawsuit is taking gerrymandering to the Supreme Court.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/07/25/the-governator-wants-to-terminate-gerrymandering-215416
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Faxed my representatives (Republican congressman, democrat senators) about violence this weekend and Trump's response or lack there of.
Made clear that I found the violence sickening and the lack of condemnation of white supremacists as equally sickening. Requested strong public response and censure of the president if needed. Stated in my fax that I could in no way support politicians who seem even remotely allied with an administration that I am finding morally repugnant.
While I was at it, threw in a few faxes to my previous reps (all republicans) since moving around so much. Same sentiments as above. Pointed out that last time I wrote them was about travel ban that I thought was misguided and poorly implemented, and this seems to be continuing pattern of pandering to abhorrent part of base. Made similar comments about looking to them for leadership and not being able to supports representatives in future if they do not stand up to administration.
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Decided that I will become a citizen despite the fact I feel less "American" each passing day.
At least I will have a vote and smart people with votes seem to be sorely lacking!
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Congrats on your decision! Hope it goes without a hitch and you can formally join the nation with the most Super Bowl wins. :)
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Decided that I will become a citizen despite the fact I feel less "American" each passing day.
At least I will have a vote and smart people with votes seem to be sorely lacking!
Yesss! Help turn Florida blue!
Faxed my representatives (Republican congressman, democrat senators) about violence this weekend and Trump's response or lack there of.
Made clear that I found the violence sickening and the lack of condemnation of white supremacists as equally sickening. Requested strong public response and censure of the president if needed. Stated in my fax that I could in no way support politicians who seem even remotely allied with an administration that I am finding morally repugnant.
While I was at it, threw in a few faxes to my previous reps (all republicans) since moving around so much. Same sentiments as above. Pointed out that last time I wrote them was about travel ban that I thought was misguided and poorly implemented, and this seems to be continuing pattern of pandering to abhorrent part of base. Made similar comments about looking to them for leadership and not being able to supports representatives in future if they do not stand up to administration.
Way to go!
I called my rep yesterday about supporting the house res to censure Trump over his remarks. They're Dem, so I asked them to cosponsor.
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Congrats on your decision! Hope it goes without a hitch and you can formally join the nation with the most Super Bowl wins. :)
Yes and I can root for the "World champions" as it was described to me.. But hang on.. How are they "world champions" when only one country plays American football?
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Congrats on your decision! Hope it goes without a hitch and you can formally join the nation with the most Super Bowl wins. :)
Yes and I can root for the "World champions" as it was described to me.. But hang on.. How are they "world champions" when only one country plays American football?
Yup. Almost the same as with the World Series of baseball. At least there's one Canadian team in there...
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Congrats on your decision! Hope it goes without a hitch and you can formally join the nation with the most Super Bowl wins. :)
Yes and I can root for the "World champions" as it was described to me.. But hang on.. How are they "world champions" when only one country plays American football?
Yup. Almost the same as with the World Series of baseball. At least there's one Canadian team in there...
Hey, Japan plays baseball too! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_in_Japan) They just, for some reason, don't get invited to the World Series....
ExFB - So glad you've decided to join us! We could definitely use more level heads. :)
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Other thoughts, we have a pot of money allocated specifically to charitable donations. ACLU is moving up the list probably. This falls into analysis paralysis a lot.
Going to a wedding and didn't know what to get as a gift, so made a donation to the ACLU in their name. Better late than never
(Within one year, making the news for fighting Muslim ban and for defending white supremacists speech rights... if you are pissing off everyone, you are doing something right)
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Below is a link to a petition to impeach the president.
http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/7003/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=24010
Every day since the election has been one shit show after another in that tire fire "administration". I feel like a coyote with his leg in a steel trap. The difference being I lack the luxury of chewing my own leg off to get out.
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Time Sensitive Action for New Yorkers
New Yorkers, join us to protect the Hudson! The Hudson River is one of New York State’s greatest natural resources, and if we don’t speak up now, a healthy and clean Hudson may fall out of reach. The Hudson River Superfund cleanup has not done the job it was meant to do—secure the health of the river, its wildlife and the people living along it. Yet the EPA under the Trump administration is hell-bent on letting GE off the hook for the accelerated clean-up.
But it’s not too late. YOU have the opportunity to weigh in - your comments are needed! NY Indivisible has organized a campaign for comments to get the word out before the September 1st Deadline (and it comes with a prize!). Here’s how to help:
1) Submit your comment (there is a prefilled comment that you can personalize if desired) and confirm back here. http://www.scenichudson.org/pcbs
2) Share the link for comments with friends and family and ask them to commit and confirm their comments as well.
This is a big opportunity to send a clear message that New York stands united against dirty politics, dirtying our planet. Let’s do this!
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Done and shared, MJ! Thanks for the heads-up.
Haven't posted much as I've been on vacation. But one thing I did before vacation was distribute packets of postcards to friends. The task was to write reminders to registered voters, to vote in the upcoming local elections. We suggest that they vote against our Trump ally incumbent, who is a corrupt opportunist who has left our county budget and assets much worse off than they began. He avoided raising taxes, but he didn't do this the smart way by removing inefficiencies, nor did he do it the honest way by cutting services. No, he did it the dumb way by borrowing money at interest, selling off county assets (at an up-front profit, but a loss in the 10 year window), and neglecting maintenance. Furthermore he wants to have it both ways with respect to immigrants (who make up a sizable and productive proportion of residents in this area) and the environment, unlike some local moderate Republicans who have taken brave stands to protect human rights of all residents.
Each person agreed to hand-write 25 postcards, which comes out to about an 1.25 hours of work at most. We provided short scripts for them to copy over, though they were free to adapt the message. An easy but effective action for some of the shyer and busier folks.
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Can I just say how much I love this thread.
Almost as much as we all no doubt love MJ..:)
I'm not moving to Florida though..;)
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Can I just say how much I love this thread.
Almost as much as we all no doubt love MJ..:)
I'm not moving to Florida though..;)
OH THAT'S RIGHT YOU ARE NOT UNLEASH HELL. Whoops.
Awesome Poundwise!
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Can I just say how much I love this thread.
Almost as much as we all no doubt love MJ..:)
I'm not moving to Florida though..;)
OH THAT'S RIGHT YOU ARE NOT UNLEASH HELL. Whoops.
Awesome Poundwise!
I think forgetting your name when I met you was a bigger source of embarrassment..;)
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Can I just say how much I love this thread.
Almost as much as we all no doubt love MJ..:)
I'm not moving to Florida though..;)
OH THAT'S RIGHT YOU ARE NOT UNLEASH HELL. Whoops.
Awesome Poundwise!
I think forgetting your name when I met you was a bigger source of embarrassment..;)
It's two freaking letters man!! What the hell? :P
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Her name is not MJ...:)
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Her name is not MJ...:)
Shhh! Don't give away my secret!
I faxed both of my senators and my rep asking them to protect DACA.
Gillibrand is apparently crafting an amendment with Susan Collins to protect the rights of transgender people to serve in the military, so I will call to thank her.
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Don't worry.. I will have forgotten again by the time I share.. Old senile guy and all that..:)
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I voted today in NYC's primary election. The Democratic primary determines the winner of all of these races, so it's where the action is.
If you're an NYC resident, go vote. Or remind your friends if you know people in the city. Polls are open until 9 PM.
Election guide: https://www.nyccfb.info/nyc-votes/vgwelcome/primary-election-2017/
I canvassed for a city council candidate over the weekend. I will also be attending a debate on the New York Con-Con this weekend, since I can't figure out if I want it to happen or not.
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In light of the ongoing news about DACA, Dreamers, etc, I'd like to take a moment to honor that time when the now President of the United States posed grinning with a taco bowl while giving the thumbs up and exclaimed "I love Hispanics!" (you couldn't make this stuff up).
Surely a great moment in the history of American race relations and institute of the POTUS
In more related news, my representative, Chris Collins decided not to respond to my email or fax asking about "fine people on both sides" so I called the office to harangue someone. I got a only semi polite and not very interested brush-off. Is it that hard to say Nazi's are bad and people who support Nazi's are bad. I guess Chris Collins the representative for the 27th congressional district likes nazis (or is afraid to stand up to people who do), who knew?
Need to decide if I write follow up letter/email/fax for the sake of saying how disappointed I am.
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Need to decide if I write follow up letter/email/fax for the sake of saying how disappointed I am.
Do it!
I regularly send faxes, postcards, and e-mails if I'm displeased. I also make calls regularly. I think my responses show that people were angry about these things even if the representative ignores them.
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I'm getting back to basics after taking a vacation, then working on a local primary. Today I made some calls to my Senators and Congressman, on the subject of the new ACA repeal attempt (Graham-Cassidy). I haven't been making many calls lately, shame on me.
https://5calls.org/issue/recT4p3RFsud6rxuf
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I'm getting back to basics after taking a vacation, then working on a local primary. Today I made some calls to my Senators and Congressman, on the subject of the new ACA repeal attempt (Graham-Cassidy). I haven't been making many calls lately, shame on me.
https://5calls.org/issue/recT4p3RFsud6rxuf
How was your primary experience?
I called my senators today about the terrible healthcare bill. Schumer I got thank for speaking out about it.
Tomorrow I will call about opposing Sam Clovis's nomination for chief scientist for department of agriculture. He is horrifying. (In one example, said marriage equality could lead to legalization of pedophilia.) (Also, has no experience in agricultural science.) (And doesn't believe in climate change.)
Poundwise, do you know any issues I could call Cuomo on? I feel like I need to get on him about something.
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MJ, my personal favorite for the primary won, though I would have been okay with either. The primary was clean, positive, and issues-oriented, and raised my opinion of both candidates. For the smaller elections, sadly some of the IDC-like, corrupt, fake Democrat incumbents in our county won the primaries. Since I'm not and never have been a Democrat, I couldn't in fact vote in any of these primaries but it's generally agreed that I'm more useful as a third party liaison so I will stay as I am.
Some were disappointed with the turnout; we're really going to have to up our game for the actual election in Nov. I'm feeling not a little anxiety because people in my group, myself included, have been a little sluggish of late. Because he's not corrupt or beholden to corporate interests, our candidate has much less than 1/10th of the incumbent Republican's war chest. So we are going to have to make up in sweat equity for what is lacking in money for glossy mailings, TV and Facebook ads.
As for Cuomo, I don't have much except thank him for executive order 170. I know NYC is up in arms about his tacit support of the IDC, but I think that will just be a political reality until the IDC candidates are voted out.
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
Also, got out my spare "Thank You Police" sign and mounted it on our front fence. I suppose this will open us up to vandalism to our fnece or yard. Yay. The same sign resides permanently, and less promenantly, on our back fence.
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night by thugs. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night by thugs. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
Ok, I edited it.
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Called congresscritter and senator about latest health care bill. Got through on first rings.
Obviously they are depending on us only having so much outrage and strength, which is why they keep bringing it back worse and worse.
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Thanks for editing, Iris Lily
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
Oh dear, devotees of the goddess Kali might indeed be upset.
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<pic>
Great jpg!
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I hope Jackie Rosen the Democrat candidate for Senate in Nevada can unseat the Republican incumbent Dean Heller.
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Thank you Madgeylou & Iris Lily
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night by thugs. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
It would be really great if you could do something besides play the race card. Especially when it's not even a race thing.
Thug is not a racist term.
Thug applies to anyone who uses violence to get what they want. IE, union thugs assault people who don't sign authorization cards. Mafia thugs wreck up the place when they don't get protection money... etc. Not connected to race at all.
To the topic at hand, I called a senator of another state to voice my support for the Representation Fairness Restoration Act, since my senator (who lives in a new england state on the other side of the country... how does he even qualify??) doesn't care about such issues. I strongly oppose that a handful of union THUGS can decide for all of the other workers whether a union comes into their place of work. Case in point, my company soundly told a union NO recently... But they won't respect the will of the workers, and won't take no for an answer. They found a group of 95 people out of 3000 who probably will vote for the union... said they were a micro bargaining unit... Bam. union, despite a majority of workers not wanting it.
And I will not 'pipe down' and allow the bounds of thought to be framed by one particular group who seeks to use it to derail discussion and allow it to be an accepted part of discourse. but I will take it elsewhere.
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night by thugs. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
It would be really great if you could do something besides play the race card. Especially when it's not even a race thing.
Thug is not a racist term.
Thug applies to anyone who uses violence to get what they want. IE, union thugs assault people who don't sign authorization cards. Mafia thugs wreck up the place when they don't get protection money... etc. Not connected to race at all.
Super interesting how the word is so often used to discuss black folks protesting for their rights and almost never to describe white people burning shit down because their favorite sports team either won or lost a big game, tho, right?
At any rate, Iris Lily was happy enough to accommodate my very polite request, so why don't you pipe down and let the thread get back on topic?
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Every day since last Friday I am participating in political action by *not* marching in St. Louis's daily race protests (mostly peaceful) as well as the rioting performed at night by thugs. Avoidance of all is a statement, wondering if anyone notices, haha.
It would be really great if we could keep racist epithets like "thugs" out of this thread.
It would be really great if you could do something besides play the race card. Especially when it's not even a race thing.
Thug is not a racist term.
Thug applies to anyone who uses violence to get what they want. IE, union thugs assault people who don't sign authorization cards. Mafia thugs wreck up the place when they don't get protection money... etc. Not connected to race at all.
Its a small thing. Be the bigger person, move on.
But, yeah.
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If anybody lives in or knows people in Alaska, Arizona, or Maine, get people calling Murkowski, McCain, and Collins! They are the critical “No” votes on healthcare.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/19/murkowski_collins_mccain_will_again_decide_obamacare_repeal_s_fate.html
ncornilsen, please remove your reference to rapists in your post. Comparing unions to rapists is offensive in more than one way. It is also banned per forum rules.
Thank you ml and iris lily for resolving this minor disagreement between yourselves.
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And I will not 'pipe down.' The 'RACISTS!!!!11!' thing is used far, far to often by the left to derail discussion of any opposing viewpoint.
If you want to continue discussing it (hopefully without generalities and bias), and without derailing this specific thread, I'm sure it would be welcome discussion here: Small Daily Acts of Political Discussion (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/)
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If anybody lives in or knows people in Alaska, Arizona, or Maine, get people calling Murkowski, McCain, and Collins! They are the critical “No” votes on healthcare.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/19/murkowski_collins_mccain_will_again_decide_obamacare_repeal_s_fate.html
ncornilsen, please remove your reference to rapists in your post. Comparing unions to rapists is offensive in more than one way. It is also banned per forum rules.
Thank you ml and iris lily for resolving this minor disagreement between yourselves.
Done. However your second request was right on the edge of silly.
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If anybody lives in or knows people in Alaska, Arizona, or Maine, get people calling Murkowski, McCain, and Collins! They are the critical “No” votes on healthcare.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/19/murkowski_collins_mccain_will_again_decide_obamacare_repeal_s_fate.html
ncornilsen, please remove your reference to rapists in your post. Comparing unions to rapists is offensive in more than one way. It is also banned per forum rules.
Thank you ml and iris lily for resolving this minor disagreement between yourselves.
Done.
Aw, and I was all set to thank you.
"like other dispicable people who force themselves on others, they don't accept that no means no" is not the answer. We all know what that means. Take it out. Please.
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The "thug" thing - again. Yeah, I know it's a side track, but it brings out a pet peeve of mine. Right now the political environment is heavily polarized with an enormous amount of fear on both sides of the political spectrum. Some of it is hysterical; downright silly. Some of it is quite justified. But one of the side effects is the polarization WITHIN the group as each element tries to prove it's ideologically "pure" by policing behavior and setting discussion frameworks. Hell, you can see it inside the White House, Congress, and the other miscellaneous bits and allies of the so-called alt-right as they tear at each other. And on "our" side it's people who want everyone to toe some ideological line or make some litmus test. Well, you can have victory over this despicable administration and you may even achieve ideological, language purity based on whatever current grad school sociology trend. But if you want both at the same time, don't hold your breath. This is a struggle where allies are a little more important.
Edit: I'll add that this should be considered but otherwise treated as the foam it is and ignored. You can PM me if you agree or want to tell me to take my center/left views to Hillaryland and fuck off.
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The "thug" thing - again. Yeah, I know it's a side track, but it brings out a pet peeve of mine. Right now the political environment is heavily polarized with an enormous amount of fear on both sides of the political spectrum. Some of it is hysterical; downright silly. Some of it is quite justified. But one of the side effects is the polarization WITHIN the group as each element tries to prove it's ideologically "pure" by policing behavior and setting discussion frameworks. Hell, you can see it inside the White House, Congress, and the other miscellaneous bits and allies of the so-called alt-right as they tear at each other. And on "our" side it's people who want everyone to toe some ideological line or make some litmus test. Well, you can have victory over this despicable administration and you may even achieve ideological, language purity based on whatever current grad school sociology trend. But if you want both at the same time, don't hold your breath. This is a struggle where allies are a little more important.
Edit: I'll add that this should be considered but otherwise treated as the foam it is and ignored. You can PM me if you agree or want to tell me to take my center/left views to Hillaryland and fuck off.
Eric, you are making far too much sense. Are you SURE you want to reside in
Hillaryland?
Alas, I have made no political action today, and am not planning anything for the rest of the week.
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I considered mailing my senators about Yucca Mountain, but I suspect that's going to be more of a fight down the road. FYI, there is money allocated in the new budget to restart the application. Higher chance of passing now that Harry Reid is out.
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Indivisible Guide resource on Graham-Cassidy: https://www.trumpcareten.org/
There's also a tool to text constituents in key states. PM me if you're interested in getting the link.
Another note on the newest ACA repeal attempt: everyone should be calling, regardless of whether they have a swing senator. If you’ve got a Republican determined to vote for it, tell them you’re angry! If a Democrat, say thank you! Especially if you live in West Virginia. Some liberals want to primary Manchin, but he’s held firm on ACA repeal. Thank him!
Pence said Trump told him to reach out to some Democrats, and he spoke to Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) over the weekend. But after reviewing the bill, Manchin said, he told Pence’s aides he could not support the legislation.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he’s confident no Democrat will vote for the legislation, because “it hurts people in every state.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/renewed-obamacare-repeal-effort-dealt-a-blow-as-governors-come-out-in-opposition/2017/09/19/499478fe-9d51-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_healthcare-430pm-1%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.1affd8487788
I also emailed Schumer tonight about his vote on the defense spending bill.
I attended an anti-IDC protest today.
I attended a work group on NYS voter rights and helped plan our first action.
I hosted an informal debate yesterday on a NYS specific issue. Very well-received and informative. Even the guest speakers said it was one of the best they've attended on the topic.
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The "thug" thing - again. Yeah, I know it's a side track, but it brings out a pet peeve of mine. Right now the political environment is heavily polarized with an enormous amount of fear on both sides of the political spectrum. Some of it is hysterical; downright silly. Some of it is quite justified. But one of the side effects is the polarization WITHIN the group as each element tries to prove it's ideologically "pure" by policing behavior and setting discussion frameworks. Hell, you can see it inside the White House, Congress, and the other miscellaneous bits and allies of the so-called alt-right as they tear at each other. And on "our" side it's people who want everyone to toe some ideological line or make some litmus test. Well, you can have victory over this despicable administration and you may even achieve ideological, language purity based on whatever current grad school sociology trend. But if you want both at the same time, don't hold your breath. This is a struggle where allies are a little more important.
Edit: I'll add that this should be considered but otherwise treated as the foam it is and ignored. You can PM me if you agree or want to tell me to take my center/left views to Hillaryland and fuck off.
Eric, you are making far too much sense. Are you SURE you want to reside in
Hillaryland?
This is rude. Please stop insulting the bulk of people in this thread.
OK, I'll bite - where exactly is an insult in any of the above?
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I deleted. Not important, and I don't want to derail.
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Out of the country, but I am resist-botting everyday about the ridiculous last-ditch ACA repeal effort / craven cash grab / attempt to shit on Obama's legacy:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/26/koch-network-piggy-banks-closed-republicans-healthcare-tax-reform
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This is a hyper local thing, but people on my street are asking for the city to pay to put in speed bumps. The city did a review, the street doesn't meet the technical criteria. The city did a survey, while the majority of people who answered said they wanted speed bumps, the response rate didn't meet their criteria. So now my councilor is asking us to take another survey so she can decide whether to ask for it to be revisited.
No, we do not need speed bumps. We are in the city and close to two highways, in return for that convenience, we will have people driving on our street. And according to the specs, not too many and not too fast (I shall trust Prospector's colleagues on this).
So I took the survey. There are so many more important things to spend money on in this city.
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Finally something to call our governors about as a change. My God, Christie is ahead of Cuomo on this!
https://5calls.org/issue/recs368Tv3hj2JVSN
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From an Indivisible member who's been using a cool new tool for blue-staters to reach red-state voters:
Indivisible has given us an opportunity today and Monday as we try to defeat this healthcare / tax cut bill. I'm pretty excited about it and I wanted to share it all with you. What would it be like if we all tried it? It's a calling tool that allows *you* to connect constituents in key states like WV, AK, TN, OH, and AZ with their senators. It's easy. You can either call with or without a computer in front of you. Once you sign up, you'll be assigned to a state, and given all the info you need.
https://www.trumpcareten.org/calls-to-kill-trumpcare
I got assigned to Arizona. *Sources say Senator McCain is going to make a decision in the next few days.*
Sure, I got a couple no's, but in the short time that I called, I got a lot of people thanking me for being with Indivisible, and several people who wanted me to patch them through to Senator McCain's office so that they could tell him to vote no. That's what I did. I just told them to "stay on the line, and I'll connect you," and pushed a button on the screen.
The list they have seems pretty good, and the system is smooth. This is something Indivisible has really worked hard to develop - and it's _for us._ Check it out. This is one of those historic moments where we need to say that we did everything we could, connecting with people across the country and getting them to show their constituent power.
Sign up here: https://www.trumpcareten.org/calls-to-kill-trumpcare
Finally something to call our governors about as a change. My God, Christie is ahead of Cuomo on this!
https://5calls.org/issue/recs368Tv3hj2JVSN
Look at that! Just what I wanted. Thanks Poundwise.
Nice going, plainjane! There are probably a lot of people not bothering to respond.
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HEALTHCARE UPDATE
John McCain has officially come out against Graham-Cassidy.
"I cannot in good conscience vote for Graham-Cassidy. A bill impacting so many lives deserves a bipartisan approach."
https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/911290557191921664
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I thanked my Rep for all the good work his office has done in communicating during and after Irma. I disagree with him on 99% of all issues, but they really have been helpful in this area. I'll go back to berating him about tax reform next week.
P.S. Thank you, John McCain!!
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Thank god!
The asswipes could still stop the federal subsidies though.
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If a Democrat, say thank you!
I thanked my Democratic Senators Stabenow and Peters for holding steadfast in their support of the ACA.
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I motivated at least one person in AK to contact Murkowski about Graham-Cassidy. I realize that with McCain saying he's a 'no' it probably doesn't matter what way Murkowski votes anymore, but it would still be good to hold her accountable.
Also, a relative in Texas has been updating FB about this stuff. Someone commented to be like, "Will they really care what I say if I do contact my senator?" and I commented to say YES!
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DH and I are canvassing today for a candidate for the VA House of Delegates race nearby - she's a woman (and an awesome candidate), and right now only 17 of the 100 Delegates are women, so I'm pretty excited to get out and talk to folks about her.
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I motivated at least one person in AK to contact Murkowski about Graham-Cassidy. I realize that with McCain saying he's a 'no' it probably doesn't matter what way Murkowski votes anymore, but it would still be good to hold her accountable.
Also, a relative in Texas has been updating FB about this stuff. Someone commented to be like, "Will they really care what I say if I do contact my senator?" and I commented to say YES!
As I understand it it only takes say Rand Paul to vote yes and then its 51-50 with the Pence tie break.. RP may decide "yes" even if this is not what he wants because this is their last chance to kill the ACA.
This sounds extremely precarious no??
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Don't forget Susan Collins would be unlikely to vote for this
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I motivated at least one person in AK to contact Murkowski about Graham-Cassidy. I realize that with McCain saying he's a 'no' it probably doesn't matter what way Murkowski votes anymore, but it would still be good to hold her accountable.
Also, a relative in Texas has been updating FB about this stuff. Someone commented to be like, "Will they really care what I say if I do contact my senator?" and I commented to say YES!
As I understand it it only takes say Rand Paul to vote yes and then its 51-50 with the Pence tie break.. RP may decide "yes" even if this is not what he wants because this is their last chance to kill the ACA.
This sounds extremely precarious no??
My boy Rand aint gonna cave to that poor draft of an ACA bill. Nosiree. I think anyway, based on his emails. He wants the ACA gone but not this sad sack version.
But I am often wrong.
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The deadline to register with a party to vote in New York's 2018 primaries is Oct. 13, 2017. The Democratic primaries are where all the NYC races are decided. I nagged one friend to switch from independent to Dem, and she sent in the form today. She wasn't able to vote for a city council candidate in September because of this.
I also am in the process of convincing one tin-hat friend to register to vote in NY. (He didn't vote in 2016 and doesn't trust the government.)
....
I am gathering a statewide supergroup of activists focused on one issue. We had a kickoff session last night and are already planning a non-partisan event.
...
Also going to call my whoevers about gun safety today. Crowdsourcing research first.
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Hi, sorry for the somewhat-offtopic message.
Are there any lesser known causes that accept tax deductible donations that anyone would like me to try and donate to? My employer has a huge list where they match 100%. TIA!
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https://marcforda.com/ is running as a write-in candidate against the NY DA who didn't prosecute the Trump kids after he accepted a bribe. The election is in a month. Hopefully, those of you in that district or near there can spread the word around!
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Went to my local Indivisible meeting last night. We talked strategy for the next several months. Good stuff and I hope good things come from it.
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Hi, sorry for the somewhat-offtopic message.
Are there any lesser known causes that accept tax deductible donations that anyone would like me to try and donate to? My employer has a huge list where they match 100%. TIA!
Since you ask for lesser known, and you're posting in a political forum, how about
https://www.voteriders.org/
?
I have never donated to them yet myself, but as I become politically more aware, I am beginning to realize the obstacles that the poor, the sick, and the elderly face when voting.
Thank you so much for caring enough to give!
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Hi, sorry for the somewhat-offtopic message.
Are there any lesser known causes that accept tax deductible donations that anyone would like me to try and donate to? My employer has a huge list where they match 100%. TIA!
Since you ask for lesser known, and you're posting in a political forum, how about
https://www.voteriders.org/
?
I have never donated to them yet myself, but as I become politically more aware, I am beginning to realize the obstacles that the poor, the sick, and the elderly face when voting.
Thank you so much for caring enough to give!
Done! Thanks for the suggestion.
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Here's a fun one - the National Education Association has a site where you can send a virtual postcard to your Congressional Reps supporting the DREAM Act. http://dreamers.neaedjustice.org (http://dreamers.neaedjustice.org)
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I've been door-knocking with my democratic town candidates for the upcoming election.
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VOTE IS TODAY. CALL NOW.
https://5calls.org/issue/ban-mandatory-arbitration
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/47
"This joint resolution nullifies a rule submitted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding arbitration agreements. " : in other words, the Senate Republicans will hold a vote to overturn the CFPB’s new rule that protects your right to take big banks and financial institutions like Wells Fargo and Equifax to court when they cheat you.
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Just asked my Senators and Rep to co-sponsor legislation that protects the role of the Special Counsel's office from presidential interference. Sample script:
"Please co-sponsor the Special Counsel Integrity Act and the Special Counsel Independence Protection Act (S. 1735, S. 1741, & HR 3771), the bipartisan legislation to protect Robert Mueller’s investigation and that of future Special Counsels."
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Done! Thanks for the suggestion.
Awesome!
I posted a reminder on social media to all New Yorkers to vote on November 7.
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Woman who flipped bird to 45's motorcade just was fired from her job.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/she-flipped-off-president-trump--and-got-fired-from-her-government-contracting-job/2017/11/06/4cf1af9a-c2da-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html?utm_term=.342011d9ceec (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/she-flipped-off-president-trump--and-got-fired-from-her-government-contracting-job/2017/11/06/4cf1af9a-c2da-11e7-84bc-5e285c7f4512_story.html?utm_term=.342011d9ceec)
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Not small, but flipped our suburb from red to blue by using every spare minute (and some minutes that were not spare) to knock on doors or make phone calls. For example the other day I had an unclaimed half hour so I made 17 calls to remind local voters to show up at the Nov 7 election.
Also, I worked for over 16 hours as a poll worker on Election Day (and I also earned a little money for that, woo hoo!)
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Not small, but flipped our suburb from red to blue by using every spare minute (and some minutes that were not spare) to knock on doors or make phone calls. For example the other day I had an unclaimed half hour so I made 17 calls to remind local voters to show up at the Nov 7 election.
Also, I worked for over 16 hours as a poll worker on Election Day (and I also earned a little money for that, woo hoo!)
Nice! I also volunteered a few hours a week starting last month through the election to door knock and phone call. First time ever volunteering on a political campaign. Picked up 6 seats on the town council and turned it blue, but mayoral candidate lost. Still, not too bad.
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I've never paid for news until recently. It has been so easy to get for free at work, on line, radio... We currently are a member of MPR and pay for a digital subscription to our local news.
Also we buy from smile.amazon and proceeds to the ACLU.
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Not small, but flipped our suburb from red to blue by using every spare minute (and some minutes that were not spare) to knock on doors or make phone calls. For example the other day I had an unclaimed half hour so I made 17 calls to remind local voters to show up at the Nov 7 election.
Also, I worked for over 16 hours as a poll worker on Election Day (and I also earned a little money for that, woo hoo!)
Nice! I also volunteered a few hours a week starting last month through the election to door knock and phone call. First time ever volunteering on a political campaign. Picked up 6 seats on the town council and turned it blue, but mayoral candidate lost. Still, not too bad.
Awesome! Both of you!
Hammering my Rep on tax reform. He's a billionaire, so I doubt he cares one bit, but I still like shouting at him (metaphorically).
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Not small, but flipped our suburb from red to blue by using every spare minute (and some minutes that were not spare) to knock on doors or make phone calls. For example the other day I had an unclaimed half hour so I made 17 calls to remind local voters to show up at the Nov 7 election.
Also, I worked for over 16 hours as a poll worker on Election Day (and I also earned a little money for that, woo hoo!)
Not small, but flipped our suburb from red to blue by using every spare minute (and some minutes that were not spare) to knock on doors or make phone calls. For example the other day I had an unclaimed half hour so I made 17 calls to remind local voters to show up at the Nov 7 election.
Also, I worked for over 16 hours as a poll worker on Election Day (and I also earned a little money for that, woo hoo!)
Nice! I also volunteered a few hours a week starting last month through the election to door knock and phone call. First time ever volunteering on a political campaign. Picked up 6 seats on the town council and turned it blue, but mayoral candidate lost. Still, not too bad.
That is awesome you two!
I voted absentee last week so I could canvass in Virginia for Northam, Fairfax, Herring, and a flippable delegate seat. The delegate won her seat by a huge margin! And of course the statewide Dem ticket won as well.
Voting in my own election was surprisingly difficult. It took me over three hours of travel round-trip to get to the Board of Elections. New York has pretty terrible election laws. Any NY'ers interested in helping improve our electoral system, sign up with Easy Elections NY (https://www.easyelectionsny.org/).
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I called my senators (blue state) urging them to "Withhold consent" on the tax bill to slow it down. Also I sent round email to family & friends to do the same, or to ask GOP senators to vote No.
12 days, including Thanksgiving recess, is not enough time for change of this magnitude to be fully vetted. I'm particularly concerned about loss of medical deduction, which is essential to people with severe illness (note, my dad needed it and used it during his first bout with cancer, then went on to live 20 years and pay oodles of tax on his business thereafter). Loss of the SALT and mortgage deductions are also going to screw up property values throughout the country in a big way.
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Today is Giving Tuesday and Facebook is matching donations. I donated to Planned Parenthood through a fundraiser my BIL is doing for his birthday. I also strongly recommended said BIL read George Lakoff, but he clearly has not. We agree on politics, but he's alienated a lot of people with his argumentative style.
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Called Senators, requested that they oppose the Senate tax bill or at least let it die.
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Called Senators, requested that they oppose the Senate tax bill or at least let it die.
+1
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Here is the petition to strip the Star Wars franchise from EA games after their bizarro attempt to rip off and soak millions of fans with de facto gambling.
https://www.change.org/p/lucasfilm-revoke-ea-s-star-wars-license
I'll admit in the realm of things that need fixing like impeaching the turd whose name I won't suffer mentioned in my presence, climate change, and net neutrality rate a 10, this one is considerably lower. But it's representative of an insidious corporate culture that seeks to maximize profits over any ethics or morals and so spills over into, well, everything.
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Called Senators, requested that they oppose the Senate tax bill or at least let it die.
+1
I encouraged my senators to keep fighting it, and in Schumer's case, make sure the Dem caucus holds. Dems like Manchin and Heitkamp are potential Yes votes.
I attended a NY voting rights coalition event today.
I helped tweak a voting rights lobbying pitch for another group, for when they go to Albany and lobby state senators directly.
I am also going to help write an op-ed for that group.
I am going to a Doug Jones phone bank event this week, and am organizing another one for next week. I donated to his campaign last week.
Anyone can make calls or text voters from home through this link: http://tinyurl.com/Doug-Jones-Daily-Action-Page
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If anyone knows people in Maine, please tell them to call Susan Collins NOW to oppose to GOP tax scam. If she signs on, the bill will pass. Flake (Arizona) and Corker (Tennessee) also need calls, as they are the two most likely hold-outs.
You can also call voters through this peer-dialer: https://www.trumptaxscam.org/calls-to-kill-the-tax-scam/
It was used to great effect in the struggle against ACA repeal.
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I used ResistBot to fax my Senators, but unfortunately one is a Democrat (so it served no purpose) and the other is a Republican who is on the Committee who wrote the bill.
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This is off-topic, but every time I see DarkandStormy post, I end up wishing I had a cocktail. It's almost as bad as my taco cravings from Jon Snow's journal.
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This is off-topic, but every time I see DarkandStormy post, I end up wishing I had a cocktail. It's almost as bad as my taco cravings from Jon Snow's journal.
You're welcome!
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I just submitted comments to protest the rollback of the birth control coverage mandates that were put in place under Obama. It took less than five minutes.
This has some information on what to do if you want to comment or call also: https://twitter.com/icalledmyreps/status/921150829540777985
The second tweet has a story with info, the third has a video that can be viewed with sound off (there's writing to guide you) showing you just where to go and what to do. The next one down has a script. The video said there were four comments but a lot more came back from my search so don't just click everything without reading. I opened them in tabs so I could copy/paste my comment easily.
Here's a transcription of the script offered by #ICalledMyReps so you can cut and paste if you like, typos are definitely mine:
I am writing to protest the Trump Administration’s rollback of the contraceptive rules for the Affordable Care Act.
Putting aside the fact that a woman’s decision to use contraceptives should be a personal choice, the justification for the rollback cites exemptions based on religious graounds.
However, that particular justification also fails to consider the fact that over 14% of women who use contraceptives (or 1.5 million in actual figures) do so for reasons that are for personal health, or noncontraceptive reasons.
This rule change stands to be potentially fiscally and physically costly to millions of women around the nation and I am not in support.
Then add your own comment - personalize it somehow. If you can put the whole thing in your own words or give examples all the better.
This is time sensitive as the window to comment closes today. If you can pass this along to whomever you can, that would be great.
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Thanks meerkat. I tried submitting a comment and it's saying the comment field is blank, even though I wrote something...
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I just have to say.. FUCK YOU ROY MOORE.... BURN IN HELL YOU POS!
OK I feel better now..:)
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The election in Alabama shows the path for Democrats trying to win statewide elections throughout the Midwest.
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The election in Alabama shows the path for Democrats trying to win statewide elections throughout the Midwest.
Make sure the Republicans nominate child molesters? (I know, I know, it's actually grassroots turnout :))
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Not funding the Children's Health Insurance Program is egregious and affects millions of kids.
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Fought for net neutrality. http://battleforthenet.com , http://aclu.org/netneutrality , or text ‘RESIST’ to 50409
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Fought for net neutrality. http://battleforthenet.com , http://aclu.org/netneutrality , or text ‘RESIST’ to 50409
Thanks for the reminder. I called earlier this week and left personal messages (instead of the usual "Please vote this way kthxbai" phone call I had been doing) but I need to do it again today.
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I think 2018 will be the year the Democrats take back Congress and reverse this pro-oligarchy insanity. I'd like them to impeach President Trump too. It seems the most effective way to assist is to bankroll progressive organizations. Which, in the opinion of the boards, provide the most bang for the buck and why?
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I think 2018 will be the year the Democrats take back Congress and reverse this pro-oligarchy insanity. I'd like them to impeach President Trump too. It seems the most effective way to assist is to bankroll progressive organizations. Which, in the opinion of the boards, provide the most bang for the buck and why?
Still researching, but Swing Left is targeting House seats I believe. Flippable is targeting state races.
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As Paul Krugman stated in his latest column, "Massive electoral defeat – massive enough to overwhelm gerrymandering and other structural advantages of the right – is the only way out." Faust on the Potomac https://nyti.ms/2EchHVA
The get out the vote effort will be crucial.
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Don't forget to see where your elected officials stand on H.R. 1227 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1227)
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I got in touch with my local Indivisible group and got added to the volunteer list for Get Out The Vote efforts. The midterms are coming, the midterms are coming!
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Here's a screenshot of the front page of Beto O'Rourke's website. Mr. O'Rourke is a democrat running against lizard-demon 100%-human(not) (http://www.tedcruzforhumanpresident.com/) Ted Cruz.
What does the front page of his website say to you?
(https://i.imgur.com/4SrkFDol.png)
To me, it's saying that Texas deserves better than the guy in the picture - Beto O'Rourke.
So, I posted this mild observation over on reddit/r/betoORourke, and messaged the subreddit mods to see if they could get the message to the Beto O'Rourke web team:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BetoORourke/comments/7souoc/can_someone_notify_the_beto_orourke_web_designer/
Seriously, WTF is up with democrats and being shit at messaging? When HRC was running, her front page was plastered with dozens of instances of her opponent's name. Gah.
Not that a campaign's website is the lynch-pin for success. But it should at least be somewhat inspiring. Like, give one statement as to what people are voting for when they vote for you. "Campaign finance reform." or "Cut greenhouse gas emissions", etc.
Anyhoo - that's the small thing I did today. We'll see if they change the messaging.
And just a reminder:
"Ted Cruz is only one being and not several."
- Guy Manderson
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Should be "The Better That Texas Deserves" :P
We're having a fun rant session in my journal about Democratic messaging. It should not be hard to accurately convey that you are better than the alternate!
I got in touch with my local Indivisible group and got added to the volunteer list for Get Out The Vote efforts. The midterms are coming, the midterms are coming!
Whoo!
I never posted it here, but I was in Birmingham canvassing for Doug Jones! That was the absolute best victory party I've ever been to. Holy poop. I'm looking into opportunities to go to Pennsylvania for Conor Lamb. I know New Yorkers who want to make the trip.
I also had a 2018 planning meeting last night with my main Indivisible group. Since I may not return to NYC, I'm handing leadership over to a dedicated board. It can be difficult to get other people to take on more responsibility, so I'm thrilled that the group is going to keep functioning and improving while I'm away!
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Should be "The Better That Texas Deserves" :P
We're having a fun rant session in my journal about Democratic messaging. It should not be hard to accurately convey that you are better than the alternate!
I got in touch with my local Indivisible group and got added to the volunteer list for Get Out The Vote efforts. The midterms are coming, the midterms are coming!
Whoo!
I never posted it here, but I was in Birmingham canvassing for Doug Jones! That was the absolute best victory party I've ever been to. Holy poop. I'm looking into opportunities to go to Pennsylvania for Conor Lamb. I know New Yorkers who want to make the trip.
I also had a 2018 planning meeting last night with my main Indivisible group. Since I may not return to NYC, I'm handing leadership over to a dedicated board. It can be difficult to get other people to take on more responsibility, so I'm thrilled that the group is going to keep functioning and improving while I'm away!
Okay, I'm heading over to your journal, MJ.
If you guys have reddit accounts, go over to reddit/r/betoorourke and updoot my post. :)
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I never posted it here, but I was in Birmingham canvassing for Doug Jones! That was the absolute best victory party I've ever been to. Holy poop.
What a crucial victory that was.
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How about: "Beto: the Better Bet"?
I also had a 2018 planning meeting last night with my main Indivisible group. Since I may not return to NYC, I'm handing leadership over to a dedicated board. It can be difficult to get other people to take on more responsibility, so I'm thrilled that the group is going to keep functioning and improving while I'm away!
Wow MJ, are you moving to a swing state?? We in the rest of NYS will be working on the state senate elections and taking down the IDC for now.
Small but important action: Because of this bogus "School Choice Week" (DeVos and Koch Bros propaganda intent on redirecting tax money to for-profit educational companies), I wrote a letter to Cuomo detailing why I think that public funds are best used on public schools, creating more openness and flexibility within the public school systems in a way that will encourage parents to work on improving their local schools together rather than self-segregating.
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-governor-the-best-choice-is-a-strong-public-school-system
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How about: "Beto: the Better Bet"?
I also had a 2018 planning meeting last night with my main Indivisible group. Since I may not return to NYC, I'm handing leadership over to a dedicated board. It can be difficult to get other people to take on more responsibility, so I'm thrilled that the group is going to keep functioning and improving while I'm away!
Wow MJ, are you moving to a swing state?? We in the rest of NYS will be working on the state senate elections and taking down the IDC for now.
Small but important option: Because of this bogus "School Choice Week" (DeVos and Koch Bros propaganda intent on redirecting tax money to for-profit schooling), I wrote a letter to Cuomo detailing why I think that public funds are best used on public schools, creating more openness and flexibility within the public school systems in a way that will encourage parents to work on improving their local schools together rather than self-segregating.
thttps://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-governor-the-best-choice-is-a-strong-public-school-system
The Better Bet works... better. The reddit post also has some good suggestions.
Yes, I am probably moving to a swing state! I'm applying to positions with a couple political advocacy orgs. One would be based in DC, but if I get a remote position, I'm leaning strongly toward Georgia, which would be great for personal reasons. It doesn't have a Senate seat up in 2018, although there's work needed on the governor's race and the house of representatives. It would also be key in 2020.
Thanks for the School Choice Week note, I sent Cuomo an email about it.
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Phonebanked for Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania. Vote is today!!
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Phonebanked for Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania. Vote is today!!
Well done.
edit: wait - he's running for a seat that won't exist in November. ????
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Phonebanked for Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania. Vote is today!!
Well done.
edit: wait - he's running for a seat that won't exist in November. ????
Republicans have spent $9 million there, yes.
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Phonebanked for Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania. Vote is today!!
Well done.
edit: wait - he's running for a seat that won't exist in November. ????
Republicans have spent $9 million there, yes.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/13/us/elections/results-pennsylvania-house-special-election.html
Oh good - there's a libertarian on the ticket. They may pull a few votes from the R.
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I was in PA-18 canvassing for Conor Lamb. Unfortunately I had a terrible experience, so I didn't stay through election day. I have been text-banking since coming home and I've helped other people get phone banks set up. I maaay also go to a DC job fair this Friday. And a progressive data conference in NY on Saturday. This week is going to be busier than I thought.
The districts will be redrawn, but whoever wins this will have a big advantage going into their next race. Better access to fundraising, more name recognition, etc.
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I was in PA-18 canvassing for Conor Lamb. Unfortunately I had a terrible experience, so I didn't stay through election day.
So sorry to hear that!
I have been text-banking since coming home and I've helped other people get phone banks set up. I maaay also go to a DC job fair this Friday. And a progressive data conference in NY on Saturday. This week is going to be busier than I thought.
The districts will be redrawn, but whoever wins this will have a big advantage going into their next race. Better access to fundraising, more name recognition, etc.
So true... we have our own special election coming up and this will all have to be redone in November! But every month, and every seat, counts.
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Congrats to Conor Lamb! https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/13/politics/pennsylvania-special-election-lamb-saccone/index.html
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I've been donating a portion of my self-imposed carbon taxes (rate = $30 a ton emissions) to political candidates:
Dr. Hans Keirstead $25 (running against Dana Rohrbacker in CA)
Beto O'Rourke $25 (running against 'totally one human and not several' in TX)
Randy Bryce $35 (running against AynRandFanBoi in MO)
314action.org $100 - sponsors scientists to run in 2018
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NY Times just called the race for Connor Lamb
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I attempted to list my livingroom as available to 2 travelers for next weekend’s march in DC. We shall see if I get any takers.
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I wrote postcards for Marie Newman in an Illinois primary
And...
I'll have 7 strangers staying in my house for the March for our Lives next week.
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I also wrote for Marie Newman! Although as of right now, it's not looking good. :( Still, at the very least hopefully putting Lipinski on notice does something.
Finished writing a few batches for Hiral Tipirneni in AZ-08 last night. I don't know why, but hearing nothing about this race, even though early voting starts in a few days, and we were hearing about Conor Lamb months out! Why isn't anyone paying attention? It's Gabby Giffords old district (although maybe redistricted more red since then) and I don't think it's any more red than PA-18. But, if no one's paying attention to it, I guess that means it's hopeless.
I know several texting orgs I work with might text for her, but I don't know if it's going to happen.
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Does anyone have a connection to either Hiral Tiperneni's or Beto O'Rourke's campaigns? I'm hitting the road again and will be in Texas in a few days. I could either extend my stay with supporter housing, or head to Arizona.
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Does anyone have a connection to either Hiral Tiperneni's or Beto O'Rourke's campaigns? I'm hitting the road again and will be in Texas in a few days. I could either extend my stay with supporter housing, or head to Arizona.
No connections, but I appreciate your willingness to pitch in....
http://hiralforcongress.com/
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I just read an amazing interview with a Christian environmental scientist I want to share. They never mention George Lakoff, but the communication techniques used are great examples of his ideas in action.
Katharine Hayhoe Reveals Surprising Ways to Talk About Climate Change (https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/katharine-hayhoe-reveals-surprising-ways-talk-about-climate-change)
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Does anyone have a connection to either Hiral Tiperneni's or Beto O'Rourke's campaigns? I'm hitting the road again and will be in Texas in a few days. I could either extend my stay with supporter housing, or head to Arizona.
No connections, but I appreciate your willingness to pitch in....
http://hiralforcongress.com/
Thanks. I've signed up on both websites, but it's usually faster to have a direct line when it comes to finding supporter housing.
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I threw in my opinion Elizabeth Warren should be the next Democratic presidential candidate to the party. She’s not weighed down with scandalous baggage like the blonde android, not an old white guy like Bernie (who would’ve been my choice the last election). She’s a she (which seems all important to some people), she’s fairly young, and she’s a smart near permanent PITA to nefarious financial special interests.
Also on track with donations to the Democratic Party, key elections, and its Progressive wing to the tune of $10k. I’m considering more. I’m a conservative Democrat who feels the nation needs a serious lurch to the left.
I’m unhappy with that left in its attempts to destroy the 2nd Amendment. But it’s clear Democrats want to take our guns; Republicans want to take literally everything else. And maybe guns too, if it’ll keep power. (Please don’t comment on the guns in this thread. There’s a whole other thread going on it if you have to.)
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I threw in my opinion Elizabeth Warren should be the next Democratic presidential candidate to the party. She’s not weighed down with scandalous baggage like the blonde android, not an old white guy like Bernie (who would’ve been my choice the last election). She’s a she (which seems all important to some people), she's fairly young, and she’s a smart near permanent PITA to nefarious financial special interests.
I've liked Warren since LONG before she entered politics, but I think it's funny how we are now defining 'young' politicians as anyone under age 70. I think Warren would be 71 upon taking office if she were to run and win.
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Yeah, she would actually be the oldest president ever elected if she ran and won in 2020.
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Holy cow, I had no idea she was that old. She looks amazing for her age.
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But it’s clear Democrats want to take our guns; Republicans want to take literally everything else. And maybe guns too, if it’ll keep power.
I'm impressed by this statement. (I don't particularly agree that Democrats want to take our guns but certainly I'd agree that they want to do *something* about our gun problem.) Even so, you really filtered it down to an essential truth that I wish people who vote for Republicans could see. Maybe Republicans are not pressing for gun control, but they are stripping away quality of life in every other area. What do people care about more, I wonder? I guess we'll find out.
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Yeah, she would actually be the oldest president ever elected if she ran and won in 2020.
Wow. She is old. And well preserved. I don't think she'd be the oldest though. President Reagan was older for his second term. Bernie would be older if he was elected. If we can get a young President Obama type Democratic candidate from left field I'd be OK with them. It's not like the Democratic Party actually listens to me anyway except noting my email for future fund raising. $10K only buys so much.
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Yeah, she would actually be the oldest president ever elected if she ran and won in 2020.
Wow. She is old. And well preserved. I don't think she'd be the oldest though. President Reagan was older for his second term. Bernie would be older if he was elected. If we can get a young President Obama type Democratic candidate from left field I'd be OK with them. It's not like the Democratic Party actually listens to me anyway except noting my email for future fund raising. $10K only buys so much.
No worries. There are likely to be approximately 2 trillion contenders for the Dem nomination. In all seriousness, I heard some handicappers saying there were multiple dozens of realistic possibilities that the betting markets were already looking at. Some of them are sure to be (actually) young whippersnappers.
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But it’s clear Democrats want to take our guns; Republicans want to take literally everything else. And maybe guns too, if it’ll keep power.
I'm impressed by this statement. (I don't particularly agree that Democrats want to take our guns but certainly I'd agree that they want to do *something* about our gun problem.) Even so, you really filtered it down to an essential truth that I wish people who vote for Republicans could see. Maybe Republicans are not pressing for gun control, but they are stripping away quality of life in every other area. What do people care about more, I wonder? I guess we'll find out.
The idea that democrats are coming for everyone’s guns is an example of letting the right’s propaganda machine define the left’s messaging.
Here’s how I’ve been framing the party positions:
I wonder whether my fellow citizens want a government by and for the people, or a government for and by corporations. GOP is unabashedly representing corporations.
Progressive dems are unabashedly for the people. I don’t see how this isn’t clear to everyone. Well I suppose if a person listens to rush Limbaugh the picture gets blurry.
I’ve been giving $25 every couple weeks to pro-science Democrats like Hans keirstead. Countering a half billion $ of Koch Donor network propaganda going is an uphill battle.
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But it’s clear Democrats want to take our guns; Republicans want to take literally everything else. And maybe guns too, if it’ll keep power.
I'm impressed by this statement. (I don't particularly agree that Democrats want to take our guns but certainly I'd agree that they want to do *something* about our gun problem.) Even so, you really filtered it down to an essential truth that I wish people who vote for Republicans could see. Maybe Republicans are not pressing for gun control, but they are stripping away quality of life in every other area. What do people care about more, I wonder? I guess we'll find out.
The idea that democrats are coming for everyone’s guns is an example of letting the right’s propaganda machine define the left’s messaging.
Here’s how I’ve been framing the party positions:
I wonder whether my fellow citizens want a government by and for the people, or a government for and by corporations. GOP is unabashedly representing corporations.
Progressive dems are unabashedly for the people. I don’t see how this isn’t clear to everyone. Well I suppose if a person listens to rush Limbaugh the picture gets blurry.
I’ve been giving $25 every couple weeks to pro-science Democrats like Hans keirstead. Countering a half billion $ of Koch Donor network propaganda going is an uphill battle.
Like I said, let's avoid arguing about guns here. There's an entire thread devoted on it in these forums. I forgot to mention I gave $100 to Andrew McCabe's GoFundMe to support his legal battle. He's the senior FBI official Trump fired hours away from his 30 year retirement. I got a little pushback from GoFundMe because I commented the "President had less class than a shit throwing monkey." But I'm sure the money's still good. He was aiming for $150k and is up to $526k. That's a fair amount of lawyers.
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But it’s clear Democrats want to take our guns; Republicans want to take literally everything else. And maybe guns too, if it’ll keep power.
I'm impressed by this statement. (I don't particularly agree that Democrats want to take our guns but certainly I'd agree that they want to do *something* about our gun problem.) Even so, you really filtered it down to an essential truth that I wish people who vote for Republicans could see. Maybe Republicans are not pressing for gun control, but they are stripping away quality of life in every other area. What do people care about more, I wonder? I guess we'll find out.
The idea that democrats are coming for everyone’s guns is an example of letting the right’s propaganda machine define the left’s messaging.
Here’s how I’ve been framing the party positions:
I wonder whether my fellow citizens want a government by and for the people, or a government for and by corporations. GOP is unabashedly representing corporations.
Progressive dems are unabashedly for the people. I don’t see how this isn’t clear to everyone. Well I suppose if a person listens to rush Limbaugh the picture gets blurry.
I’ve been giving $25 every couple weeks to pro-science Democrats like Hans keirstead. Countering a half billion $ of Koch Donor network propaganda going is an uphill battle.
Like I said, let's avoid arguing about guns here. There's an entire thread devoted on it in these forums. I forgot to mention I gave $100 to Andrew McCabe's GoFundMe to support his legal battle. He's the senior FBI official Trump fired hours away from his 30 year retirement. I got a little pushback from GoFundMe because I commented the "President had less class than a shit throwing monkey." But I'm sure the money's still good. He was aiming for $150k and is up to $526k. That's a fair amount of lawyers.
I agree.
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Holy cow, I had no idea she was that old. She looks amazing for her age.
Its that strong American Indian bone structure.
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Holy cow, I had no idea she was that old. She looks amazing for her age.
Its that strong American Indian bone structure.
Her Whole body hangs off those cheek bones.
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OK y'all, let's get back on subject. Leave Elizabeth Warren's cheekbones alone!
I sent an email to Beto's team, and in the meantime I signed up for texting and data entry, which can be done from home. I also signed up for a neighborhood canvass on Wednesday. I'm hoping my forum friends will have a bike and bike lock to lend me by that time.
Tonight I am probably skipping dinner with them to get started on applications to a few DC jobs.
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After donating $ to Dr. Hans Keirstead's congressional campaign, I commented on his FB post about climate change. I asked him to sign the nofossilfuelmoney.org pledge.
Next day, he posts a pic in direct response to my comment:
https://www.facebook.com/drhanskeirstead/photos/p.1914281365310171/1914281365310171/?type=3&theater
(https://i.imgur.com/3ckMi1kl.jpg)
cool.
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Nice going, M41 and Dr. K!
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This article from the New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/06/what-calling-congress-achieves) is a little over a year old but talks about what's actually effective when constituents want to talk to their congressperson. It's long but worth reading, especially once you get past the historical context section (which is interesting but not at to the point of what this thread is all about as the rest of the article).
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This political cycle I'm concentrating on voter registration.
I set up a voter registration table at my daughter's middle school International Night last week. We got 3 new voters - not a ton, but better than none! I also made sure that anyone who walked by the table knew that we have school board and city council elections coming up. I'm doing another voter registration drive this Sunday at the Indian Catholic Church (who knew that was a thing??) . The priest is my neighbor and was so excited when I explained what I wanted to do.
Last year oldest kid and I block-walked for one of the school board candidates (a high school senior, extremely progressive - and he won!). This year I'd like to do the same - the imam of the local mosque is running for school board. I really like him and his kids, but it's gonna get ugly here, fast. Unfortunately, I'm still healing from a broken foot and I don't think I can walk that much yet. I need to call and at least get a sign for my yard.
I did put a Beto O'Rourke pin on the strap of my purse. A teeny bit of advertising, everywhere I go :)
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That's pretty cool, @formerlydivorcedmom!
Speaking of voter registration, I'm working on a voter "education" project (it's funded by a (c)3, so it's non-partisan and is technically about educating voters about registering) via texting to Latinx communities in AZ, FL and NV. If anyone here is bilingual (in Spanish) and wants to participate in (or learn about) text banking, please let me know. We hope to reach out to half a million people or more! We'll also be compiling and analyzing results to see if/how effective at getting new voters registered this method can be. We could use some more bilingual texters. If you are interested in text banking (but aren't bilingual) I could also hook you up.
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This political cycle I'm concentrating on voter registration.
How would I go about getting involved with an automatic voter registration initiative if my state currently doesn't do that?
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That's pretty cool, @formerlydivorcedmom!
Speaking of voter registration, I'm working on a voter "education" project (it's funded by a (c)3, so it's non-partisan and is technically about educating voters about registering) via texting to Latinx communities in AZ, FL and NV. If anyone here is bilingual (in Spanish) and wants to participate in (or learn about) text banking, please let me know. We hope to reach out to half a million people or more! We'll also be compiling and analyzing results to see if/how effective at getting new voters registered this method can be. We could use some more bilingual texters. If you are interested in text banking (but aren't bilingual) I could also hook you up.
@sui generis , I know the woman who founded Pantsuit Republic. She is very interested in voter registration and education for Latinx and other traditionally under-represented communities. Your effort sounds like something she might want to get behind. I can help get you in touch with her if you think this is something that might ought to be rolled out in Texas, too.
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This political cycle I'm concentrating on voter registration.
How would I go about getting involved with an automatic voter registration initiative if my state currently doesn't do that?
@DarkandStormy , I don't know the answer to that. Maybe start by looking up voter advocacy groups in your state, or start with one of these organizations? http://reclaimtheamericandream.org/organizations-vote/ (http://reclaimtheamericandream.org/organizations-vote/)
I took the volunteer deputy voter registrar training in my county, asked surrounding counties if they'd certify me too, and I show up where I can to nag people into registering to vote/educate them on upcoming election dates.
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I'm going to be in Austin until the 22nd, doing some volunteering for Beto, but I won't be spending all my time on that. I can't register voters, but if anyone knows a local who may want to meet up and work on something together, please PM me.
Although, @formerlydivorcedmom , I'm guessing you're not in Austin if an imam running for school board is controversial.
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I'm going to be in Austin until the 22nd, doing some volunteering for Beto, but I won't be spending all my time on that. I can't register voters, but if anyone knows a local who may want to meet up and work on something together, please PM me.
Although, @formerlydivorcedmom , I'm guessing you're not in Austin if an imam running for school board is controversial.
I lived in Austin for years, but now I'm in the Houston metro area. Smack in the middle of solid-red suburbia ....at least until people start turning up at the polls. I think Beto is the best candidate Democrats have run in this state since Anne Richards. He'd better win - every time I have to call Ted Cruz's office my blood pressure goes up.
You might reach out to Battleground Texas, the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), one of the Austin-area Indivisible groups or Pantsuit Republic Austin for other opportunities. Chances are someone else helping with the Beto campaign will know how to get you hooked up with some of that. (I can add you to the main PSR Texas Facebook group if you PM me your details, but I'm not in the Austin-area ones.)
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I'm going to be in Austin until the 22nd, doing some volunteering for Beto, but I won't be spending all my time on that. I can't register voters, but if anyone knows a local who may want to meet up and work on something together, please PM me.
Although, @formerlydivorcedmom , I'm guessing you're not in Austin if an imam running for school board is controversial.
I lived in Austin for years, but now I'm in the Houston metro area. Smack in the middle of solid-red suburbia ....at least until people start turning up at the polls. I think Beto is the best candidate Democrats have run in this state since Anne Richards. He'd better win - every time I have to call Ted Cruz's office my blood pressure goes up.
You might reach out to Battleground Texas, the Texas Organizing Project (TOP), one of the Austin-area Indivisible groups or Pantsuit Republic Austin for other opportunities. Chances are someone else helping with the Beto campaign will know how to get you hooked up with some of that. (I can add you to the main PSR Texas Facebook group if you PM me your details, but I'm not in the Austin-area ones.)
Thanks! I will check out some of those groups and PM you if I want the FB invite.
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Build the Wave is running GOTV text banks for Hiral Tiperneni in Arizona. The special election is tomorrow. I cannot do it tonight since I will be internet-less on a plane bound for DC. Someone please take my place!
www.TextTheVote.com
Trump won the district by 21 points but polling is within the margin of error. This is going to close!
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I'm doing that ^ right now - first time text banking. It's a nice-looking site and very easy to use!
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Helped tip the NY state senate blue! ... or would have if it weren't for Simcha Felder!!
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I had an interview today with a DC company. I'm optimistic about my chances, and the interviewer even stepped outside her official role to offer help finding a job on a specific campaign if I wanted it.
I'm doing that ^ right now - first time text banking. It's a nice-looking site and very easy to use!
Awesome! My friend helped create it, and a ton of people have used it for this and other elections like PA-18. For people who are intimidated by or tired of making phone calls, it's a great option. Beto O'Rourke also has a great texting program.
Lesko won (or is 99% projected to win) by less than 6%. This is in line with many predictions - close race that in a normal year would be no contest, big Democratic over-performance, and a really, really bad sign for Republicans.
https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/988981303260442625
Helped tip the NY state senate blue! ... or would have if it weren't for Simcha Felder!!
Yessss! Congrats! I know a lot of people who canvassed there. At least now we can focus the heat on Felder and flipping another seat blue if he doesn't switch his caucus. The IDC is such a confusing concept to explain, and it drained a lot of energy. IDC challenges are still going on, of course, and I think it's worthwhile to support that. You never know who might backtrack, but if they get defeated at the polls, it will prevent this kind of breakaway group in the future.
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I had an interview today with a DC company. I'm optimistic about my chances, and the interviewer even stepped outside her official role to offer help finding a job on a specific campaign if I wanted it.
Good luck!!
Helped tip the NY state senate blue! ... or would have if it weren't for Simcha Felder!!
Yessss! Congrats! I know a lot of people who canvassed there. At least now we can focus the heat on Felder and flipping another seat blue if he doesn't switch his caucus. The IDC is such a confusing concept to explain, and it drained a lot of energy. IDC challenges are still going on, of course, and I think it's worthwhile to support that. You never know who might backtrack, but if they get defeated at the polls, it will prevent this kind of breakaway group in the future.
Can you believe that Felder ran unopposed in 2016 as both a Democrat and a Republican??
https://ballotpedia.org/New_York_State_Senate_District_17
Anyway, he now has a challenger, Blake Morris. Don't know much about him, but he deserves a second look and a donation just for stepping up to the plate. https://www.blakemorrisforstatesenate.com/.
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Today, I'm working on planning a text banking program for Promote the Vote (https://promotethevotemi.com/) - Promote the Vote is a ballot measure in Michigan to expand voting accessibility and they need to finish gathering signatures by early July. That and their other ballot measure to establish an independent redistricting commission would be so helpful there. My Sister District Project group in CA will be working in MI this year, so beyond just supporting candidates, we're trying to find other ways to help, and have already started phone banking and raising money for Promote the Vote. They don't have a text banking program yet, though, soooooo....I guess that means, given my experience text banking and that I've been training recently to learn how to run them myself...that I am going to create the text banking program for this. To raise awareness and get more signatures so it can get on the ballot.
I'm actually really interested in the independent redistricting commission ballot measure. I think the commission proposal is a lot like ours in CA, which has been very good, and MI is one of the worst gerrymandered states (top 2 or 3 now that PA had their map redrawn, I think), so it could make a huge difference there. In a state where Dems have a something like 13% registration advantage, they shouldn't be a Republican trifecta state!
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Today, I'm working on planning a text banking program for Promote the Vote (https://promotethevotemi.com/) - Promote the Vote is a ballot measure in Michigan to expand voting accessibility and they need to finish gathering signatures by early July. That and their other ballot measure to establish an independent redistricting commission would be so helpful there. My Sister District Project group in CA will be working in MI this year, so beyond just supporting candidates, we're trying to find other ways to help, and have already started phone banking and raising money for Promote the Vote. They don't have a text banking program yet, though, soooooo....I guess that means, given my experience text banking and that I've been training recently to learn how to run them myself...that I am going to create the text banking program for this. To raise awareness and get more signatures so it can get on the ballot.
I'm actually really interested in the independent redistricting commission ballot measure. I think the commission proposal is a lot like ours in CA, which has been very good, and MI is one of the worst gerrymandered states (top 2 or 3 now that PA had their map redrawn, I think), so it could make a huge difference there. In a state where Dems have a something like 13% registration advantage, they shouldn't be a Republican trifecta state!
Thank you! I work with my local League of Women Voters here in MI and while I haven't been able to get out to collect signatures for Promote the Vote (my extra time/energy went to our recent voter registration drive for local high school seniors), several of our members are very active. I also have several friends who collected signatures for Voters Not Politicians, another grassroots initiative that started collecting signatures and will have an anti-gerrymandering proposal (independent commission) on the ballot this fall. MI voters are getting very fed up. Hopefully that leads to good poll turnouts and actual change.
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Thank you! I work with my local League of Women Voters here in MI and while I haven't been able to get out to collect signatures for Promote the Vote (my extra time/energy went to our recent voter registration drive for local high school seniors), several of our members are very active. I also have several friends who collected signatures for Voters Not Politicians, another grassroots initiative that started collecting signatures and will have an anti-gerrymandering proposal (independent commission) on the ballot this fall. MI voters are getting very fed up. Hopefully that leads to good poll turnouts and actual change.
Yay! Love the work LWV does and so excited for the independent commission ballot measure.
Sister District Project is calling MI a "Democratic Inroads" state - i.e. we need to make inroads there, but the Republicans have such an advantage (including such a strong majority of seats in the legislature) that they predict it will take a long time to flip the state legislature. But the independent commission would be a big help AND if MI voters are fed up enough, it might look like the wave in AZ-08 last night, with some huge swings. I'm very excited to see what happens in your state!
What are your thoughts on the Governor's race right now?
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What are your thoughts on the Governor's race right now?
It's starting to get ugly, as expected. This week, we're getting the expected blathering about "Sharia law" from a far-right candidate because one of the Democrat candidates is a Muslim (I'm from the Dearborn area, so my response to such nonsense is along the lines of "ignorant idiot" but less charitable and more colorful). At this point, there are so many candidates in the primary races that I can't predict who will make it through in August.
Given my role in the local League, I have to be careful what I say about partisan races, but the GOP supermajority in Lansing has done very, very few favors for the vast majority of MI residents and in several instances has actually ignored the will of the constituents in favor of corporate politics (see the recent Nestle water debacle, the sorry state of the public schools, the right-to-work situation). I sincerely hope MI voters will remember this in November.
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At this point in Michigan it is looking like Gretchen Whitmer will probably win the primary.
I personally am excited about Dana Nessel as the Democratic candidate for Attorney General, she's very gay friendly, a good public speaker, smart, and seems like a high energy go-getter.
The incompetence of the Snyder administration's response to the self-made water crisis in Flint must have not only hurt the residents of Flint, but also hurt tourist areas around the state, as potentially people might be concerned about lead in the water generally in Michigan. The water crisis certainly hurt the "Pure Michigan" ad campaign that tries to promote tourism in which Michigan appears to abound in great natural beauty.
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
You're a POS.
[MOD NOTE: Forum Rule #1]
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
Thanks!!
I bought a signed poster from the political artist Sabo.
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
Names and numbers of people whose documentation you've actually seen?
Or are you just profiling because you're pretty sure people who have certain physical characteristics/first languages can't possibly be legal?
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
Names and numbers of people whose documentation you've actually seen?
Or are you just profiling because you're pretty sure people who have certain physical characteristics/first languages can't possibly be legal?
I would also like to know the answer to this.
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Tornwonder and acroy, please start your own thread if you want to discuss pro-Trump actions you are taking. Thank you.
Everyone, we've kept a political thread polite and positive for almost twenty pages. Let's keep that amazing record going.
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Tornwonder and acroy, please start your own thread if you want to discuss pro-Trump actions you are taking. Thank you.
Everyone, we've kept a political thread polite and positive for almost twenty pages. Let's keep that amazing record going.
They are just trolling. They are typically treated a such. Sabo is a very well known racist and even claimed it was "cool" that ISIS beheaded a journalist. One sick dude.
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
Names and numbers of people whose documentation you've actually seen?
Or are you just profiling because you're pretty sure people who have certain physical characteristics/first languages can't possibly be legal?
I would also like to know the answer to this.
Through our hiring process at my side gig is the main way I run into these people. I don't profile people, in fact the majority of people I have reported are Caucasian.
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I live in a defacto sanctuary city, so I've been sending in names and numbers to ICE. Viva la resistance!
Names and numbers of people whose documentation you've actually seen?
Or are you just profiling because you're pretty sure people who have certain physical characteristics/first languages can't possibly be legal?
I would also like to know the answer to this.
Through our hiring process at my side gig is the main way I run into these people. I don't profile people, in fact the majority of people I have reported are Caucasian.
Thanks for answering the question. I have some additional questions for you, if you don't mind answering. Since I am sure that you have read the initial posts on this thread and are now aware that this particular thread is for actual acts people take resisting the current administration, I'd really like to hear your well thought out replies in the sister thread for political discussion (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion).
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I voted in my primary on Tuesday.
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I voted in my primary on Tuesday.
nice!
I voted in my primary - mailed in my ballot last week.
Yeah us!
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I wrote my Senators in support of Net Neutrality yesterday and today. The Senate is scheduled to vote on restoring Net Neutrality rules tomorrow. Several Senators have not publicized their choice of vote. The vote is expected to be very, very close and will impact freedom of information on the 'net for years to come.
For more information, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/05/red-alert-net-neutralirty-tell-congress-save-open-internet-order) is the go-to source.
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Hrmmmm. PTF.
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The grocery store chain Publix has come under fire (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-bz-publix-putnam-nra-20180516-story.html) for supporting a Republican candidate Adam Putnam for Florida governor. They clarified that they did not financially support the NRA, but Putnam has tweeted that he's a "proud NRA sellout" (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-reg-adam-putnam-governor-forum-club-20180427-story.html).
This past weekend we got our groceries somewhere else. Normally we're at a Publix three times a week since they're also a convenient lunch option. It's going to be awkward for a bit while we figure out shopping at a new grocery store and what other easy lunch options we can do, but all well. I don't have Twitter so I may look for a phone number later to call Publix to let them know they've lost a decades-long customer.
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The grocery store chain Publix has for supporting a Republican candidate Adam Putnam for Florida governor. They clarified that they did not financially support the NRA, but Putnam has tweeted that he's a [url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-reg-adam-putnam-governor-forum-club-20180427-story.html]"proud NRA sellout" (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-bz-publix-putnam-nra-20180516-story.html=come under fire[/url).
This past weekend we got our groceries somewhere else. Normally we're at a Publix three times a week since they're also a convenient lunch option. It's going to be awkward for a bit while we figure out shopping at a new grocery store and what other easy lunch options we can do, but all well. I don't have Twitter so I may look for a phone number later to call Publix to let them know they've lost a decades-long customer.
well done. yeah - i'd call them. Let them know they've lost a 3x per week decades-long customer.
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I called 800-242-1227 and dialed 4 as a customer calling in to talk to a rep, then I spoke to someone who routed me to someone else when I said I was calling in about the Adam Putnam issue. The person I left a message with did confirm that the calls are being documented. I asked if she knew how much had also been contributed to Democratic or other candidates but she didn't have that information (which I expected, but thought it was good to ask anyway).
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I called 800-242-1227 and dialed 4 as a customer calling in to talk to a rep, then I spoke to someone who routed me to someone else when I said I was calling in about the Adam Putnam issue. The person I left a message with did confirm that the calls are being documented. I asked if she knew how much had also been contributed to Democratic or other candidates but she didn't have that information (which I expected, but thought it was good to ask anyway).
Nicely done! I find it hard to make calls and to push a little like that, but it's important and really makes a point!
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Called the members of the NYS Senate Judiciary Committee, who are scheduled to vote today on whether S7133A, the Extreme Risk Protection Orders (“ERPO”) bill, should be brought to the floor for a vote. Most likely they will bury it again, but this lets them know that they are being watched.
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Yesterday I voted in my primary. Today I made a donation to a campaign and signed up for phone banking and door to door canvassing. Back in 2016, the only candidates for this U.S. House seat were the Republican incumbent and a Libertarian, so I want to do what I can to promote a candidate I genuinely would like to see in office, even if his chances are slim.
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I voted in the primary runoff yesterday as well. I took my kiddo with me and let him push the "cast ballot" button. Then we had a breakfast picnic at the park before I dropped him off at school. And my candidate won the primary! Go Lupe Valdez! I doubt she'll beat Abbott in the general election, but I'm pleased she won the primary.
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If you're going to "vote with your dollar" and stop shopping somewhere or buying a product, please please please let that company know that you have done so, and why. Don't be a jerk about it, but they need to know otherwise that dollar just disappears and they lump that in with all the other dollars they gain or lose. Set yours apart.
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Great job on the primaries BZB and Physicsteacher!
I called my senators and let them know that isolating and locking up the children of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants is unacceptable. Even the children of people in prison are not jailed themselves.
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Well, this was pretty small, but I had a long call with T Mobile today about charging me for a call to American Samoa because "international calls" are not covered on my plan. They ended up crediting me the charge, though still saying they would charge me in the future. I told them that it's inaccurate and deceptive to market a plan that includes calling throughout the US, or domestic, and to cut out parts of the country, and I hoped they'd be more accurate and truthful in the future. I know this seems really indirect as an act of Resistance, but with the hurricane in Puerto Rico and how poorly they've been treated and so many people not knowing or purposely trying to carve Puerto Ricans out into "outsiders" they don't have to care as much about, I'm not going to put up with people or corporations mislabeling our fellow Americans. It was extra salient, in fact, because the reason I was calling American Samoa was to talk to a client about her appeal to FEMA for disaster relief since our fellow Americans suffered a lot of damage in from Tropical Storm/Cyclone/Hurricane Gita in February. I would have been reimbursed by my firm for the cost, but it's the principle of the thing. People (and corporations) need to know that we know Puerto Rico and American Samoa are part of the US and they need to not rely on lack of education and subliminal racism to get away with inaccurate marketing.
More directly on point, I participated in not one but two text-banking conference calls today with orgs that have big plans for outreach to voters through the midterms and beyond, including gathering data that will be critical to determine the ROI of this new(ish) technology.
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Nice job everyone! If there's anyone following this thread who wants to help out in the midterms but doesn't know how, speak up! We can brainstorm and recommend options. There are races everywhere and at all levels, not just federal, and they can use a variety of skills and volunteer activities. Calling, texting, door-knocking, data entry, food donations, etc. You may not be up for a day of canvassing, but maybe you can print out materials or help in a field office for a couple hours. I always find it fun to hang out with the campaign staff and other volunteers. Very cool, inspiring vibe.
My big move: I got a job! I wanted to be a world-class couch-surfer in FIRE, but instead I started working in the political realm. My day job will have a direct, positive impact on the midterms and beyond. I'm also planning to donate much of my salary to charitable and political causes, since I don't need the money.
Smaller, but still important move: This weekend I will be volunteering with a sexual health org at the DC Pride Parade. "Condom Orientation" is on the official agenda. That makes me giggle. Maybe I am not mature enough for this...
[SAPPINESS ALERT]
I'm so happy that this thread is still going, eighteen months and a thousand posts in. Y'all are awesome. Some people are dismissive of small, sustainable actions, but everything adds up. They can also be a stepping stone to larger things, as you gain knowledge and make connections with other passionate people. I am seeing many of my volunteer buddies go on to run for local office or get jobs on campaigns, putting their expected career path on hold or abandoning it completely. There are friends taking a semester off from law school so they can work for Beto O'Rourke, or taking a sabbatical so they can devote more time to unpaid activism. People who now give speeches at events and are featured on TV because a year ago they decided to devote their weekends to a cause.
Two years ago, I could not have predicted that I'd have a network of campaign friends across the country, a grassroots advocacy group to my name, and a sweet job with bean bag chairs and free ice cream, but here I am.
This thread was one of the first steps I took after the election to do something. Even if it didn't go anywhere, I felt like I had to try whatever I could. So thanks to everyone who has contributed and is doing their part to make a difference!
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Wrote to my representative about net neutrality, and tied my concern to my small business and the limited rural broadband I have - that should push two of the Republican buttons the rep seems to have had installed at birth.
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Wrote to my representative about net neutrality, and tied my concern to my small business and the limited rural broadband I have - that should push two of the Republican buttons the rep seems to have had installed at birth.
You didn't stick a Franklin in there did you? Then you'd have the holy trinity.
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I canvassed for my friend who is running for a role in the local democratic party this past weekend - a fun couple hours of knocking doors and telling people what the race at the very bottom of the ballot actually is. :)
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Nice job everyone! If there's anyone following this thread who wants to help out in the midterms but doesn't know how, speak up! We can brainstorm and recommend options. There are races everywhere and at all levels, not just federal, and they can use a variety of skills and volunteer activities. Calling, texting, door-knocking, data entry, food donations, etc. You may not be up for a day of canvassing, but maybe you can print out materials or help in a field office for a couple hours. I always find it fun to hang out with the campaign staff and other volunteers. Very cool, inspiring vibe.
What can I do? I'll be in the OC from July 11-16. I'll be in San Joser area July 16-25 or so. Then Seattle area after that.
My big move: I got a job! I wanted to be a world-class couch-surfer in FIRE, but instead I started working in the political realm. My day job will have a direct, positive impact on the midterms and beyond. I'm also planning to donate much of my salary to charitable and political causes, since I don't need the money.
Smaller, but still important move: This weekend I will be volunteering with a sexual health org at the DC Pride Parade. "Condom Orientation" is on the official agenda. That makes me giggle. Maybe I am not mature enough for this...
ah YISSS!
[SAPPINESS ALERT]
I'm so happy that this thread is still going, eighteen months and a thousand posts in. Y'all are awesome. Some people are dismissive of small, sustainable actions, but everything adds up. They can also be a stepping stone to larger things, as you gain knowledge and make connections with other passionate people. I am seeing many of my volunteer buddies go on to run for local office or get jobs on campaigns, putting their expected career path on hold or abandoning it completely. There are friends taking a semester off from law school so they can work for Beto O'Rourke, or taking a sabbatical so they can devote more time to unpaid activism. People who now give speeches at events and are featured on TV because a year ago they decided to devote their weekends to a cause.
Two years ago, I could not have predicted that I'd have a network of campaign friends across the country, a grassroots advocacy group to my name, and a sweet job with bean bag chairs and free ice cream, but here I am.
This thread was one of the first steps I took after the election to do something. Even if it didn't go anywhere, I felt like I had to try whatever I could. So thanks to everyone who has contributed and is doing their part to make a difference!
you n me both, kiddo.
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Registered a voter! I've started keeping two registration cards in my car and in my bag, on the off chance they might be needed.
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Registered a voter! I've started keeping two registration cards in my car and in my bag, on the off chance they might be needed.
Yay! I love registering voters.
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[SAPPINESS ALERT].... See MJ.. you Do have feelings..;)
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I contacted all sort of legislators about the wanton cruelty this administration is heaping on immigrant families by separating children from their parents. Fuck them all for letting that happen.
This was a fascinating read (https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-percents-stealth-takeover-of-america). It helps to explain why so many of the things Republicans say they want (like small government) don't actually matter when they get into power.
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Instead of just getting upset and yelling at the radio in the car when I listen to the news about families being separated at the boarder, I found this Slate article helpful: How You Can Fight Family Separation at the Border (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/how-you-can-fight-family-separation-at-the-border.html).
I also donated (https://supportkind.org/donate/) to one of the groups mentioned in the article, Kids In Need of Defense (https://supportkind.org/), who are working to make sure no child appears in immigration court alone without representation.
I've also called my government reps and will call again to the two who had wishy-washy responses.
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https://www.rawstory.com/2018/06/dem-lawmaker-met-8-month-old-immigrant-child-whos-separated-parents-weeks/
Dem lawmaker: I met an 8-month old immigrant child who’s been separated from his parents for weeks
This is every bit as bad as the travel ban last year, perhaps even worse. Time to start joining protests if you can.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/how-you-can-fight-family-separation-at-the-border.html
^This has a long list of organizations that are fighting the family separation policy.
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Instead of just getting upset and yelling at the radio in the car when I listen to the news about families being separated at the boarder, I found this Slate article helpful: How You Can Fight Family Separation at the Border (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/how-you-can-fight-family-separation-at-the-border.html).
I also donated (https://supportkind.org/donate/) to one of the groups mentioned in the article, Kids In Need of Defense (https://supportkind.org/), who are working to make sure no child appears in immigration court alone without representation.
I've also called my government reps and will call again to the two who had wishy-washy responses.
Thank you. Both of my state senators are strongly opposed to family separation. Unfortunately, thanks to our GOP-supermajority state government, my federal house district (reliably Democrat) has not had representation for more than 6 months (Rep. governor decided that it wasn't important to hold a special election). It's incredibly frustrating.
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Instead of just getting upset and yelling at the radio in the car when I listen to the news about families being separated at the boarder, I found this Slate article helpful: How You Can Fight Family Separation at the Border (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/how-you-can-fight-family-separation-at-the-border.html).
I also donated (https://supportkind.org/donate/) to one of the groups mentioned in the article, Kids In Need of Defense (https://supportkind.org/), who are working to make sure no child appears in immigration court alone without representation.
I've also called my government reps and will call again to the two who had wishy-washy responses.
Thank you. Both of my state senators are strongly opposed to family separation. Unfortunately, thanks to our GOP-supermajority state government, my federal house district (reliably Democrat) has not had representation for more than 6 months (Rep. governor decided that it wasn't important to hold a special election). It's incredibly frustrating.
Have you called them to yell about the fact that there can be no representative democracy without representation? Kick up a huuuuge fuss over this! Get media attention! That is absolutely not okay behavior, I don't care which way a district leans.
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Instead of just getting upset and yelling at the radio in the car when I listen to the news about families being separated at the boarder, I found this Slate article helpful: How You Can Fight Family Separation at the Border (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/06/how-you-can-fight-family-separation-at-the-border.html).
I also donated (https://supportkind.org/donate/) to one of the groups mentioned in the article, Kids In Need of Defense (https://supportkind.org/), who are working to make sure no child appears in immigration court alone without representation.
I've also called my government reps and will call again to the two who had wishy-washy responses.
Thank you. Both of my state senators are strongly opposed to family separation. Unfortunately, thanks to our GOP-supermajority state government, my federal house district (reliably Democrat) has not had representation for more than 6 months (Rep. governor decided that it wasn't important to hold a special election). It's incredibly frustrating.
Have you called them to yell about the fact that there can be no representative democracy without representation? Kick up a huuuuge fuss over this! Get media attention! That is absolutely not okay behavior, I don't care which way a district leans.
I work with the local League of Women Voters and yes, we've made our displeasure known. There's been plenty of media coverage. The heavily gerrymandered state government doesn't care.
This week, I'm working on League voter guides for our upcoming primaries in August. We'll get to select an interim rep. for our district then, as well as the candidate for the November ballot. We'll have five candidates on the August ballot for the partial term and six for the full-term. I love elections.
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This is every bit as bad as the travel ban last year, perhaps even worse. Time to start joining protests if you can.
https://www.familiesbelongtogether.org/
June 30th is the date for the protests. Sign up here to find a protest in your area (or start your own) - https://act.moveon.org/survey/June_30_Pledge/
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http://www.businessinsider.com/laura-ingraham-advertisers-respond-migrant-summer-camp-comments-2018-6
Feel free to contact these advertisers if you have time today.
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http://www.businessinsider.com/laura-ingraham-advertisers-respond-migrant-summer-camp-comments-2018-6
Feel free to contact these advertisers if you have time today.
What is the desired end result of these protests? Is the goal to have completely open borders? I know Liberals pay big money to get the angry crowds riled up but what is your desired end state of US Immigration?
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http://www.businessinsider.com/laura-ingraham-advertisers-respond-migrant-summer-camp-comments-2018-6
Feel free to contact these advertisers if you have time today.
What is the desired end result of these protests? Is the goal to have completely open borders? I know Liberals pay big money to get the angry crowds riled up but what is your desired end state of US Immigration?
That's not what this thread is for. Start your own if you want to talk about this.
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- Upped my NRA (http://home.nra.org) membership to Life.
- Joined the Texas Nationalist Movement (https://texasnationalist.com/).
- Emailed Lance Gooden about Term Limits (https://www.termlimits.com/) (He supports them and said we would sign the legislator list supporting them)
- Emailed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/) asking if his department could prepare a report on the representation and results of illegal immigrants detained in Texas, as well as their average length-of-stay and average cost to deport.
Been a busy morning. :)
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Please move to either the discussion thread or start a conservative actions thread.
Big ups on term limits though!
TR, what are you looking to determine with the final bullet? I'm curious about similar things. Please respond in the discussion thread if you're open to it.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2018/06/19/these-parents-hoped-to-raise-1500-for-separated-families-then-their-facebook-fundraiser-went-viral/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e0b989a7b4b4
A viral fundraiser on Facebook has now collected more than $15 million - 10,000 times the original goal - for RAICES, a non-profit in Texas working to reunite immigrant children with their parents and now, they've said they will also provide legal representation as well.
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Had a long talk with a formerly conservative friend who has had enough of the monstrosities of the Trump organization. She committed to voting straight-ticket Democratic until Trump is out of office and the GOP stops being the party she is now ashamed of.
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Had a long talk with a formerly conservative friend who has had enough of the monstrosities of the Trump organization. She committed to voting straight-ticket Democratic until Trump is out of office and the GOP stops being the party she is now ashamed of.
Whoa, you discovered a unicorn! I mean, I've seen a few editorials with "top GOP strategist" or "Bush White House official" disavowing the GOP and promising to vote for Dems this November but I didn't think any "real Americans" were changing their minds. Very cool and good job on contributing!
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Had a long talk with a formerly conservative friend who has had enough of the monstrosities of the Trump organization. She committed to voting straight-ticket Democratic until Trump is out of office and the GOP stops being the party she is now ashamed of.
Whoa, you discovered a unicorn! I mean, I've seen a few editorials with "top GOP strategist" or "Bush White House official" disavowing the GOP and promising to vote for Dems this November but I didn't think any "real Americans" were changing their minds. Very cool and good job on contributing!
Thanks. I have actually had quite a few conversations with people who are conservative leaning but don't follow politics very much, who are starting to come around. Besides the person I talked about above, there are at least four others I can think of who are sounding pretty left-leaning these days compared to how they used to.
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I have met many people who are voting Democratic only because of Trump. Mostly people I've canvassed in different elections. Ranges from registered Republicans who actually switch their reg to Dem and swear off Republicans forever, to people who are more moderate and would normally vote on the person, but now will only vote Dem.
Fun fact: I fall in the latter category.
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That gives me hope to hear. My canvassing hasn't been so optimistic. In one day of going only to registered Dems, one told us that he had been meaning to change his registration to Republican (really??? NOW? Like, you didn't like them before, but they are cool NOW??) and another said that we should get the F off his porch and slammed the door in our face. That was just a few months ago, again a registered Dem, and it was because we were Dem volunteers and he is now a Trump supporter. I haven't had anyone express any increased desire to vote now or vote more blue in light of Trump et al. :(
However, in the spirit of this thread, BF and I are attempting to go canvassing once per month through the election.
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That gives me hope to hear. My canvassing hasn't been so optimistic. In one day of going only to registered Dems, one told us that he had been meaning to change his registration to Republican (really??? NOW? Like, you didn't like them before, but they are cool NOW??) and another said that we should get the F off his porch and slammed the door in our face. That was just a few months ago, again a registered Dem, and it was because we were Dem volunteers and he is now a Trump supporter. I haven't had anyone express any increased desire to vote now or vote more blue in light of Trump et al. :(
However, in the spirit of this thread, BF and I are attempting to go canvassing once per month through the election.
I think that getting strangers to change their opinions based on one interaction would be really, really hard. (And kudos to you for the canvassing.) In my case, these are people I've had prolonged interactions with over many years, and most of our interactions have been about subjects other than politics, which unite us. In the case of the person I mentioned "converting," she and I have known each other for many years because we both reached out to a support group for stepmothers. So we went through a number of years struggling with issues common to that "group." The political stuff started gradually, because I'm fairly vocal on Facebook. It used to be she would post Republican stuff (not the insane over-the-top Infowars crap, just conservative-leaning perspectives on things), and then I noticed for a while that she went quiet (around the time Trump got nominated). Then when he was elected, I saw her little by little liking or commenting on an occasional post of mine. When I saw that, I would try to engage her and affirm her thought process. And then she would start participating in discussions in our private Facebook group.
Lately, she has been very vocal about being outraged by many the Trump administration's actions, and I think this separating children from their families thing is what sent her over the edge. That's when I had a long conversation with her about this and said, "Democratic outrage isn't going to change this, because Trump's base loves to make liberals angry. The only thing that will really have an influence is if registered Republicans commit to voting straight-party Democrat in protest, and are VOCAL about it." She agreed, and she even called her congress critters to tell them what she was doing and why.
There is good work to be done, person by person. It isn't easy, but it can have an effect.
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It's been an insanely busy month what with weddings and graduations and all, but:
Took my 9 year old with me to canvass for House candidate. Response was good.
Took my preschooler with me to a vigil for the stolen immigrant children.
Planning to write a letter to the editor on how outraged I am that these children have been separated and shipped to NY of all places, with no end in sight. And how upset I am at how few limits there are to ICE powers.
Over the years my husband and I have voted occasionally for Republican candidates at the local level, like board of selectman, mayor, etc. Not doing that any more.
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It's an age-old paradigm by the looks of it.
https://qz.com/1293998/2400-years-ago-plato-saw-democracy-would-give-rise-to-a-tyrannical-leader-filled-with-false-and-braggart-words/
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Over the past couple weeks, my work team has decided we will not collect immigration status data to report to our federal funding agency.
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Had a long talk with a formerly conservative friend who has had enough of the monstrosities of the Trump organization. She committed to voting straight-ticket Democratic until Trump is out of office and the GOP stops being the party she is now ashamed of.
Whoa, you discovered a unicorn! I mean, I've seen a few editorials with "top GOP strategist" or "Bush White House official" disavowing the GOP and promising to vote for Dems this November but I didn't think any "real Americans" were changing their minds. Very cool and good job on contributing!
I'd put myself in this camp, there are more of us than you think though maybe not as many as you'd hope. I changed my voter registration to "Independent" the day after the election. I was (am) so disgusted with the current Republican party and it seems to only grow each day. I don't know if I'd go as far to commit to voting straight democratic ticket - there are state level republicans that I admire, and major issues I disagree with dems on, but I'm definitely leaning that way at least at the federal level.
Back on topic: I've been contacting my MOCs all week asking them to fix the border situation, the EO the President signed isn't going to help anything. I've encouraged several friends to as well and think I've almost got my husband convinced to do so as well!
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I'm glad other people have had positive interactions with Republicans. On my end, apparently you have to be a "triggered libtard" to point out that defending putting children alone in concentration camps where they're being horribly abused, laughing about this, and trolling people, makes you not a nice person. (And yes, I did seriously just say "not a nice person" rather than "you're a fucking monster, dickweed. Shut the fuck up." Points? Or should I have gone for the latter?)
When that is the attitude on the other side, I'm really starting to hate people and to get rather pessimistic. I hate it. I've always been an optimist and now I'm like, "Yeah, I could totally see 45 starting nuclear war if Kim insulted his hair. Better come up with a plan, just in case." -_-
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I'm glad other people have had positive interactions with Republicans. On my end, apparently you have to be a "triggered libtard" to point out that defending putting children alone in concentration camps where they're being horribly abused, laughing about this, and trolling people, makes you not a nice person. (And yes, I did seriously just say "not a nice person" rather than "you're a fucking monster, dickweed. Shut the fuck up." Points? Or should I have gone for the latter?)
When that is the attitude on the other side, I'm really starting to hate people and to get rather pessimistic. I hate it. I've always been an optimist and now I'm like, "Yeah, I could totally see 45 starting nuclear war if Kim insulted his hair. Better come up with a plan, just in case." -_-
I feel you and I consider one of my "small daily acts of political resistance" to be NOT talking to people that don't share my values and beliefs already, like almost at all. I know that retreating into our own bubbles is not what we are "supposed to be doing" nowadays and we are supposed to be trying hard to connect with other Americans (at least our side is, I don't think anyone is telling them they are supposed to be trying to interact with us). But interacting successfully with those people is not one of my skills and I send love to those for whom it is and try to spend my time most effectively, using skills I do have, for the cause. I consider it a big coup that I have gotten really good at clicking the "Thank you for your time. Have a nice day!" pre-written response in text-banking when I run into one of those horrors that goes off on one of their racist rants or some such. Keeping my mouth shut is the most productive thing for our side that I can manage in those situations.
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As the story of family separations has developed, my conversations with friends and peers fall into one of two camps... there are the left leaning folks who have always been against POTUS who oppose the policy, and of those who lean right and support POTUS, the belief seems to be a combination of: we have to enforce our laws, illegal immigration is such an issue that we may have to use unpleasant techniques to enforce immigration laws, similar things have been done under previous administrations, and POTUS's detractors are not acting out of care for separated children because they failed to oppose other things that previous administrations have done. The first two points seem to be a matter of opinion and weighing various values, I have to do research to determine the truthfulness of the third point, and the fourth point, while strictly speaking not relevant to the topic at hand, does have a grain of truth to it... very hard to say that you care about the young victims of the Trump administration if you were pointedly silent about the young victims of the Obama administration's heavy-handed use of drones.
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Uggh. Immigration. Yes, we have borders. Yes, we have a right to enforce them. But rethuglicans and libtartds conspired over 40 years ago to look the other way as Mexicans and Central Americans flooded the nation. The libtards for a larger constituency; the rethuglicans for cheap, cheap labor. Now not only have the horses left the barn but the hinges rusted off, the barn itself burned down, and there are weeds growing where it used to be. There's no use closing the doors now!
The only useful solution is to make them citizens and tax them 'til they learn enough English to cope. Building walls, separating children from parents, and all the rest of the frankly race baiting hysteria doesn't help the situation at all. Though it does provide a perfectly useless tax expenditure. And it really disturbs me ICE employs blatantly unconstitutional powers. Like that won't have a spill over effect on actual American citizens.
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The last episode of Revisionist History was really interesting, about how border enforcement became a Thing a few decades ago and how it unintentionally caused much worse effects (particularly from the view of border enforcers, but also from the view of compassionate humans). Definitely check it out to get another perspective and learn about our country's big picture approach to immigration over the last few decades.
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Let's all get back on track to posting actions. Anyone who wants to continue the conversation can go to the discussion thread. (I need to respond to something there myself, and I have some questions about immigration history.)
As well, please do not refer to large groups of people in insulting terms. "Rethuglican, libtard, monsters." There are people on this forum, and in this thread, that you're insulting.
I am working to get in touch with a volunteer lawyer group, to see if they need data help. Whatever you may think about current immigration policy, it is a deep American value that everyone should have adequate legal representation. Look at Adams representing British soldiers after the Boston massacre.
I am also going to look for travel canvassing buddies to Barbara Comstock's district. The VA primaries are over, and this is one of the most flippable districts.
Unfortunately with my new job I can't do much Beto texting anymore. It requires occasional follow up during the following days, and the available hours are when I'm at work. But I helped my friend from the Ossoff campaign get a field organizer job with them, and he just started last week!
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Voting now, which I guess is (along with a bunch of research) my act for today.
Question: just how progressive/liberal a gubernatorial candidate is electable in the general election in my very purple state? I actually like 3/4 candidates, although for different reasons (obviously).
(Full disclosure: my state's not really purple: if you look at a map that shows districts, we're deep blue urban areas and deep red rural areas.)
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What is the desired end result of these protests? Is the goal to have completely open borders? I know Liberals pay big money to get the angry crowds riled up but what is your desired end state of US Immigration?
Not to like, speak for the room or anything, but for me, personally?
- Family Reunification numbers stay the same, or increase by less than 5%
- The policy of putting the people who enter the us seeking asylum on what is basically bail is reinstated
- The limit on refugee resettlement is set to where it was in 1980, about 3x what it is now
- The waiting period for getting a work visa while your asylum request is being processed is dropped down to 21 days. Government assistance is made available for the first 42 days.
- A skills based admission program is introduced, replacing the current jobs visa process. This program has the ability to grant an unlimited number of green cards. It is funded at a level to process up to three times as many work visas as it does now.
- No other changes are introduced to the number of people currently allowed to legally immigrate.
This isn't my Christmas wish list for immigration. If we're talking about what I personally would do with a magic wand: Border control is socialism, and I'm just about the most pro-capitalist person I know. "Open borders" is just a scary way of saying "free market of labor". Criminal acts are exactly as much a justification for government intervention in the free movement of peoples as they are a justification for government intervention in the free movement of guns.
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Watched EJ Hegar’s “doors” campaign ad (in Texas) and set up a monthly contribution, as I did previously with Amy McGrath in Kentucky. They were combat pilots...won numerous medals, showed military leadership, married and had photogenic families...the very things that would have traditionally sent a white male to Congress. But as women they had to fight like heck to get to fly. If you haven't seen their ads, check them out! My dad was an Air Force veteran and life long democrat....I wish he were here to see these women run for Congress.
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/27/politics/who-is-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/index.html
Congrats to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez! She's set to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress if she wins this fall.
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/27/politics/who-is-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/index.html
Congrats to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez! She's set to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress ifwhen she wins this fall.
That is a deep blue district. She's a lock. It's pretty exciting. :)
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/27/politics/who-is-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/index.html
Congrats to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez! She's set to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress ifwhen she wins this fall.
That is a deep blue district. She's a lock. It's pretty exciting. :)
Nobody is a lock. We need to fight for each one.
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180627/14e3af2e20f67968728e6c9674510da1.png)
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https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/27/politics/who-is-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/index.html
Congrats to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez! She's set to become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress ifwhen she wins this fall.
That is a deep blue district. She's a lock. It's pretty exciting. :)
Nobody is a lock. We need to fight for each one.
+1. Complacency lost the last election because who in their right mind would elect that asshole conman to the presidency? A lot of people, it turns out.
pbkmaine, thank you for sharing that. Wise words.
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I went to pride, deeply ill. My friends made me stay in a Starbucks due to risk of collapse.
In the group behind me (3 young women, 1 slightly older) a flag and glitter enrobed young woman kept bitching to her companions that pride isn't political, people shouldn't make it political and it's for everyone, not just the dykes and fags, the older lady argued with her inefffectually, saying that pride is pride, and one younger one tried to speak up.
Eventually I turned and butted in, simply saying that when I was her age, I couldn't legally marry another woman, and that the reason I was in black, is because everyone in the village knew to warn each other about a possible serial killer. A serial killer who just got caught this year.
She shut the fuck up, her mother apologized.... and then it became clear that this young lady was 18, the other two were younger, and queer, and mama brought her daughter, daughter's girlfriend and an idiot other daughter to the big city for pride. I'm so glad the two youngest relaxed after that. And so glad they have a good mama
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I went to pride, deeply ill. My friends made me stay in a Starbucks due to risk of collapse.
In the group behind me (3 young women, 1 slightly older) a flag and glitter enrobed young woman kept bitching to her companions that pride isn't political, people shouldn't make it political and it's for everyone, not just the dykes and fags, the older lady argued with her inefffectually, saying that pride is pride, and one younger one tried to speak up.
Eventually I turned and butted in, simply saying that when I was her age, I couldn't legally marry another woman, and that the reason I was in black, is because everyone in the village knew to warn each other about a possible serial killer. A serial killer who just got caught this year.
She shut the fuck up, her mother apologized.... and then it became clear that this young lady was 18, the other two were younger, and queer, and mama brought her daughter, daughter's girlfriend and an idiot other daughter to the big city for pride. I'm so glad the two youngest relaxed after that. And so glad they have a good mama
I have a question, bisexual friendbeast. What are your thoughts on straight women frequenting lesbian bars?
Personally, I understand the motivation - a mixture of the exotic plus freedom from the vigilance of men+alcohol. Still, I find the assumption of unasked entry to be deeply presumptuous. Why should my space to relax and bond be one of the few safe spaces that's simply assumed to be open to the mainstream? White people don't assume welcome inside black safe spaces. Christians don't just cruise into Muslim safe spaces without invitation.
Discussing these thoughts usually gets me called a troglodyte. Maybe you'll call me a troglodyte. Should that happen, I'll meekly shrug, and point out that eventually my type of attitudes will eventually fall to attrition as the more enlightened generation takes the reigns.
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I think it's a... fraught question.
Beginning with the needs of the community: Does opening up the environment do as much to normalize non-straight relationships as it does to expose the community to risk? Gay bars exist because it is not safe to be gay in a regular bar, so the goal (ISTM) is that all gay bars eventually become just regular bars, because it's safe to be gay everywhere. But we don't live in that reality. There are still bars where it's dangerous to be gay. So there still need to be bars where it is explicitly safe to be gay.
To be more philosophical for a moment: The justification offered by straight women when they come into gay spaces is that straight women aren't safe in straight spaces (or are less safe, at any rate). So now we have sort of an asylum issue on our hands: Do gay spaces have an obligation to be safe spaces for straight Muslims, because we're all in here hiding from the Baptists? Safe spaces for straight black men, because we're all in here hiding from the skin heads? But what's the alternative, send the boats back to Germany?
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I went to pride, deeply ill. My friends made me stay in a Starbucks due to risk of collapse.
In the group behind me (3 young women, 1 slightly older) a flag and glitter enrobed young woman kept bitching to her companions that pride isn't political, people shouldn't make it political and it's for everyone, not just the dykes and fags, the older lady argued with her inefffectually, saying that pride is pride, and one younger one tried to speak up.
Eventually I turned and butted in, simply saying that when I was her age, I couldn't legally marry another woman, and that the reason I was in black, is because everyone in the village knew to warn each other about a possible serial killer. A serial killer who just got caught this year.
She shut the fuck up, her mother apologized.... and then it became clear that this young lady was 18, the other two were younger, and queer, and mama brought her daughter, daughter's girlfriend and an idiot other daughter to the big city for pride. I'm so glad the two youngest relaxed after that. And so glad they have a good mama
I have a question, bisexual friendbeast. What are your thoughts on straight women frequenting lesbian bars?
Personally, I understand the motivation - a mixture of the exotic plus freedom from the vigilance of men+alcohol. Still, I find the assumption of unasked entry to be deeply presumptuous. Why should my space to relax and bond be one of the few safe spaces that's simply assumed to be open to the mainstream? White people don't assume welcome inside black safe spaces. Christians don't just cruise into Muslim safe spaces without invitation.
Discussing these thoughts usually gets me called a troglodyte. Maybe you'll call me a troglodyte. Should that happen, I'll meekly shrug, and point out that eventually my type of attitudes will eventually fall to attrition as the more enlightened generation takes the reigns.
It's the issue of intersectionality, yes? We are living in a world where for several hundred years at least (personally I date it to white European men first circumnavigating the globe) the default human being is the white male heterosexual. All of us who for one of more reasons aren't in that demographic have to co-exist in the space that is left to us. Because we don't have a fair share of the available human space, or the available human resources, we end up fighting among ourselves for whatever is left after the white male heterosexuals have taken more than their fair share. We should all be fighting outwards but like rats in a trap it is far too easy for us to end up fighting each other. And how can we be respectful of each other when white male heterosexuals are not respectful towards us?
[Insert expressions of hurt feelings of white male heterosexuals below.]
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I went to pride, deeply ill. My friends made me stay in a Starbucks due to risk of collapse.
In the group behind me (3 young women, 1 slightly older) a flag and glitter enrobed young woman kept bitching to her companions that pride isn't political, people shouldn't make it political and it's for everyone, not just the dykes and fags, the older lady argued with her inefffectually, saying that pride is pride, and one younger one tried to speak up.
Eventually I turned and butted in, simply saying that when I was her age, I couldn't legally marry another woman, and that the reason I was in black, is because everyone in the village knew to warn each other about a possible serial killer. A serial killer who just got caught this year.
She shut the fuck up, her mother apologized.... and then it became clear that this young lady was 18, the other two were younger, and queer, and mama brought her daughter, daughter's girlfriend and an idiot other daughter to the big city for pride. I'm so glad the two youngest relaxed after that. And so glad they have a good mama
I have a question, bisexual friendbeast. What are your thoughts on straight women frequenting lesbian bars?
Personally, I understand the motivation - a mixture of the exotic plus freedom from the vigilance of men+alcohol. Still, I find the assumption of unasked entry to be deeply presumptuous. Why should my space to relax and bond be one of the few safe spaces that's simply assumed to be open to the mainstream? White people don't assume welcome inside black safe spaces. Christians don't just cruise into Muslim safe spaces without invitation.
Discussing these thoughts usually gets me called a troglodyte. Maybe you'll call me a troglodyte. Should that happen, I'll meekly shrug, and point out that eventually my type of attitudes will eventually fall to attrition as the more enlightened generation takes the reigns.
It's the issue of intersectionality, yes? We are living in a world where for several hundred years at least (personally I date it to white European men first circumnavigating the globe) the default human being is the white male heterosexual. All of us who for one of more reasons aren't in that demographic have to co-exist in the space that is left to us. Because we don't have a fair share of the available human space, or the available human resources, we end up fighting among ourselves for whatever is left after the white male heterosexuals have taken more than their fair share. We should all be fighting outwards but like rats in a trap it is far too easy for us to end up fighting each other. And how can we be respectful of each other when white male heterosexuals are not respectful towards us?
[Insert expressions of hurt feelings of white male heterosexuals below.]
Yes! Because racism, sexism, hate, etc. only apply to the dominant group. But if you’re a minority it’s totally OK to treat people like shit based on a demographic. Preferred even! If you’re not a white CIS male you should let that hate grow within you! They’re all inferior anyways. Less than human even if there are more of them. There are more cockroaches too, so there’s no virtue in numbers. :p
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Y'all. Discussion thread, please. And positive engagement. No tarring large groups of people based on some quality out of their control.
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Families Belong Together demonstration in The Villages
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180630/d8a38f182c639ab8bfdd008b6b712667.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Families Belong Together demonstration in The Villages
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180630/d8a38f182c639ab8bfdd008b6b712667.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for attending. Our local rally is this evening.
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Families Belong Together demonstration in The Villages
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180630/d8a38f182c639ab8bfdd008b6b712667.jpg)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for attending. Our local rally is this evening.
Ditto!
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Now that Justice Kennedy is retiring Republicans in Arkansas's state legislature are proposing a ban on abortions with no exception for rape (http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/jul/01/kennedy-exit-puts-target-on-abortion-20/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morning-7-1-18&utm_content=morning-7-1-18+CID_c55ef8b18deb2ac9b8ee382f49dee547&utm_source=Email%20Marketing%20Platform&utm_term=Arkansas%20Republicans%20set%20to%20push%20for%20near-total%20ban%20on%20abortions%20after%20Supreme%20Court%20exit). I am horrified. What actions should I take? So far I'm beginning to consider moving and talking to my gynecologic-oncologist about removing my uterus and remaining ovary, but that certainly doesn't improve the situation for anyone else.
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
See reply #1016 in this thread.
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craimund is trolling his right wing antics in all the threads here.
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craimund is trolling his right wing antics in all the threads here.
Can't handle disagreement?
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
See reply #1016 in this thread.
Is the thread now limited to the legislation mentioned in that post? If so, the title would appear to be inaccurate. If you want a left-wing only forum, I guess that's OK but that should be made clear in the title.
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
See reply #1016 in this thread.
Is the thread now limited to the legislation mentioned in that post? If so, the title would appear to be inaccurate. If you want a left-wing only forum, I guess that's OK but that should be made clear in the title.
This thread is about specific actions of political resistance. Please take your political discussion over to the discussion thread.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
See reply #1016 in this thread.
Is the thread now limited to the legislation mentioned in that post? If so, the title would appear to be inaccurate. If you want a left-wing only forum, I guess that's OK but that should be made clear in the title.
This thread is about specific actions of political resistance. Please take your political discussion over to the discussion thread.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/
I'm resisting the Democrats attempts to retake the Senate and delay the Supreme Court nomination of Kennedy's replacement. Is that not political resistance?
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@Physicsteacher Indivisible has laid out a strategy for holding the line on the Supreme Court here. (https://mailchi.mp/2a39e56eabac/special-edition-lee-ofa-indivisible-newsletter?e=a3f6b2cb5b) Bottom line: call you Senators and do whatever you can to help flip the Senate this fall.
At the state level, you need reasonable legislators who respect women. I'm sure MJ can help you more specifically, but can you get involved in the election cycle in your local district?
Dems are unlikely to flip the Senate. In fact, they may lose one or more seats in MO, WV, ND, IN. Even if they were to regain the Senate, it would be too late to influence the Supreme Court nominee to replace Kennedy. This will be done by September.
If you do not wish to propose specific actions to resist this proposed legislation, please take this conversation to the political discussion thread.
What legislation? Discussion involved upcoming Senate elections and Supreme Court nominations.
See reply #1016 in this thread.
Is the thread now limited to the legislation mentioned in that post? If so, the title would appear to be inaccurate. If you want a left-wing only forum, I guess that's OK but that should be made clear in the title.
This thread is about specific actions of political resistance. Please take your political discussion over to the discussion thread.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/small-daily-acts-of-political-discussion/
I'm resisting the Democrats attempts to retake the Senate and delay the Supreme Court nomination of Kennedy's replacement. Is that not political resistance?
This thread is specifically about action. If you want to post a particular action you have taken in that respect, have at it.
Otherwise, go to the other thread.
EDIT: Please see the next post. Monkeyjenga, as the OP, makes the rules in this thread.
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I have updated the first post to specify that this thread is for actions that oppose the current administration. craimund, you are welcome to create a new thread for pro-Trump/Republican actions.
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I sent a letter to the editor of a publication to ask them to be better about how they are covering domestic violence, citing a recent problematic puff piece they put out.
MJ - I can remove this if you feel this is too off topic, just lmk. Not about the current US administration, but pushing back on the social crap that came along with it.
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I took action by signing up as a volunteer for Run For Something.
My next action will be to participate in one of the volunteer orientation calls so I can further take action with the company.
Routed charitable donations these past couple months to the ACLU, an organization working to reunited families separated at the border, and a local workers rights organization.
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Now that Justice Kennedy is retiring Republicans in Arkansas's state legislature are proposing a ban on abortions with no exception for rape (http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/jul/01/kennedy-exit-puts-target-on-abortion-20/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morning-7-1-18&utm_content=morning-7-1-18+CID_c55ef8b18deb2ac9b8ee382f49dee547&utm_source=Email%20Marketing%20Platform&utm_term=Arkansas%20Republicans%20set%20to%20push%20for%20near-total%20ban%20on%20abortions%20after%20Supreme%20Court%20exit). I am horrified. What actions should I take? So far I'm beginning to consider moving and talking to my gynecologic-oncologist about removing my uterus and remaining ovary, but that certainly doesn't improve the situation for anyone else.
You mean, removing those organs to prevent an untenable pregnancy? That certainly seems drastic. There are less harmful-to-your-health medical procedures for that. But perhaps you want to throw the bloody organs at Amy Barrett? I guess that would be good resistance theater.
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LOL iris lily, always the entertainer. You'd be a great old school "zap" activist.
I signed up to volunteer for Jen Wexton's campaign, to help flip Barbara Comstock's district.
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Summer of resistance. Incredibly busy. In the past month,
- attended two popup vigils for the stolen children
- met up with two sets of friends at local rally on Saturday. Record numbers showed up!
- recruited 5 new friends to resistance group
- wrote postcards to 8 swing Senators requesting that they delay confirmation of SC justice until conclusion of Mueller investigation because of conflict of interest
- wrote 22 postcards to voters in other states reminding them to vote in upcoming special elections
- planning phone calls to voters in states with swing senators asking them to call about SC justice
And not resistance but in support of stolen kids
- assembled care packages for immigrant children being held in my state
- gave money to pro bono legal organizations supporting immigrant organizations
- found speakers of native central American languages to translate for detained immigrants at border. Some of the detainees and separated children speak no English or Spanish
Incredibly upset about the whole situation.
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Update to this story which was apparently aired 2 days after the Trump "No family seperation" policy..
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-asylum-seekers-meet-when-they-try-to-cross-legally
The family was split up and the guardian (grand parent) was separated from her 3 year old Granddaughter and has been for ten days.
Nice people.
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I'm in Scotland, and will be attending tomorrow's anti-Trump march in Glasgow.
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Thanks, @Nickyd£g !! Please know that so many of us here in the States are working against this guy too. In other words, don't hate us and please don't think that jackass represents us!
For my part, I emailed Lisa Murkowski (<--I'm still a registered AK voter) to urge her not to confirm Trump's SCOTUS pick. Can anyone say conflict of interest? Now that she's gotten what she's been slavering over for year (ability to drill in ANWR) I'm not hopeful because she's falling more and more in party line (do they have dirt on every one of the Republicans?) but I appealed to whatever conscience she's got left.
I won't even bother with Dan Sullivan, that dirtbag. He'll vote with Trump and crow about how ethical he is.
I've also been trying to be even kinder than usual to random people. Because apparently being kind is a radical notion, and it's definitely a form of political resistance when there are forces actively trying to get us all to hate each other.
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Thanks, @Nickyd£g !! Please know that so many of us here in the States are working against this guy too. In other words, don't hate us and please don't think that jackass represents us!
For my part, I emailed Lisa Murkowski (<--I'm still a registered AK voter) to urge her not to confirm Trump's SCOTUS pick. Can anyone say conflict of interest? Now that she's gotten what she's been slavering over for year (ability to drill in ANWR) I'm not hopeful because she's falling more and more in party line (do they have dirt on every one of the Republicans?) but I appealed to whatever conscience she's got left.
I won't even bother with Dan Sullivan, that dirtbag. He'll vote with Trump and crow about how ethical he is.
I've also been trying to be even kinder than usual to random people. Because apparently being kind is a radical notion, and it's definitely a form of political resistance when there are forces actively trying to get us all to hate each other.
Hi SisterX, I have visited the US numerous times and loved it (though will not be visiting while Trump is in office) so I don't hate the people, however I admit I have been shocked at the level of support he has from people and the GOP. I think he is a danger to all of democracy, and feel disgusted that May is so desperately appeasing him because we need the US after we crash out of the EU with Brexit.
and yes, kindness does seem to be in short supply, however I'm with the they go low we get dirty camp when confronting evil! :)
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Hi SisterX, I have visited the US numerous times and loved it (though will not be visiting while Trump is in office) so I don't hate the people, however I admit I have been shocked at the level of support he has from people and the GOP. I think he is a danger to all of democracy, and feel disgusted that May is so desperately appeasing him because we need the US after we crash out of the EU with Brexit.
and yes, kindness does seem to be in short supply, however I'm with the they go low we get dirty camp when confronting evil! :)
I completely agree with that statement. :/ Keep up the good fight on your end and we'll work on ours. Hopefully things will come out all right.
And when I said I was being kind, I meant to the random people I meet. The workers speaking Spanish who came to deliver something to my office, service people, coworkers, etc. Circle of influence and all that.
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I ended my vacation in London and attended the march/rally against Trump on Friday. It was great to be a part of it! There were a ton of people, as you all saw on the news.
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aw man - I'm in the OC right now visiting family - family who think the current administration and the GOP in general are 'doing great things for our country.' I could have volunteered to help Harley Rouda unseat Dana Russiabacker. Oh well, I'll just paypal him a few bucks.
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Talked with DH about where we want to put our political donations this cycle - we're thinking 4 races we care about (2 VA congressional races getting a little less media attention, one congressional race in IA, and one state house race in OK), and an extra donation to Swing Left's Immediate Impact Fund. Then we'll look again in late September for some 4th quarter donations and give some more, and see if we can canvass for one of those VA races!
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I just donated $25 to fund these billboards
https://maddogpac.com/products/dana-rohrabacher-ca-48?variant=7575913103413
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DiLtwK1U0AATA-z.jpg)
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Rounds complete on personal pledge to donate $10k to various Democratic candidates.
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Rounds complete on personal pledge to donate $10k to various Democratic candidates.
whoa - nice!
I'm doing $25 here, $25 there.
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Emailed my reps at all levels of gov't to complain about the planned redistricting of Toronto's municipal government. I'm so angry about this.
(For everyone else, a primer: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/feds-threaten-to-bypass-queen-s-park-accuse-ford-of-fostering-chaos-in-toronto-1.4030839)
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Encouraged a friend to throw a postcard writing party. She bought the postcards, I bought the postage, we have a date and a list of people who said they would be willing to write cards. It's going to happen!
Getting our addresses through Postcards to Voters.
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I ended my vacation in London and attended the march/rally against Trump on Friday. It was great to be a part of it! There were a ton of people, as you all saw on the news.
Cool My Mum and Dad are still alive in the UK and they were spitting nails over Trump's attitude!
The funny thing is.. They voted FOR Brexit.. Umm yeah..:)
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Voted in my states primary today. Simple and easy but important nonetheless.
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Voted in my states primary today. Simple and easy but important nonetheless.
Thank you! If only everyone would do this small task, we'd be in great shape!
To be fair, it's not a truly small task everywhere. Except for the length of my ballot (which was something like 8 pages in my primary), my state makes it pretty easy. But other states purposely make it hard and discourage voting. I'm working with a group called Lawyers for Good Government and their Election Watch project to try to have trained legal review of actions proposed in any county in any state that would make voting less accessible. It's just getting off the ground, and our pilot state will be OH. Our hope is to stop bad legislation or the shutting down of precincts in places predominantly populated by POC or lower socioeconomic levels before it happens.
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Voted in my states primary today. Simple and easy but important nonetheless.
Thank you! If only everyone would do this small task, we'd be in great shape!
To be fair, it's not a truly small task everywhere. Except for the length of my ballot (which was something like 8 pages in my primary), my state makes it pretty easy. But other states purposely make it hard and discourage voting. I'm working with a group called Lawyers for Good Government and their Election Watch project to try to have trained legal review of actions proposed in any county in any state that would make voting less accessible. It's just getting off the ground, and our pilot state will be OH. Our hope is to stop bad legislation or the shutting down of precincts in places predominantly populated by POC or lower socioeconomic levels before it happens.
You mean like requiring a state-issued ID to vote, or something else?
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Voted in my states primary today. Simple and easy but important nonetheless.
Thank you! If only everyone would do this small task, we'd be in great shape!
To be fair, it's not a truly small task everywhere. Except for the length of my ballot (which was something like 8 pages in my primary), my state makes it pretty easy. But other states purposely make it hard and discourage voting. I'm working with a group called Lawyers for Good Government and their Election Watch project to try to have trained legal review of actions proposed in any county in any state that would make voting less accessible. It's just getting off the ground, and our pilot state will be OH. Our hope is to stop bad legislation or the shutting down of precincts in places predominantly populated by POC or lower socioeconomic levels before it happens.
Although I think I should end it there, before this gets too far afield from the thread purpose.
You mean like requiring a state-issued ID to vote, or something else?
Could be, it depends on the specific nature of the legislation. But voter ID laws certainly need to be evaluated, and not *after* they are already made into law. But there are many other examples - like I mentioned, shutting down polling places - or eliminating or restricting early voting, restricting registration, etc. One piece of legislation I saw was a resolution that a particular county wanted people to be allowed to vote *on the congressional candidate specifically* only if they could prove they paid more in federal taxes than they received in federal benefits. The resolution was just a statement of principle, and it was later resoundingly repudiated, but it's absolutely shocking what some counties out there are attempting to do.
Although I guess I should leave it there since this is getting afield from the purpose of the thread.
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http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/will_bunch/pnc-bank-quaker-environmentalists-earth-quaker-action-team-20180814.html
How a small group of Quakers are making change happen.
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Massachusetts now has automatic voter registration if you have a driver's license or have applied for MassHealth, and are an adult U.S. citizen, unless you opt out.
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I have conversations occasionally with Trump voters, and these are people that I don't think have fully thought through how such a vote can affect them personally.
One guy who voted for Trump now has regrets and thinks Trump is doing badly, although he seems oddly concerned that Trump is being attacked by the Democrats.
I explained to him it's ok for anyone including Democrats to criticize Trump's choices. I encouraged him to vote Democrat in the mid-term elections, and he said he probably just won't bother to vote at all.
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Well done, DavidAnnArbor.
I started a crowd-fund campaign to hire a lobbyist in DC to convince our representatives to end federal subsidies of animal agriculture.
https://www.lobbyists4good.org/animal-ag-subsidies
tl;dr : Animal agriculture is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Factory farming is an abomination. Americans are eating 2x more meat and 3x more dairy vs 100 years ago, and it's making us sick. Our tax dollars should not be funding this industry.
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Well done, DavidAnnArbor.
I started a crowd-fund campaign to hire a lobbyist in DC to convince our representatives to end federal subsidies of animal agriculture.
https://www.lobbyists4good.org/animal-ag-subsidies
tl;dr : Animal agriculture is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Factory farming is an abomination. Americans are eating 2x more meat and 3x more dairy vs 100 years ago, and it's making us sick. Our tax dollars should not be funding this industry.
Sorry this isn't necessarily an action to end the Trump administration. It's more toward opposing the system. The people who receive farm bill subsidies turn around and put that $ into political campaigns. It has to end.
So if you want me to delete this post I can MJ, lemme know.
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Small act that was technically the other day since it was a mail in ballot - I voted in the local election. It would also have been the primary election for my state but it has closed primaries and I'm currently NPA (no party affiliation). I voted for a couple school board members and a couple of judges. The judges aren't supposed to advocate for any particular causes or laws, but you can tell from their resumes which ones are more likely to be friendly (or unfriendly) to minorities, women, the poor, etc.
Next up - November!
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The Florida governor's race is going to be a big deal. Just donated to Andrew Gillum's campaign. I also updated my address so I can vote in the general election in my new town.
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Yes it is. Trying to figure out how best to help him. DeSantis gave him a boost this morning.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I am helping in FL from afar! Yay everyone.
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http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/will_bunch/pnc-bank-quaker-environmentalists-earth-quaker-action-team-20180814.html
How a small group of Quakers are making change happen.
Thanks for posting. I grew up in the Phila. area and it's good to see the Quakers still have a core group of energized activists. I like their realization that one thing that companies can't stand is to see their brand "tarnished."
(as Papa Johns Pizza well knows....!) Public shaming is an under-rated tactic, IMO, but according to this article a persistent and focused effort can make a big splash.
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I am helping in FL from afar! Yay everyone.
Well, if you want to get closer, there’s always a place for you here.
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Agreed (along with MrInCO) to attend a training for our preferred gov candidate. They've agreed that we can do get-out-the-vote and oppose-the-moronic-negative-campaigning organizing in our neighborhood, and those very nearby.
It's not the most useful (well, the second part may be -- I don't watch TV (ever) or answer the phone during this season, so I don't know how effective the negative campaigning from the sleezy other guy looks) but we're crazy busy with other stuff right now, so this is what we CAN do. (Plus, it's an excuse to go walk the neighborhoods after dinner and re-connect with our neighbors.)
(I mean it's potentially less useful then trying to campaign in other neighborhoods, but ... we can barely add this one more thing now as it is.)
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https://themarshallproject.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a92567c13cca06b470824aead&id=beff65be1c&e=e009ce48a5
Brett Kavanaugh stumbles from Sen. Kamala Harris line of questioning about Mueller investigation.
Protestors get arrested.
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Signed up with the NAACP and county Democratic party to drive voters - their choice of days for early voting days or election day.
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My partner and I give monthly to Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org), American Civil Liberties Union (https://www.aclu.org), and Southern Poverty Law Center (https://www.splcenter.org).
From time to time we give extra, like recently to Either Sen. Collins VOTES NO on Kavanaugh OR we fund her future opponent (https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/387413/either-sen-collins-votes-no-on-kavanaugh-or-we-fund-her-future-opponent). Also, my partner and daughter are canvasing for Carolyn Long in an attempt to flip the WA 3rd congressional district.
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Gave to the Puerto Rican Voter Project and Mi Familia Vota, to promote civic engagement and voter registration among Puerto Ricans on the mainland. Deadline to register to vote in FL is October 9, I believe!
https://movement.vote/puertorico/
https://www.mifamiliavota.org/donate/
(edited to give more direct links to relevant programs)
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I just donated to Fund Chuck Grassley's Future Opponent (https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/388598/fund-chuck-grassleys-future-opponent).
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I poked family in Maine, and friends & family in Alaska, to contact Collins & Murkowski to vote no on Kavanaugh.
The FB comments on Murkowski's page make me sick. "I was raped at 14 and I just don't believe that lying bitch who's only trying to take down a great man. Vote YES because Kavanaugh will save the GOP!" (Not an actual comment, but the sentiment is there.)
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I emailed my state level rep applauding his recent vote on a bill that ended up passing and is awesome.
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Donated $100 to swing left and $50 to my gubernatorial candidate who is in a toss up race.
Will look at donating to Heitkamp, Rosen, McCaskill, and O'Rourke after next paycheck.
Have been doing some text-banking with red2blue as well.
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I've been conversing with various people about the importance of voting.
I sent out a message on nextdoor.com - my local area one, and typed up a post about how easy it is to do an absentee ballot, how to download the application, print it out, scan it and send it in via email in order to get the paper ballot mailed to the home.
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Been writing 20 postcards a day to infrequent voters, reminding them to vote for their Congressional candidate. Also have been distributing packets of cards to my friends to write.
I tried doorknocking the other day. It was actually a very positive experience! Almost everybody who was home had not heard about the candidate, but was happy to learn. They were startled to learn that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district (the part I have canvassed has been GOP for decades; there were big aggressive GOP signs everywhere and no Dem signs). I told them to tell all their friends.
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Been writing 20 postcards a day to infrequent voters, reminding them to vote for their Congressional candidate. Also have been distributing packets of cards to my friends to write.
I tried doorknocking the other day. It was actually a very positive experience! Almost everybody who was home had not heard about the candidate, but was happy to learn. They were startled to learn that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district (the part I have canvassed has been GOP for decades; there were big aggressive GOP signs everywhere and no Dem signs). I told them to tell all their friends.
awesome! Thanks for getting out there! And recruiting more postcard writers!
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Phone banked for Beto (US Senate candidate in TX, close race, possible R to D flip). Signed up for next 2 weekends.
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One of the things I've been doing on the side (since my full time "job" at the moment is all elections all the time) is to text for Proposal 2 in MI which would end gerrymandering by establishing an independent citizens redistricting commission. The texting is ok, but I am hearing they are doing well in the polls, so that's good!
The interesting thing with this, as with voter registration texting I've been involved in over the last year, is that I often get replies like "No, I'm a Republican" or "No, I'm a Trump supporter." Now, let's be clear that both of these types of texting are strictly non-partisan and we write these scripts as such, we train our volunteers to be non-partisan (we suggest that volunteers wanting to do partisan work participate in other efforts) and we QC all our vols as they are texting to be sure we stick to the non-partisan nature (as well as other QC elements like data gathering). So everything is very strictly non-partisan. And not only through my own texting but through talking with other texters about and QCing hundreds of thousands of texts, I have never seen anyone respond to our invitation to support an independent citizens redistricting commission or to participate in registering/reviewing voter registration with "No, I'm a liberal/progressive" or "No, I'm a Bernie/Hillary supporter". Last week I had one even more explicit: "I'm in favor of gerrymandering if it benefits Republicans."
Republicans know that ending gerrymandering and getting more citizens registered and voting is not in their favor. I mean, not just the "Republican party," but the average conservative guy on the street. The Republican strategy, in the bigger picture, depends on minimizing the power of the polity, since, if we could turn out in the same ratios as them, we'd win much more. This is both depressing and optimistic. So, yeah, non-partisan work is also one of my small ways to help the Resistance.
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I just donated $50 to Democrat Elissa Slotkin's very tight race to unseat the Republican Congressperson Mike Bishop.
Mike Bishop is in the mold of Brett Kavanaugh fratboy highly partisan conservative.
Elissa Slotkin is almost the real story of the character Carrie Anne Mathison from "Homeland"
https://elissaforcongress.com/
I'm going to ask my dad if he will donate to Heidi Heitkamp's race in North Dakota.
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Been writing 20 postcards a day to infrequent voters, reminding them to vote for their Congressional candidate. Also have been distributing packets of cards to my friends to write.
I tried doorknocking the other day. It was actually a very positive experience! Almost everybody who was home had not heard about the candidate, but was happy to learn. They were startled to learn that there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district (the part I have canvassed has been GOP for decades; there were big aggressive GOP signs everywhere and no Dem signs). I told them to tell all their friends.
I would like to write postcards. Where can I learn more?
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
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I am one of the most pessimistic people I know when it come to the Supreme Court, and even I don't think they would back up Trump trying to nullify election results completely. Bush v Gore is one thing, but going full Putin is another.
You do raise an important issue, and one that can be overlooked when everyone is focused on Congress. Local and state officials decide where the polling locations are! This is a great thing to get involved with during off-years, when there are fewer exciting races to phone bank for. Exactly who decides what can differ by state, so first step is finding out the rules in your state. There may even be positions you can run for yourself, at the county level. Or fuck it, run for state-level positions too!
I no longer have the energy or motivation for small actions, because I'm working many hours, every day, on big federal campaigns. Frankly it is super stressful, and I can't do this role again in 2020 without some serious changes. At least I'm FI, so I can demand the changes I need. That's my off-cycle plan, to get improvements implemented so crunch time goes more smoothly for everyone.
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That is a good point, MJ, and I think this is where I want to concentrate post-election -- on reforming election laws in my state. One reason so many western states go blue is because it is WICKED EASY to vote. There are a million different ways to do it, you have plenty of time, and you don't have to stand in line to make your voice heard.
I have found a couple of things that are helping me reframe to a less desolate point of view, maybe they will help others, too:
This article on lessons from union organizing (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/opinion/unions-democrats-organizers-midterms.html)
Greg Proops's latest podcast (https://www.gregproops.com/blog/smartest-man-in-the-world-podcast/)
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
This, plus we all know Russia is meddling again (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/02/07/tillerson-russians-already-meddling-u-s-midterm-elections/314560002/) and the Republicans have no desire to stop it because it benefits them.
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Been writing 20 postcards a day to infrequent voters, reminding them to vote for their Congressional candidate. Also have been distributing packets of cards to my friends to write.
I would like to write postcards. Where can I learn more?
@oldtoyota sent you a PM!
@madgeylou It could help a little to sign up to work as a poll watcher for a campaign? Or sign up with the campaign to drive people to polls? I signed up to be a poll watcher during our primaries and got some better signage posted.
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That is a good point, MJ, and I think this is where I want to concentrate post-election -- on reforming election laws in my state. One reason so many western states go blue is because it is WICKED EASY to vote. There are a million different ways to do it, you have plenty of time, and you don't have to stand in line to make your voice heard.
I have found a couple of things that are helping me reframe to a less desolate point of view, maybe they will help others, too:
This article on lessons from union organizing (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/opinion/unions-democrats-organizers-midterms.html)
Greg Proops's latest podcast (https://www.gregproops.com/blog/smartest-man-in-the-world-podcast/)
@madgeylou check out https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/election-watch/. I've been really involved in getting this program off the ground. Unfortunately other programs of L4GG have been more immediately urgent so we didn't really launch in 2018 as hoped, but we expect to be fully up to speed before 2020. The idea is to monitor local (and in some cases state) elections boards and the crazy decisions they make and stop them before those decisions are made. I think I mentioned it, perhaps even on this thread, but this year I saw one county elections board pass a (non-binding) resolution to disallow citizens from voting on their Congressperson unless they could prove they paid more in taxes than they received in federal benefits. I mean, these county boards are crazy. Anyway, in order to fully launch the program, we are planning to bring in non-lawyers. There just aren't enough of us to cover the 3000+ boards that make these decisions. Whether you are interested in this program or just get inspired to keep an eye on your own local elections board, it is worthwhile. This is definitely where we need to stop voter suppression and other shit before it starts, and we've been sadly oblivious for a long time!
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I am feeling slightly inspired today, so I blew most of my recruiting bonus on donations to The Great Slate (https://techsolidarity.org/resources/great_slate.html) and some local races, and signed up for the Sister District data and research team.
@Poundwise I would also be interested in details on postcard writing! I keep seeing it mentioned!
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
After reading this piece about voter suppression in Georgia I see what you mean.
Democracy in Danger in Georgia
The right is using voter suppression to rig the governor’s race.
https://nyti.ms/2A5EZxh
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
After reading this piece about voter suppression in Georgia I see what you mean.
Democracy in Danger in Georgia
The right is using voter suppression to rig the governor’s race.
https://nyti.ms/2A5EZxh
I'll up your article with one of my own. 4 Women Indicted in North Texas Voter Fraud Ring. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/4-Indicted-in-North-Texas-Voter-Fraud-Scheme-497239441.html) Some of us are very strongly in favor of voter ID for good reason.
Of course, a nationally recognized voter card (https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/26/opinion/frum-identity-cards/index.html) used in all states, and provided for free, would fix basically all of that. But its apparently racist to want that system?...
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
After reading this piece about voter suppression in Georgia I see what you mean.
Democracy in Danger in Georgia
The right is using voter suppression to rig the governor’s race.
https://nyti.ms/2A5EZxh
I'll up your article with one of my own. 4 Women Indicted in North Texas Voter Fraud Ring. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/4-Indicted-in-North-Texas-Voter-Fraud-Scheme-497239441.html) Some of us are very strongly in favor of voter ID for good reason.
Of course, a nationally recognized voter card (https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/26/opinion/frum-identity-cards/index.html) used in all states, and provided for free, would fix basically all of that. But its apparently racist to want that system?...
I don’t think you’ll find very many people on the left who would be against a nationally recognized voter ID card, as long as the process for obtaining one was designed not to disenfranchise certain groups of people who often lack either the money or the means of identification that your typical middle- or upper-class person has. Automatic voter registration at a certain age plus a free card would be a wonderful thing, I think. The only types likely to object are some libertarians, and of course people on the right who don’t want groups who tend to lean Democrat to vote.
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Widespread, statistically significant voter fraud is right up there with reverse racism in terms of shit that doesn’t exist.
Of course you could easily answer your own questions about why Voter ID laws are racist by cleverly using the very device that you hold in your hands at this instant, so I’ll say no more and allow this discussion to get back on track.
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Widespread, statistically significant voter fraud is right up there with reverse racism in terms of shit that doesn’t exist.
Of course you could easily answer your own questions about why Voter ID laws are racist by cleverly using the very device that you hold in your hands at this instant, so I’ll say no more and allow this discussion to get back on track.
20,000 votes in the Dallas area alone (https://empowertexans.com/features/first-arrests-made-in-fort-worth-voter-fraud-ring/) isn't significant and doesn't exist?...
“Direct Action Texas spent countless hours analyzing open records requests, noticing patterns and discovering Fort Worth voters whose voice was stolen,” Aaron Harris, the group’s Executive Director, told Texas Scorecard in October 2016. “This vote harvesting operation preys on the elderly and the economically disadvantaged, who are among our most vulnerable neighbors.”
“Our research has shined a light on a covert, yet pervasive network – to the tune of 20,000 ballots, over four years, primarily within the African-American and Hispanic communities,” Harris added. “All indications are this is the largest investigation related to voter fraud the Attorney General’s office has ever seen.”
But anyhow, y'all can get back on track. I'll jump out.
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Widespread, statistically significant voter fraud is right up there with reverse racism in terms of shit that doesn’t exist.
Of course you could easily answer your own questions about why Voter ID laws are racist by cleverly using the very device that you hold in your hands at this instant, so I’ll say no more and allow this discussion to get back on track.
20,000 votes in the Dallas area alone (https://empowertexans.com/features/first-arrests-made-in-fort-worth-voter-fraud-ring/) isn't significant and doesn't exist?...
“Direct Action Texas spent countless hours analyzing open records requests, noticing patterns and discovering Fort Worth voters whose voice was stolen,” Aaron Harris, the group’s Executive Director, told Texas Scorecard in October 2016. “This vote harvesting operation preys on the elderly and the economically disadvantaged, who are among our most vulnerable neighbors.”
“Our research has shined a light on a covert, yet pervasive network – to the tune of 20,000 ballots, over four years, primarily within the African-American and Hispanic communities,” Harris added. “All indications are this is the largest investigation related to voter fraud the Attorney General’s office has ever seen.”
But anyhow, y'all can get ba ck on track. I'll jump out.
Your first source was reputable. This one is garbage.
Sources matter.
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The study didn't say anyone at all was doing a fraud that would be prevented by an ID. The fraud was by deceitful use of mail in ballots, according to the article itself.
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I've been writing postcards and canvassing but just can't shake the feeling that the Republicans have stolen too much power already for us to be successful.
I'll keep at it through this election, but I am really afraid that this election won't work -- I mean they have closed and moved a bunch of polling places in my liberal neighborhood -- a clear voter suppression tactic -- and people keep mysteriously not being registered to vote when they were before and haven't moved in years.
And I think there's a real chance that even if the blue wave does arrive, The Donald will just declare that it was invalid for some made-up reason and now he has the Supreme Court to back him up.
So I'm honestly not feeling that hopeful. But I will keep canvassing and writing postcards and doing what I can. It just doesn't feel like it's going to stop our slide into fascism.
After reading this piece about voter suppression in Georgia I see what you mean.
Democracy in Danger in Georgia
The right is using voter suppression to rig the governor’s race.
https://nyti.ms/2A5EZxh
I'll up your article with one of my own. 4 Women Indicted in North Texas Voter Fraud Ring. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/4-Indicted-in-North-Texas-Voter-Fraud-Scheme-497239441.html) Some of us are very strongly in favor of voter ID for good reason.
Of course, a nationally recognized voter card (https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/26/opinion/frum-identity-cards/index.html) used in all states, and provided for free, would fix basically all of that. But its apparently racist to want that system?...
I'll add the Rachael Maddow show for 11/10/18 and 12/10/18 which details a decades long and continuing attempt by election officials in Texas to stop the students at a historically black college from voting.
The corruption (or gross incompetence) of election officials in the USA is constantly astounding to me.
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The fraud is how Republicans have done everything possible to make it harder and harder to vote
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We turned in our absentee ballots the other day. Should have been delivered by now via diplomatic pouch. Only had two races on the ballot but we got to support Beto and Vanessa Adia
https://www.vanessaadia.com/meet-vanessa
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Diplomatic pouch! Very fancy!
Phone banked for Beto.
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I just decided and committed to helping staff the GOTV office in my district and train canvassers from 8-8 on weekends from now till the election. It will at least keep me from sitting at home worrying!
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We voted last week. Dropped our absentee ballots in the mail.
I know it's small, but well, we all NEED to vote! So my husband and I did.
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PTF!
Recent actions:
- Filled out get-out-the-vote postcards for the ACLU
- Volunteered to clerk the polls
- Starting the process of researching the propositions & measures for my local elections
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Passed on info about Vote Forward to two friends, though I haven't tried it myself. They have signed up. Just one more mailing week before the election! https://votefwd.org/
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I spent my weekend at the local staging location center for canvassing in my part of my city -- training each canvasser, making a connection with them, prepping them to get out and talk to people. I really enjoyed it, much more than I enjoy actual canvassing, and felt like I was making a difference and helping to build some momentum for our local races. Good stuff all around!
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Passed on info about Vote Forward to two friends, though I haven't tried it myself. They have signed up. Just one more mailing week before the election! https://votefwd.org/
This is awesome - thank you for sharing. I just signed up.
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I've been reminding all the students in the yoga classes that I teach that I hope that they vote, and I explained how easy it was to do an absentee ballot. I know it's weird to mention that to the students, but many seemed to be in strong agreement with me.
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Last week we gave our final round of campaign donations, targeting some state and House races we care about, and chipped in on some clustered giving for state races in NC and elsewhere. We also signed up to do some GOTV canvassing with Spanberger's campaign, because David Brat is the worst!
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NELSON-GILLUM YO - Let's elect some Democrats in Florida!
If you want to keep an ASTRONAUT in office in Florida, hit me up! I can get you hooked up with Hustle, a super easy, no-commitment texting program. You can do it for a few minutes at a time while waiting in line at Starbucks waiting for your French press coffee.
People who've worked for Bill Nelson say he's a genuinely nice person, and he's in a ridiculously tight race defending his Senate seat against well-documented scumbag Rick Scott.
Additional D turnout will help boost down-ballot candidates in close races, AND Andrew Gillum, who's running against Ron DeSantis for governor.
Remember this dude (https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/ron-desantis-trump-ad-704926/) who read The Art of the Deal to his kids as a bedtime story? That's DeSantis. He got asked about his fawning over Trump in a debate, and please watch this it's amazing (https://twitter.com/tommyxtopher/status/1054187265944117249/video/1). If ASTRONAUT WHO ISN'T RICK SCOTT isn't enough, this clip will get you there.
LET'S GET OUT THE VOTE Y'ALL.
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Voted early.
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Helped 4 people get absentee ballots the last couple days, when they had pretty much given up because the process had been so hard for them in their respective states. Hopefully important not just for the vote they cast in this election but to prevent demoralization and promote their (and their friends') investment in voting in the long-term!
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Just finished a seven hour shift as a poll monitor for the Democratic Party.
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We did it y’all! Checks and balances on Trump are now in place, and there’s a record number of women headed to Congress and to State Houses all over the map.
I really wish Andrew Gillum and Beto would have won, but it was still a very good night for Dems.
Plus the State Senate race I have been working on went our way, taking away the chances for a republican veto-proof super majority in Harrisburg.
Our candidate racked up enough of a lead in the city wards to overshoot the deep red suburbs, even with a shitty opponent who tried to defeat her by playing dirty and yelling SOCIALIST every chance he got. And this was a direct result of the efforts of me and my friends — mostly my friends because I just jumped in a few months ago — but still! It feels good and I am hopeful that we are setting the stage for a better and more inclusive and more responsive Democratic Party going forward.
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Clerked the polls yesterday, and got to see a bunch of brand new voters (including one who had turned 18 just two days earlier!).
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Today I've been encouraging the others in my groups not to give up hope.
Texas didn't elect Beto, and my district didn't kick out the icky Republican. BUT ... my "very very safe" district only gave the R 51% of the vote this time - we turned out 14k more Democrats this year than voted in this race in the 2016 presidential election.
And Beto wasn't supposed to win, so the surprise is not that he lost, but that it was so close. This was the most competitive Texas Senate race in my 40-year-old lifetime. The fact that an unknown Congressman from El Paso, of all places, could be this competitive and raise this much money will hopefully inspire other higher profile Texans to run for statewide office (Joaquin and Julian Castro, I am looking at you).
Dems in Texas have started to figure out what this whole "organizing" thing is, and I am very optimistic about our prospects in 2020.
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For people wondering what to do next, read this (https://twitter.com/prisonculture/status/1059123663260344320).
When I can find the numbers for the offices of my newly elected politicians I'm going to add them to my phone's contact list.
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Today my small act is to be happier than I am sad. To take heart in the legitimately amazing wins on the local, state and national levels and not overly-weight the losses, as we humans are prone to do. Holding both of these feelings in my heart today will be my act of resistance to keep the fuel going for tomorrow. As much as we would have loved it, this was never gonna be something we could turn around in one election. So today I continue to build endurance for the long run. Because it will indeed take these small acts every day, all the time. Here we go!
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Thanks to all you do. Proposal 2 in Michigan passed to do away with gerrymandering. We also have a Democrat governor, an openly lesbian Democrat Attorney General, and the state passed another proposal that will make voting a whole lot easier in the future (same day registration/voting, and no reason needed for an absentee ballot).
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Today my small act is to be happier than I am sad. To take heart in the legitimately amazing wins on the local, state and national levels and not overly-weight the losses, as we humans are prone to do. Holding both of these feelings in my heart today will be my act of resistance to keep the fuel going for tomorrow. As much as we would have loved it, this was never gonna be something we could turn around in one election. So today I continue to build endurance for the long run. Because it will indeed take these small acts every day, all the time. Here we go!
THIS! I needed this, and agree with you.
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Also, signed up to send postcards for the runoff elections. Hadn't seen the site previously, but a friend linked via Facebook (it is good for something, I supposed), so I just signed up.
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Yesterday I made some phonecalls to voters in FL who did mail-in ballots, asking them to check their vote status online, and giving them the phone number to call if their vote status was not "Tabulated".
Unfortunately the last 5 calls I made were to Spanish speakers, and as I hardly speak a word of Spanish, I felt I should stop rather than uselessly bother more people.
I'm really quite amazed at how much to the left I've moved over a period of 2 years. Used to think of myself as a centrist, now look at me!!
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Yesterday I made some phonecalls to voters in FL who did mail-in ballots, asking them to check their vote status online, and giving them the phone number to call if their vote status was not "Tabulated".
Unfortunately the last 5 calls I made were to Spanish speakers, and as I hardly speak a word of Spanish, I felt I should stop rather than uselessly bother more people.
I'm really quite amazed at how much to the left I've moved over a period of 2 years. Used to think of myself as a centrist, now look at me!!
Trump is a godsend to the nation's far left.
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Yesterday I made some phonecalls to voters in FL who did mail-in ballots, asking them to check their vote status online, and giving them the phone number to call if their vote status was not "Tabulated".
Unfortunately the last 5 calls I made were to Spanish speakers, and as I hardly speak a word of Spanish, I felt I should stop rather than uselessly bother more people.
I'm really quite amazed at how much to the left I've moved over a period of 2 years. Used to think of myself as a centrist, now look at me!!
Trump is a godsend to the nation's far left.
I don't know - if he's got us thinking that counting votes in a democracy is a partisan strategy, I'm not sure that qualifies.
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Yesterday I made some phonecalls to voters in FL who did mail-in ballots, asking them to check their vote status online, and giving them the phone number to call if their vote status was not "Tabulated".
Unfortunately the last 5 calls I made were to Spanish speakers, and as I hardly speak a word of Spanish, I felt I should stop rather than uselessly bother more people.
I'm really quite amazed at how much to the left I've moved over a period of 2 years. Used to think of myself as a centrist, now look at me!!
Trump is a godsend to the nation's far left.
I don't know - if he's got us thinking that counting votes in a democracy is a partisan strategy, I'm not sure that qualifies.
The guy's a troll. Everything he does pisses on our Democracy. The Republican Party is a host of his stooges now with reasonable people shut out. The Democratic Party is divided between moderates who talk shit about him but go along to get along and Progressives of the far left who are eager to walk and talk. Every time the moderates who doesn't flip out when Trump does his thing invests more power in the far left who do want to do something. Like impeach him. If Trump does something stupid with immediate observable consequences, it's the far left who had to be dragged kicking and screaming along who will do well. Like when President Obama got his start when he didn't vote for the invasion of Iraq. Unlike the blonde android.
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As a registered Republican who is horrified by what our party has become, may I offer a word of thanks to everyone on this thread for your tireless work to get us to last week's victories?
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As a registered Republican who is horrified by what our party has become, may I offer a word of thanks to everyone on this thread for your tireless work to get us to last week's victories?
Why, you're welcome! :D (taking credit for everybody else)
Before we get yelled at for too much discussion, I'll bring this back to the original thread purpose. I donated a little to Bill Nelson's recount fund, and shared phonebank links for Stacey Abrams (calling deadline tomorrow) with some friends, but did not make any calls today myself yet. I'm tired. Will get off my bottom soon to do so.
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I felt so bad for Stacey Abrams's loss in GA that I did some texting for John Barrows, running for Secretary of State in the special election today. Their election system is way broken.
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Attended a 4.5 hour (!!!) city council meeting last night, where my city committed to The Sierra Club's 100 for 100% Clean Energy goals. Learned a lot about the dynamics of the council and their relationship to the city's professional staff in the process.
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Just finished calling both senators and my rep to say that this shut down is ridiculous and the boarder wall is also ridiculous. I managed to leave messages that were only somewhat rambling (as opposed to just screaming obscenities into the phone which would better suit my mood) since I know it's just some staffer that listens to it and adds my message as one more tick in a certain column.
If anyone in Florida wants to get in touch with Rick Scott his number wasn't readily apparent in a google search for me, but it's 202-224-5274.
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Just finished calling both senators and my rep to say that this shut down is ridiculous and the boarder wall is also ridiculous. I managed to leave messages that were only somewhat rambling (as opposed to just screaming obscenities into the phone which would better suit my mood) since I know it's just some staffer that listens to it and adds my message as one more tick in a certain column.
If anyone in Florida wants to get in touch with Rick Scott his number wasn't readily apparent in a google search for me, but it's 202-224-5274.
Thank you for this! So helpful to have people who live in places that matter (like FL) as opposed to ones that don't (like CA generally, but especially in the all but 7 districts represented by Dems). I try to tell myself it's important to call, esp because Dianne Feinstein can be unreliable sometimes. And to say thank you if nothing else. But it's a lot less motivating.
A couple of days ago I went to a postcarding party to encourage Floridians to sign up for Vote By Mail. It's mostly Republicans that do it there so we're trying to get more Dems signed up. Hopefully they'll find voting easier and not miss out due to life events on election day. I also noted that yesterday was the first day people in FL with prior felony convictions can register to vote (Amendment 4). I know the Republican legislature was working to try to slow this down in the hopes of thwarting the will of the public, but it sounds like it's going ahead so far, since it was intended to be self-executing. I saw that ACLU's People Power Team was texting for it yesterday to inform people and encourage registrations and spreading the word.
A lot of opportunity in FL!
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I reserved a seat on a bus going to the We The People March on Sept 21 in Washington, D.C.
It will be the first march on D.C. that I have attended. It will be inconvenient. I will be tired. But it is necessary.
https://wethepeoplemarch.org/
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I reserved a seat on a bus going to the We The People March on Sept 21 in Washington, D.C.
It will be the first march on D.C. that I have attended. It will be inconvenient. I will be tired. But it is necessary.
https://wethepeoplemarch.org/
Nice! I hope a little part of you also gets to enjoy it!
My local group has been doing a lot of fundraising events under the theme "The Resistance is delicious!" with tastings of chocolate, olive oil, cooking tamales, dim sum, etc. and local experts leading them. They are pretty popular. I am going to try to go to the chocolate-tasting one next weekend.
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We actually have a Congressional election coming up in my district in North Carolina next week. I made a donation to the Dan McCready campaign. It's a Ruby Red district, but there are reasons to think he can win.
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We actually have a Congressional election coming up in my district in North Carolina next week. I made a donation to the Dan McCready campaign. It's a Ruby Red district, but there are reasons to think he can win.
Thanks for reminding me.
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Nice going everyone! I took a long break after the midterms, but I'm getting back into things. Went to my first Indivisible rally in my new city, made my first call to my new senator, dropped off my voter reg form, set up coffee with a Swing Left organizer, and signed up for a postcard writing party.
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Lobbied 2 legislators' offices at the state level for climate change legislation. Represented citizen group representing perhaps 16,000 people. Moderate progress... conversations started, 3 new contact people identified, some education completed in both directions. Multiple proposals submitted; technically in time for relevant steps in the normal legislative process.
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Nice going everyone! I took a long break after the midterms, but I'm getting back into things. Went to my first Indivisible rally in my new city, made my first call to my new senator, dropped off my voter reg form, set up coffee with a Swing Left organizer, and signed up for a postcard writing party.
Welcome back, OP
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Thanks B! How did the lobbying feel? You took a little break too right?
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My life is a break :)
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Thanks B! How did the lobbying feel? You took a little break too right?
Quips aside, this climate sequence marks my return to some sort of activism after 5 years or so. Prior to that was a roughly 6 year streak of modest volunteering in a gallant small nonprofit. Prior to that, a break that followed the big 8 year wave of heavy volunteering/activist-ing. Compared to the original wave, the current bit is a light jog. Which feels right for now.
The lobbying felt...pretty good. My bigger feeling wasn't about the lobbying itself, it was relief that we'd started lobbying after saying we were going to do it and then pausing to do nothing for a while (I gutlessly didn't push; Official Leader focused on other paths and went on vacation). I think I'll feel that way each time until we finish visiting the people on our list.
One of the two people we visited was informative if not super hopeful. We are technically in time to influence the upcoming 2 year process that generates statutes in our state. Our Daily Acts have put our desires into the mix. Will we overcome steep odds and succeed in this quest? Stay tuned...
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I recently took another leadership role in my local League of Women Voters. Per our bylaws, I cannot take sides in partisan politics or campaign for candidates. Still, I’ve already had a productive meeting with one city clerk and look forward to educating voters on all the new changes to voter rights and access in our state (2018 Proposal 3, Promote the Vote). I should have local voter guides ready by National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 24).
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I recently took another leadership role in my local League of Women Voters. Per our bylaws, I cannot take sides in partisan politics or campaign for candidates. Still, I’ve already had a productive meeting with one city clerk and look forward to educating voters on all the new changes to voter rights and access in our state (2018 Proposal 3, Promote the Vote). I should have local voter guides ready by National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 24).
Oh good, I've been wondering about that. I know Proposal 2 (the anti-gerrymandering one, which I did some supportive work on from afar) has been subject to various legal challenges by Republicans, and I was wondering if they were undermining Proposal 3 as well. I hope they both get implemented as envisioned at the time they were presented to the MI voters!
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I recently took another leadership role in my local League of Women Voters. Per our bylaws, I cannot take sides in partisan politics or campaign for candidates. Still, I’ve already had a productive meeting with one city clerk and look forward to educating voters on all the new changes to voter rights and access in our state (2018 Proposal 3, Promote the Vote). I should have local voter guides ready by National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 24).
Oh good, I've been wondering about that. I know Proposal 2 (the anti-gerrymandering one, which I did some supportive work on from afar) has been subject to various legal challenges by Republicans, and I was wondering if they were undermining Proposal 3 as well. I hope they both get implemented as envisioned at the time they were presented to the MI voters!
Prop 3 seems to be rolling out fairly smoothly, given the limitations of the Secretary of State office; the new Secretary is working hard to implement badly needed updates so we don't know when we'll get online voter registration. If last month's local primary election was any indicator, people LOVE the new option of any-reason absentee voting. Right now, the ACLU-MI, LVW-MI, Voters Not Politicians (group behind Prop. 2), Engage, and other orgs are working on educational campaigns about the new voter rights and voter services for both local clerks and voters ahead of the 2020 elections.
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I sure hope we can undo the Republican extreme gerrymandering in Michigan.
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Just started text banking in support of Ranked Choice Voting in NYC. I'm volunteering through RepresentUS, which is a non-partisan anti-corruption group. This is my first time doing this type of texting and it's super easy. I sent out an initial message to 500 people in less than 20 minutes.
https://volunteer.represent.us/gotv_texting_nyc (https://volunteer.represent.us/gotv_texting_nyc)
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I heard that ranked-choice voting thing in NYC passed. Nicely done!
Here in NC, I offered to pick up my son from the baby-sitter so my wife could vote.
Then, I got home, and she fed the kids dinner while I went and cancelled out that vote.
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I sent round an email to my friends on Monday urging to vote in our town elections, and I was a poll worker all day on Tuesday. I was tired all Wed, but it was fun to see so many people I know. I was the youngest poll worker by at least 15 years. The Democrats swept our little town; my neighborhood went blue for the first time in decades.
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I still recall being out with my dad (I was in Junior high) on an election day, and we ran into one of the candidates for a place on city council. He asked if my dad voted, and--when my dad said "yes"--replied, "Thank you for your vote."
When we got back to our house, I realized that my parents had a sign for the opposing candidate in their front yard. And this candidate would have certainly known that since he lived on our block. He thanked my dad anyway because the vote itself is valuable. That is what we want to build, a society in which everyone votes and we are grateful for it.
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I still recall being out with my dad (I was in Junior high) on an election day, and we ran into one of the candidates for a place on city council. He asked if my dad voted, and--when my dad said "yes"--replied, "Thank you for your vote."
When we got back to our house, I realized that my parents had a sign for the opposing candidate in their front yard. And this candidate would have certainly known that since he lived on our block. He thanked my dad anyway because the vote itself is valuable. That is what we want to build, a society in which everyone votes and we are grateful for it.
That's my favoritie story I've heard in a while. Thanks, @talltexan!
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Greta Thunberg is going to be in Charlotte tomorrow. I'm planning to go & show my support for the environment.
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Greta Thunberg is going to be in Charlotte tomorrow. I'm planning to go & show my support for the environment.
Wish I could be there. She is an amazing person!
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It's been a while. How are people donating/acting lately? I've donated to The Bail Project (national) and Women for Political Change (Minneapolis-specific).
Also looking at Reclaim the Block (Mpls), Campaign Zero (national), and other actions that aren't financial, like calling reps.
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I am writing get-out-the-vote letters for Vote Forward. I've done some text banking for Represent.us. Donations are going to a few key races locally and couple nationally.
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Donated to some bail funds, ordered a few things from black owned business instead of box stores, did some first aid at the local protests.
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Donated some money to orgs fighting for political change, spent some money supporting black-owned businesses, gone to rallies as much as social distancing will allow, made a point of signal boosting BIPOC, done some reading on black history and the history of black protest, checked in on black friends who are struggling right now.
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Donated to some bail funds, ordered a few things from black owned business instead of box stores, did some first aid at the local protests.
That's awesome. I'm researching basic protest first aid, because I'm probably headed out tonight. BF and I tried last night, but things had mostly broken up by then. Hopefully things stay peaceful tonight, the police apparently didn't act up last night.
Basic guidelines: http://www.urban75.org/mayday/safety.html
More advanced street medic guidelines: https://www.paperrevolution.org/street-medic-guide/
I am writing get-out-the-vote letters for Vote Forward. I've done some text banking for Represent.us. Donations are going to a few key races locally and couple nationally.
Nice! I've done some letter writing too, but not for a couple of weeks. Going to start looking more seriously at campaign jobs today as well.
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If you expect chemical use, you can bring a ziploc with several wet bandanas both to use and to share. It helps a lot.
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@MudPuppy thanks! Things seem to be calming down here, no tear gas use last night, and no more curfew tonight. But will bring supplies just in case.
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Went to a local protest/march last night. Thousands and thousands of people. Cannot even estimate. Lots of families, completely peaceful of course, everyone wore masks. But yeah, could not maintain the 6 feet of distance. Led by black youth at the local high school, very inspiring.
I have a monthly standing donation to the Equal Justice Initiative for a few years now. Posted an invitation on Facebook for my friends to donate and I'd match them each with another $25. I'm up to $700 so far and I let everyone know the offer was open in perpetuity. Also about 8 or 9 people shared my post on their feeds, including some with with a similar challenge, and they had some takers too. So hopefully raised some good awareness and the maybe circa $2000 raised is small beans in some ways, but it was also remarkably easy and was glad to have so many people participate for this really worthwhile organization.
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Donated. Attempted to reason with locals on Facebook. Can't march, nowhere to march anyway, so donated more.
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Wrote what I hope was a verbal lashing to my mayor and city council (Seattle) about the use of police force by SPD during the recent protests, especially regarding macing a 7-year-old girl. Apparently 12,000 of us decided to do so (https://www.kuow.org/stories/12-000-complaints-filed-against-seattle-police-after-weekend-of-protests), hooray! Will keep this up, and I definitely have a few words for my representative and senators on national events.
HusbandX and I want to be out protesting, but the worry over the pandemic (and who would watch our kids if we were arrested/injured, etc.) is outweighing that. So we donated to the local bail fund instead. Not quite as good, and I realize this is a privileged position.
Donated also to our local food bank. Might not seem related, but the pandemic and economic effects are hitting POC harder. Food justice is still important.
Last, despite the pandemic we're still working on the school garden at my kid's school (just, separately and without the kids) so that we can donate the food to the food bank and people in the community who need it. No sense letting that space go to waste. If the kids are back in the fall (maybe?) there will be plenty of things like pumpkins for them to explore and learn about. In the meantime, families need to eat.
We were notified earlier that we're under curfew at least until Saturday. Woo-ee. It sure is a time to be alive.
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There was a large protest (for us) down here in Corvallis. Cops were nowhere to be seen.
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If the kids are back in the fall (maybe?) there will be plenty of things like pumpkins for them to explore and learn about. In the meantime, families need to eat.
I cannot imagine what it will do to society to not have the kids go back to school in the fall. For me, it's as acute a choice as choosing between the economy and the public health.
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If the kids are back in the fall (maybe?) there will be plenty of things like pumpkins for them to explore and learn about. In the meantime, families need to eat.
I cannot imagine what it will do to society to not have the kids go back to school in the fall. For me, it's as acute a choice as choosing between the economy and the public health.
Yeah, elementary school students in particular. And disadvantaged elementary school students in special particular. We're trying to nudge our school district to re-open.
Yesterday: donated to the local bail fund. Attempted to reason with some neighbors on Nextdoor. Reached out to an old friend who's a POC to see if she's OK and if there's anything I can do to make her life slightly less horrid. Reached out to the student I tutor (as a volunteer) to see if we should keep going over the summer. I should follow up with her parents, because last week I reached out to the HS principal about one of the ways his Assistant Principals handled a situation with my student really, really badly. (Student is a POC, so it was an easy pitch.)
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I have a monthly standing donation to the Equal Justice Initiative for a few years now. Posted an invitation on Facebook for my friends to donate and I'd match them each with another $25. I'm up to $700 so far and I let everyone know the offer was open in perpetuity. Also about 8 or 9 people shared my post on their feeds, including some with with a similar challenge, and they had some takers too. So hopefully raised some good awareness and the maybe circa $2000 raised is small beans in some ways, but it was also remarkably easy and was glad to have so many people participate for this really worthwhile organization.
I've been an admirer of EJI and Bryan Stevenson for many years. Did you set up a fundraising page on Facebook or are you just having people send you screenshots?
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I have a monthly standing donation to the Equal Justice Initiative for a few years now. Posted an invitation on Facebook for my friends to donate and I'd match them each with another $25. I'm up to $700 so far and I let everyone know the offer was open in perpetuity. Also about 8 or 9 people shared my post on their feeds, including some with with a similar challenge, and they had some takers too. So hopefully raised some good awareness and the maybe circa $2000 raised is small beans in some ways, but it was also remarkably easy and was glad to have so many people participate for this really worthwhile organization.
I've been an admirer of EJI and Bryan Stevenson for many years. Did you set up a fundraising page on Facebook or are you just having people send you screenshots?
I actually just told people to let me know they had done it and hoped no one would lie... It was limited to my personal friends and family, so there's some level of trust. And I was hoping that not making them prove or reveal amount of donation would attract more people to do it. Here's how I left it:
My invitation: make a donation to them and send me a note "or post here. No proof required - I trust you. Any amount is welcome, but please give as generously as you are able. For everyone that lets me know they have, I'll match you by giving another $25 on top of my standing monthly donation for May."
Up to $750 now!
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I have a monthly standing donation to the Equal Justice Initiative for a few years now. Posted an invitation on Facebook for my friends to donate and I'd match them each with another $25. I'm up to $700 so far and I let everyone know the offer was open in perpetuity. Also about 8 or 9 people shared my post on their feeds, including some with with a similar challenge, and they had some takers too. So hopefully raised some good awareness and the maybe circa $2000 raised is small beans in some ways, but it was also remarkably easy and was glad to have so many people participate for this really worthwhile organization.
I've been an admirer of EJI and Bryan Stevenson for many years. Did you set up a fundraising page on Facebook or are you just having people send you screenshots?
I actually just told people to let me know they had done it and hoped no one would lie... It was limited to my personal friends and family, so there's some level of trust. And I was hoping that not making them prove or reveal amount of donation would attract more people to do it. Here's how I left it:
My invitation: make a donation to them and send me a note "or post here. No proof required - I trust you. Any amount is welcome, but please give as generously as you are able. For everyone that lets me know they have, I'll match you by giving another $25 on top of my standing monthly donation for May."
Up to $750 now!
Hey! I just started a fundraiser on FB for them. Donated $100. Thanks for this suggestion!
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I have a monthly standing donation to the Equal Justice Initiative for a few years now. Posted an invitation on Facebook for my friends to donate and I'd match them each with another $25. I'm up to $700 so far and I let everyone know the offer was open in perpetuity. Also about 8 or 9 people shared my post on their feeds, including some with with a similar challenge, and they had some takers too. So hopefully raised some good awareness and the maybe circa $2000 raised is small beans in some ways, but it was also remarkably easy and was glad to have so many people participate for this really worthwhile organization.
I've been an admirer of EJI and Bryan Stevenson for many years. Did you set up a fundraising page on Facebook or are you just having people send you screenshots?
I actually just told people to let me know they had done it and hoped no one would lie... It was limited to my personal friends and family, so there's some level of trust. And I was hoping that not making them prove or reveal amount of donation would attract more people to do it. Here's how I left it:
My invitation: make a donation to them and send me a note "or post here. No proof required - I trust you. Any amount is welcome, but please give as generously as you are able. For everyone that lets me know they have, I'll match you by giving another $25 on top of my standing monthly donation for May."
Up to $750 now!
Hey! I just started a fundraiser on FB for them. Donated $100. Thanks for this suggestion!
Oh that's great to hear! I'm gonna add a match to my next donation for yours, too!
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If the kids are back in the fall (maybe?) there will be plenty of things like pumpkins for them to explore and learn about. In the meantime, families need to eat.
I cannot imagine what it will do to society to not have the kids go back to school in the fall. For me, it's as acute a choice as choosing between the economy and the public health.
Yeah, elementary school students in particular. And disadvantaged elementary school students in special particular. We're trying to nudge our school district to re-open.
The elementary school my kid goes to is a one of the poorest and most diverse schools in the city. At least one kid in each class has experience homelessness. There are refugees. A ridiculous portion of the school gets free breakfast and lunch, and food bags to see families through the weekend. I'm of two minds about reopening because in many ways, these are the kids who need schools the most--for the learning, for the safe place for kids to be during the day, so that parents (who are more likely to be "essential") can work, for all the resources school provides beyond education. On the other hand, there are a ton of kids at our school who live with grandparents or other older relatives. And this virus has been hitting the poor/POC hardest already. Disruptions in the school year are also likely to hit our population super hard. Parents/caretakers will scramble to find alternate care for their kids. The lack of constancy if they have to open and then close on short notice would be its own form of trauma for kids who depend on the structure and routine of school in otherwise chaotic lives. There are no easy answers here.
All I can really do to help is to garden. It feels trifling until I think about the food we'll provide and the solace that nature always provides, regardless of one's socioeconomic status.
There was a large protest (for us) down here in Corvallis. Cops were nowhere to be seen.
OMG. There was a teeny tiny protest just up the street from me at a busy intersection. Maybe 2 dozen people max. AND THERE WERE FRICKIN' COPS ALL OVER THE PLACE. I saw at least three cop cars circling around and around. What the heck?
Another protest planned on Friday and I'm going. Also, have spread the word to interested parties.
I don't usually talk to people IRL about our charitable donations because it feels too much like bragging but I actually mentioned to a friend today that we'd donated to a bail out fund. Hopefully will get other people thinking about it and donating.
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Donated to families of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.
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30 years ago when I first was a social worker one of my summer jobs was to make calls and then drive bag lunches between schools because we never knew who was going to show up. Just because a big crowd would show up one day didn’t mean it would on the next. Spent hours doing this. The people most resentful of the free food for poor people were my blue collar friends. When kids are walking long distances for a cold lunch they are hungry.
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I have emailed our city commissioner, thanking her for speaking out against police violence. Urged continued action on banning tear gas, removing police from schools, and redirecting police budgets to community programs.
I then emailed the mayor and yelled at him for doing none of these things while pretending to stand with protesters.
Still need to contact school commissioner, police chief, and research who else in the city has oversight of these matters.
I don't usually talk to people IRL about our charitable donations because it feels too much like bragging but I actually mentioned to a friend today that we'd donated to a bail out fund. Hopefully will get other people thinking about it and donating.
It's not bragging! If you go by the Peter Singer mindset, talking about it more will make other people more likely to donate. It becomes the norm. I mentioned my donations during a weekly zoom call, and one person asked for suggestions on where to donate.
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A young man in my neighborhood planned a peaceful protest for tomorrow. I live in a very, very safe & liberal (reasonably diverse) neighborhood. I'm not foolish enough to believe racism doesn't exist here, but I was under the false impression that it was a much less significant problem. He arranged the protest because he was pulled over 17 times from the day he got his license, to when he left for his freshman year of college - just under two years. Each time, he was in his own neighborhood, driving to/from school, his part time job, or soccer practice.
So, tomorrow, I will be joining my first protest. With my 13 year old son.
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I need to stay healthy to work my essential job, so I don't plan to go to any protests for the foreseeable future. What else can folks do that don't require donations of money or physically joining in crowded protests at the moment? I've been perusing change.org and signing various petitions for my area.
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I need to stay healthy to work my essential job, so I don't plan to go to any protests for the foreseeable future. What else can folks do that don't require donations of money or physically joining in crowded protests at the moment? I've been perusing change.org and signing various petitions for my area.
Make calls and send letters.
Connect with your local Black Lives Matter or similar organization (for example, https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/ ) and and look at their lists of ways you can help. Do the ones you can.
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I went to a local #BLM march yesterday. Attendance was immense, given that it was raining cats and dogs. I even got my husband to come with me.
I also signed a petition to our local electeds and police superintendents, supporting local legislation that will promote greater transparency and accountability for misbehaving law enforcement.
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I went to a local #BLM march yesterday. Attendance was immense, given that it was raining cats and dogs. I even got my husband to come with me.
I also signed a petition to our local electeds and police superintendents, supporting local legislation that will promote greater transparency and accountability for misbehaving law enforcement.
That's great. I was disturbed to hear that 57 officers stood up *against* accountability of their fellow officers that shoved and harmed that 75 year old man in Buffalo then ignored him bleeding from the ear as they marched on. I am not watching any of these videos of police brutality, but I understand his head cracking against the pavement was audible. And the report said he tripped and fell. Yet another example of video evidence being the only way we know the truth and can even begin to hope for justice. We definitely need to insist on accountability and make it a normal thing.
Also for folks writing in to their cities and counties and wanting specific actions to recommend for police reforms, consider 8 Can't Wait, a collection of 8 evidence-based recommendations with research that shows exactly how much harm reduction they can be expected to achieve in a jurisdiction that implements it. https://8cantwait.org/
I will follow my own suggestion and make sure my city and county know I'm in support of them.
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That's great. I was disturbed to hear that 57 officers stood up *against* accountability of their fellow officers that shoved and harmed that 75 year old man in Buffalo then ignored him bleeding from the ear as they marched on.
I guess one good thing about the short training period for NYS police is that if the candidates could be found, replacing those guys could be fairly rapid. And maybe the new batch would have a less toxic culture.
The petition I signed supported most of the following package:
https://www.changethenypd.org/safer-ny
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For those seeking/working to be actively anti-racist, this document might help you along your journey.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PrAq4iBNb4nVIcTsLcNlW8zjaQXBLkWayL8EaPlh0bc/mobilebasic
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Since I’m laying low and avoiding public events to protect a family member’s health, I signed up for a monthly donation to the local Black Lives Matter affiliate. Time to put my money where my mouth is.
I also joined the local chapter of the NAACP. I’m on the board of a political organization that has partnered with them on a few recent events, and I’d love to help them further their cause and ensure that we have their input.
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Sui, that video was heartbreaking.
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I haven't been able to protest because my husband is at a high risk of complications from Covid, but I've been donating, writing letters, having good conversations with people, and everything else I can think of to support the cause from home. One of my favorite bloggers published a massive list of black-owned businesses (https://www.younghouselove.com/200-black-owned-businesses/) and I'm going there first whenever I want to buy something.
I am SO FUCKING PROUD of the protesters and amazed by the support from around the world. Seeing Confenderate memorials coming down, a statue of a slave trader going into the sea in the UK, and Minneapolis City Council agreeing to disband the MPD and start over with community-based safety approaches -- it's so good and inspiring and makes me believe that we could actually succeed in building a world that cares more about the flourishing of human life than the accumulation of capital.
ETA an amazing photo of two black ballerinas standing on a re-envisioned Confederate monument.
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^Wow!
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Marched with thousands at black-organized protest yesterday. Top chants:
"Say his name / George Floyd"
"Say her name / Breonna Taylor"
"No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police"
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Anybody have good recs for the most effective group to donate to for voting rights - improving voter access, fair voting, etc?
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Anybody have good recs for the most effective group to donate to for voting rights - improving voter access, fair voting, etc?
Tagging @sui generis
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Anybody have good recs for the most effective group to donate to for voting rights - improving voter access, fair voting, etc?
League of Women Voters and ACLU are two big ones that come to mind.
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I have a hard time doing marches due to my foot problems, but I've been trying to be a good information source/emotionally supportive to my friend group during the protests. I've also been talking to my parents about it a lot. My dad is really getting upset about it. I showed him a video of the police hurting an innocent bystander and he's asked me at least a dozen times in three days if I've heard any updates about whether that person is recovering in the hospital.
I got some birthday money this week and have decided to funnel a good chunk of cash to BLM-related causes (some only tangentially related but I think they all tie in to racial justice and equality). So far I've supported the ACLU (since they'll be undoubtedly helping a lot of protesters out of legal trouble in the immediate future), an org working on prison reforms, an org supporting LGBTQ POC, and an org doing GOTV, voter registration and etc. focusing on black voters. Still have more money burning a hole in my pocket if anyone has a great one to suggest that hasn't already been inundated this week! Especially in NYC since I'd like to support the local economy in any way I can, we've been through a lot here.
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Anybody have good recs for the most effective group to donate to for voting rights - improving voter access, fair voting, etc?
I love ACLU and have been a monthly donor for a number of years now. Even so (and even as a lawyer) I'm becoming more and more disillusioned by being reactive to terrible things (as you have to be in the justice system - you can only file a suit after some harm is already done) rather than proactive....before the bad thing is done. Both are needed and I'm not unhappy with the ACLU at all. We absolutely need them and they can only operate within the context we have.
BUT, to get ahead of the game and not wait on our hands while judges sit on their benches and decide whether they'll act on time? I super recommend Reclaim Our Vote (https://actionnetwork.org/forms/reclaim-our-vote-signup), Black Voters Matter (one of the partners in Reclaim Our Vote; https://www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/) and I'm going to suggest two specific groups in NC, because it's a state with rampant voter suppression and yet is within reach for both the White House and the US Senate seat: You Can Vote (https://www.youcanvote.org/) and Advance Carolina (https://advancecarolina.org/).
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I donate to SPLC, but it’s not a voting specific org
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Posting on social media that I will give five free copies of Ibram Kendi’s “How to be an Antiracist” to the first five people who respond.
It’s temporarily out of stock on Amazon in hardcover so I’m guessing it might be a bit hard to find in that format, but I can send the ebook right away.
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Anybody have good recs for the most effective group to donate to for voting rights - improving voter access, fair voting, etc?
I love ACLU and have been a monthly donor for a number of years now. Even so (and even as a lawyer) I'm becoming more and more disillusioned by being reactive to terrible things (as you have to be in the justice system - you can only file a suit after some harm is already done) rather than proactive....before the bad thing is done. Both are needed and I'm not unhappy with the ACLU at all. We absolutely need them and they can only operate within the context we have.
BUT, to get ahead of the game and not wait on our hands while judges sit on their benches and decide whether they'll act on time? I super recommend Reclaim Our Vote (https://actionnetwork.org/forms/reclaim-our-vote-signup (https://actionnetwork.org/forms/reclaim-our-vote-signup)), Black Voters Matter (one of the partners in Reclaim Our Vote; https://www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/ (https://www.blackvotersmatterfund.org/)) and I'm going to suggest two specific groups in NC, because it's a state with rampant voter suppression and yet is within reach for both the White House and the US Senate seat: You Can Vote (https://www.youcanvote.org/ (https://www.youcanvote.org/)) and Advance Carolina (https://advancecarolina.org/ (https://advancecarolina.org/)).
Thanks for those suggestions. We've been wanting to help here in NC. DW's B-Day in in a couple of days, so I can make the donations extra generous to celebrate & honor her day too. :)
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Messaged my mayor and city council again to ream them out because the police response to protests about police brutality has been MORE police brutality. They're still using tear gas, despite the mayor saying they wouldn't. Apparently she actually just said the regular cops wouldn't use it. SWAT is still able to throw it around willy nilly and that's what they've been doing.
They're also shooting rubber bullets at people, including clearly marked medical workers.
One on our city council is all in on protester's demands. We'll see if she's able to influence the others.
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It might be minor, but - emailed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, told him he should start the NFL season by taking a knee. Next to Colin Kaepernick, suited up, who then goes on the field to play the rest of the season for "a respectable NFL team."
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It might be minor, but - emailed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, told him he should start the NFL season by taking a knee. Next to Colin Kaepernick, suited up, who then goes on the field to play the rest of the season for "a respectable NFL team."
Good idea.
I really want the MN Vikings to sign Kaep.
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^ Tell 'em!
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Emailed A&E (Arts and Entertainment Network) to hand over to investigators the video they have of the death by traffic stop and tasing of Javier Ambler, a resident of my county whose "crime" was "didn't dim his lights." Also to cancel the show, "Live PD", that filmed it.
ETA 6/10/20: A&E was going to film another 160 episodes of LivePD, which apparently had become the highest-rated show on ad-supported cable TV. Today A&E announced it is ceasing production.
https://deadline.com/2020/06/live-pd-canceled-ae-protests-against-police-brutality-george-floyd-1202956175/
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$100 to the ACLU, which was a birthday present to my aunt, topped off with $50 to Reclaim our Vote -- thanks for the recommendation, @sui generis !
Debating volunteering for Hippistan's police oversight committee. (The issue is that I am not very patient or gentle with adults who haven't thought issues through, which can be unproductive. And drives me bonkers.)
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It might be minor, but - emailed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, told him he should start the NFL season by taking a knee. Next to Colin Kaepernick, suited up, who then goes on the field to play the rest of the season for "a respectable NFL team."
Not the Browns, in other words?
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Exactly! That would be evidence of bad faith. :)
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I also signed a petition to our local electeds and police superintendents, supporting local legislation that will promote greater transparency and accountability for misbehaving law enforcement.
Results!
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-50a-repeal-police-transparency-20200614-p7qodt3gffbcdcmz5okiyrrhba-story.html
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I also signed a petition to our local electeds and police superintendents, supporting local legislation that will promote greater transparency and accountability for misbehaving law enforcement.
Results!
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-50a-repeal-police-transparency-20200614-p7qodt3gffbcdcmz5okiyrrhba-story.html
Congrats!
In a similar vein, I'm seeing suggestions to send this letter to local elected officials to reform police union contracts. It was apparently drafted by a labor lawyer.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HKskmv6NldyhU0dWB7dG-LgGQ8_PI3jv9gzCUzBo9XY/edit
I believe it was written with CA in mind, so I'm not sure all state laws need to be reformed, but probably! So it's worth checking for your state, but the language is also pretty broad.
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Yay, NY!! It's a step in the right direction!
Wrote to my city council AGAIN today because there was going to be a vote on use of tear gas and rubber bullets by SPD. Waiting for that meeting now, we'll see how it goes.
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Thank you @sui generis and @OtherJen ! I've signed up for Reclam the Vote and will likely get my Indivisible group involved.
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I made a couple of donations for my wife's birthday & she recommended https://represent.us/ (https://represent.us/) too. I really like their goal of ending corruption and their plan to achieve it. Their goals are nonpartisan and appeal to voters on both sides. I really like the idea of promoting a nonpartisan message instead of one that is automatically opposed by 1/2 the population. Our country has become so divided and we really need to find some common ground.
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I'm registered as a Republican, but I made a $50 contribution to Cal Cunningham's NC Senate campaign. I don't feel as though I can send money to campaigns in other states, but--wow--do they start asking for it when your name gets onto even one list.
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Tired as I am of sewing masks, I signed up to donate masks to voting registration volunteers in Georgia. Let me know if you're interested and I'll PM you the link.
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I'm trying to think very seriously about how I can persuade those around me to change their votes. Has anyone found any useful methods?
I'm considering a sort of "emotional stand down" approach. Assuring my conservative friends that the economy would be good, save for the pandemic, and everyone knows it. That Trump shouldn't worry, and that a protest vote for Jo Jorgenson would chasten him for those few areas that they consider problems. Thoughts?
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I'm registered as a Republican, but I made a $50 contribution to Cal Cunningham's NC Senate campaign. I don't feel as though I can send money to campaigns in other states, but--wow--do they start asking for it when your name gets onto even one list.
God knows why, but google/youtube has been chasing me around for the past two weeks with Trump campaign ads and requests for donations.
It would be obvious from my IP address that I am from CT, and I bet Google would have far more invasive information on me with them.
Are they trying to flip CT now? Or is it just a play for $$ donations from CT conservatives who must be feeling oppressed??
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I'm trying to think very seriously about how I can persuade those around me to change their votes. Has anyone found any useful methods?
I'm considering a sort of "emotional stand down" approach. Assuring my conservative friends that the economy would be good, save for the pandemic, and everyone knows it. That Trump shouldn't worry, and that a protest vote for Jo Jorgenson would chasten him for those few areas that they consider problems. Thoughts?
That doesn't sound unreasonable. I've been considering reading this book, The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind, which apparently rests on the idea that it's not so much about persuading people to do what you want, but identifying and removing obstacles to it for them. If the goal is to get them not to vote for Trump, and a major obstacle is that they worry their vote is needed for him to stay in office, then relieving them of that worry may be of help. And it seems logical that then giving them an alternate activity that is aligned with their values can redirect their actions to something less harmful (to us) that they can feel good about. Worth a try and I'd be interested to hear how the experiment goes!
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I'm trying to think very seriously about how I can persuade those around me to change their votes. Has anyone found any useful methods?
I'm considering a sort of "emotional stand down" approach. Assuring my conservative friends that the economy would be good, save for the pandemic, and everyone knows it. That Trump shouldn't worry, and that a protest vote for Jo Jorgenson would chasten him for those few areas that they consider problems. Thoughts?
That doesn't sound unreasonable. I've been considering reading this book, The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind, which apparently rests on the idea that it's not so much about persuading people to do what you want, but identifying and removing obstacles to it for them. If the goal is to get them not to vote for Trump, and a major obstacle is that they worry their vote is needed for him to stay in office, then relieving them of that worry may be of help. And it seems logical that then giving them an alternate activity that is aligned with their values can redirect their actions to something less harmful (to us) that they can feel good about. Worth a try and I'd be interested to hear how the experiment goes!
Indeed I cannot pretend to convert a Trump vote into a Biden vote. But I think I can convert some Trump votes into "stay home" or Jo Jorgenson.
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God knows why, but google/youtube has been chasing me around for the past two weeks with Trump campaign ads and requests for donations.
It would be obvious from my IP address that I am from CT, and I bet Google would have far more invasive information on me with them.
Are they trying to flip CT now? Or is it just a play for $$ donations from CT conservatives who must be feeling oppressed??
I think they are just sending Trump ads to literally everyone. I live in Harlem in a neighborhood where Trump got 3-4% of the vote, I'm female and have donated to many extremely progressive causes, am on many Democratic politician mailing lists, I donated to HRC, etc. etc. And I still get the Trump ads. I also somehow got on their mailing list in my spambox e-mail account that I use to sign up for things I don't trust that require e-mails. So they're buying bottom-of-the-barrel junk e-mail lists in addition to buying advertising to reach people who loathe him.
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* I've been writing postcards and letters to voters, and I'm going to start doing phone bank trainings.
* I got a Reclaim the Vote volunteer for my city to handle bulk purchases.
* Donated to Center for Common Ground, Reclaim's parent org.
* Went to another protest.
* Donated bf's old bike helmet to a protest group. (I'm in Portland, so people have been gearing up.)
* Donated to local orgs Don't Shoot PDX and Rosehip Medics.
* Donated to national org We The Protesters, which created Campaign Zero.
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God knows why, but google/youtube has been chasing me around for the past two weeks with Trump campaign ads and requests for donations.
It would be obvious from my IP address that I am from CT, and I bet Google would have far more invasive information on me with them.
Are they trying to flip CT now? Or is it just a play for $$ donations from CT conservatives who must be feeling oppressed??
I think they are just sending Trump ads to literally everyone. I live in Harlem in a neighborhood where Trump got 3-4% of the vote, I'm female and have donated to many extremely progressive causes, am on many Democratic politician mailing lists, I donated to HRC, etc. etc. And I still get the Trump ads. I also somehow got on their mailing list in my spambox e-mail account that I use to sign up for things I don't trust that require e-mails. So they're buying bottom-of-the-barrel junk e-mail lists in addition to buying advertising to reach people who loathe him.
Considering that Trump walked off stage after being challenged by a reporter for re-tweeting the drivel from the "doctor" that claims medicines are made from alien DNA (just how stupid we look right now to the rest of the World), one hopes that re-electing this bunch of goons is now inconceivable.
But then some of Trump's supporters are unbelievably stupid!
I talked to a guy the other day that thought he was the best President we've ever had!.. like WTAF?
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God knows why, but google/youtube has been chasing me around for the past two weeks with Trump campaign ads and requests for donations.
It would be obvious from my IP address that I am from CT, and I bet Google would have far more invasive information on me with them.
Are they trying to flip CT now? Or is it just a play for $$ donations from CT conservatives who must be feeling oppressed??
I think they are just sending Trump ads to literally everyone. I live in Harlem in a neighborhood where Trump got 3-4% of the vote, I'm female and have donated to many extremely progressive causes, am on many Democratic politician mailing lists, I donated to HRC, etc. etc. And I still get the Trump ads. I also somehow got on their mailing list in my spambox e-mail account that I use to sign up for things I don't trust that require e-mails. So they're buying bottom-of-the-barrel junk e-mail lists in addition to buying advertising to reach people who loathe him.
Considering that Trump walked off stage after being challenged by a reporter for re-tweeting the drivel from the "doctor" that claims medicines are made from alien DNA (just how stupid we look right now to the rest of the World), one hopes that re-electing this bunch of goons is now inconceivable.
But then some of Trump's supporters are unbelievably stupid!
I talked to a guy the other day that thought he was the best President we've ever had!.. like WTAF?
It seems like the Trumpers have insulated their minds from reality by swallowing the "fake news" pill. Unless they actually see him in person walk into their homes and shoot a family member, he's innocent of any and all crimes.
On top of that, every piece of "fake news" makes them hate us and the MSM even more. They see everyone else as the enemy and as fools. It's as if they are in a trance or on some kind of drug. I think many of them would happily engage in a civil war for Trump.
Many of them say that they'd like to see Trump's army using deadly force in Portland & Chicago. I don't know if they really mean it, or of they're just saying it to get a rise from the Libs. Either way, it's disturbing.
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I've reconciled with the fact that a lot of people are just plain weird. The odds are fairly high that I am among them, given that there seem to be so many. But--despite my irrational beliefs--I want to approach the problem of removing our President with logic.
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God knows why, but google/youtube has been chasing me around for the past two weeks with Trump campaign ads and requests for donations.
It would be obvious from my IP address that I am from CT, and I bet Google would have far more invasive information on me with them.
Are they trying to flip CT now? Or is it just a play for $$ donations from CT conservatives who must be feeling oppressed??
I think they are just sending Trump ads to literally everyone. I live in Harlem in a neighborhood where Trump got 3-4% of the vote, I'm female and have donated to many extremely progressive causes, am on many Democratic politician mailing lists, I donated to HRC, etc. etc. And I still get the Trump ads. I also somehow got on their mailing list in my spambox e-mail account that I use to sign up for things I don't trust that require e-mails. So they're buying bottom-of-the-barrel junk e-mail lists in addition to buying advertising to reach people who loathe him.
Considering that Trump walked off stage after being challenged by a reporter for re-tweeting the drivel from the "doctor" that claims medicines are made from alien DNA (just how stupid we look right now to the rest of the World), one hopes that re-electing this bunch of goons is now inconceivable.
But then some of Trump's supporters are unbelievably stupid!
I talked to a guy the other day that thought he was the best President we've ever had!.. like WTAF?
A family member I thought had better sense has apparently slid into the tinfoil hat brigade. She posted her support for that looney tunes doctor yesterday.
She has two young children, for whom I am now rather worried.
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Act: I emailed all of my national Congresswomen (they're all women) to complain about the slowdown in postal service. It especially effects WA, since we vote by mail. Have received one form letter in return which basically reiterated all of the points I made, but without calling DeJoy an "idiot" like I did. :)
Not sure how much good this will do, since a) they already know and b) they're all Dems, so they're likely trying to get shit fixed anyway.
@GreenEggs - I genuinely think that Trump actually wants another civil war at this point. I think they've realized he can't win again so they're opting to cause as much chaos as possible on their way out, to cover for their many crimes. Who's going to bother prosecuting them all if we're in the middle of a war with each other over over the stupidest shit imaginable?
And of course, it's not difficult to see that this is exactly what Putin (and probably Xi) want as well. Maybe that's one of the things Trump discussed with Putin when he WASN'T talking about the Russian bounties. (And OMG, don't get me started on the Trump-loving family friend who's been trying desperately to defend Trump at every turn asking, "Do we actually know that Trump knew about the bounties??!!" WTAF?)
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Act: I emailed all of my national Congresswomen (they're all women) to complain about the slowdown in postal service. It especially effects WA, since we vote by mail. Have received one form letter in return which basically reiterated all of the points I made, but without calling DeJoy an "idiot" like I did. :)
Not sure how much good this will do, since a) they already know and b) they're all Dems, so they're likely trying to get shit fixed anyway.
@GreenEggs - I genuinely think that Trump actually wants another civil war at this point. I think they've realized he can't win again so they're opting to cause as much chaos as possible on their way out, to cover for their many crimes. Who's going to bother prosecuting them all if we're in the middle of a war with each other over over the stupidest shit imaginable?
And of course, it's not difficult to see that this is exactly what Putin (and probably Xi) want as well. Maybe that's one of the things Trump discussed with Putin when he WASN'T talking about the Russian bounties. (And OMG, don't get me started on the Trump-loving family friend who's been trying desperately to defend Trump at every turn asking, "Do we actually know that Trump knew about the bounties??!!" WTAF?)
And don't forget Trump was only joking (again) when he wondered of we should delay the election.. Cus y'know all that fraudulent vote by mail thats bound to happen.. geez.
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I donated to a political campaign for the first time ever. Small potatoes, but a friend is running for a Borough position in Alaska and I donated. He's an incredible person, I hope he wins.
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I donated to a political campaign for the first time ever. Small potatoes, but a friend is running for a Borough position in Alaska and I donated. He's an incredible person, I hope he wins.
Cool..:)
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A family friend was running for Congress in my parents' area in Texas. I urged them to donate, promised to match whatever they sent in.
My dad called me up the following week to tell me that he'd sent in $1,000. I tried to imitate Kramer, saying, "Well I don't have that kind of money!" and had to welch on the deal, which I felt awful about at the time (he was running as a Democrat, and my wife insisted we didn't have that kind of money to donate to the campaign of any Democrat.
He lost 65-35, so I'm not sure it would have affected the outcome even if I'd fulfilled my promise.
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Does anyone have experience setting up a text banking event? My volunteer group wants to start, but nobody has experience.
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Does anyone have experience setting up a text banking event? My volunteer group wants to start, but nobody has experience.
Yes, I've done too many to count. I know a group that's holding one on Saturday that I can probably get you the info for, if you want to see one in action. They are based in Sacramento, but have folks from all over the country now that everything is virtual. I get the sense theirs are good, though I have to admit I haven't attended one myself.
And I'd be happy to give you further suggestions. One is that you should either do one on one basic training in advance, or have at least 1 trainer for every 3 people, if not more, so you can send small groups off to break out rooms on zoom. Zoom makes it too easy for one person to dominate the time with their particular tech challenges, while everyone else is stuck on a different step.
Your audience may be different, but that's what I suggest unless you have truly tech savvy attendees and you can be confident in their ability to keep up. Unfortunately, text banking seems to attract people that haven't heard of the refresh button and don't know how to manage tabs on their browsers. I try to set expectations about the high learning curve early. That it's not at all like texting your kids or grandkids.
Open Progress actually offers some support for textbanking, so they are worth considering going through. Otherwise, if you have concerns about the tech savviness of your group, I'd probably use Resistance Labs to get texts to send, since they don't require using Slack and that's a huge stumbling block for a lot of people.
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Thank you for all that information, @sui generis ! I would love to attend the Saturday event and speak to the organizers if possible. I've been to in-person texting parties, and I've text-banked remotely by myself, but never seen a Zoom one.
The easiest possible tech is a priority. If we can have organizers troubleshooting and being Slack go-betweens with questions, do you think that might work even for Open Progress? It looks like Resistance Labs also asks people to join Slack, but I don't know if that's a requirement or just an additional resource for questions.
Additional questions (if anyone else knows, please jump in!):
Texting potential volunteers through Mobilize
We have been phonebanking to contact anyone who signed up for previous events, asking if they will attend more events. Texting could clear out these lists faster. People check a box consenting to receive texts from Mobilize when they sign up for events, so could we just confirm with Mobilize that it's okay to text them for this specific purpose? I don't think we need a fancy texting app for this, people would just switch to manually texting instead of manually calling.
Texting a specific legislative district
We have adopted a district in another state for our phonebanks. The campaigns don't have text-banking set up yet. What is the ease/cost of creating a custom campaign with one of these texting tools?
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@MonkeyJenga just sent you a PM with details on that group.
I think that could work with Open Progress. I've definitely done it before (again, so long as I have 1 trainer for about every 3 newbies) on zoom and it worked out. Resistance Labs definitely doesn't require use of their Slack. Some people use it, but it's a bit of a ghost town and if people have questions that they ask there, I'm not sure that they get answers as quickly as they do on, e.g. OP's Slack, where they have moderators for like 8-12 hours a day staffing the channel.
I think your plan sounds very fair and good re: Mobilize. Re: setting up texting for your sponsored candidate, I'd recommend Red2Blue or Open Progress. They run everything for you, which is great because then you don't have to learn to run the texting software yourself as an admin, and they have a lot of scripting expertise and other stuff that you can take advantage of. Open Progress owns TextOut (their software to send texts) and I'm not sure how their pricing works, if the cost of TextOut includes the cost of their services or what. You can learn more here: https://www.textout.io/
Red2Blue is all volunteer and their services are free, but currently they only work with one texting software, ThruText, and they can get the candidate a discount through a partnership with them. They specialize in state legislature texting and other down ballot races like county commissioners and such. This is where I refer the candidates I work with. Check them out here: https://www.red2blue.org/for-candidates-overview
I suspect (but don't *know*) that if you want to reserve the texting for you and your fellow volunteers to actually do the sending, that OP/TextOut might be a better avenue? I think I've seen that you can have it not go through OP itself, where their volunteers would send the texts. Red2Blue that's not really possible. They have their vols send the texts. Of course, your people can get trained up with them and become "their vols" too. They can then show up when the texting is going to happen and put in requests for batches ahead of time, so it can still work for you all to do it, it's just not really *reserved* for your own volunteers.
Hope that helps!
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My friends put together a Flip the Senate fundraiser that is happening Thursday, Sep 3. You'll be a on Zoom call with 4 candidates in 4 key races. If anyone is interested, please let me know and I'll send you the details privately. (Can't post publicly to prevent it getting trolled.)
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I'm continuing to textbank and write get out the vote letters. Vote Forward needs more people to write letters: https://votefwd.org/ (https://votefwd.org/)
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Call your reps about not allowing a floor vote on RBG's replacement until after inauguration! If their voicemail is full, text/email, then call again Monday.
https://www.indivisibleor.org/daily-actions/protect-election-security-gfbkd-dk89r-mxws6-5tffj-a8phw-gcyjn-9grzx-akpyh-2pztw-w67j3-csyjf-pmdkp-z2zsz-4j68a-wnt8k-t5lsd-f9d93-d72ew-48e2p-ygtrt-7kjt8-9b8p8-ttjgd-jhl9w-deak3-mthzc
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Like most, I hate phone banking. And yet, it's 2020, and what do I hate more than phone banking? Trump. McConnell. A Trump-McConnell replacement for RBG. So I now run 3 phone banks a week for my local group and help organize/coordinate 6 more. And I still feel like it's not enough.
If you hate phone banking a lot, too, but still want to do something that makes a huge difference and are open to stretching your boundaries during this shitty shitty time, please consider making absentee ballot chase and cure calls with the North Carolina Dems. North Carolina was the first state to send out absentee ballots and many thousands of people (mostly Dems) have already turned in their ballots AND...already fucked them up so they won't get counted. UNLESS they fix them in time! The good news is, there is some time. You can literally help individuals that desperately want their vote to count, get counted. No trying to convince them to vote for someone or to care about issues they may or may not care about. These are not those type of calls. Just helping them do something they already want to do: get their vote counted, notwithstanding the shitty requirements of the state of NC. Here's the link: https://www.mobilize.us/nc2020victory/event/314753/
Also, if you have money to give and really hate Mitch McConnell, but know his own race is likely hopeless, you can still help take away all his power by donating to the Senate races that aren't hopeless. This page I link below is smart - notice how AZ isn't listed? Because as they note in the text, Mark Kelly's campaign is extremely well-funded at the moment, so they are dynamically changing this to make sure it's going where it's most effective. Here ya go, Get Mitch or Die Trying: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/getmitch
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I signed up for the NC phone bank, thanks for the link! It's funny, I've phone banked a lot on previous cycles, and I help run them now, but I prefer doing the admin and training, not the actual calls.
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Call your reps about not allowing a floor vote on RBG's replacement until after inauguration! If their voicemail is full, text/email, then call again Monday.
https://www.indivisibleor.org/daily-actions/protect-election-security-gfbkd-dk89r-mxws6-5tffj-a8phw-gcyjn-9grzx-akpyh-2pztw-w67j3-csyjf-pmdkp-z2zsz-4j68a-wnt8k-t5lsd-f9d93-d72ew-48e2p-ygtrt-7kjt8-9b8p8-ttjgd-jhl9w-deak3-mthzc
Politics as usual seeing both parties totally flip their stance from 2016. That said I have reached out to my reps (R's) urging them to maintain their position from 2016 and not allow a vote on a replacement.
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Call your reps about not allowing a floor vote on RBG's replacement until after inauguration! If their voicemail is full, text/email, then call again Monday.
https://www.indivisibleor.org/daily-actions/protect-election-security-gfbkd-dk89r-mxws6-5tffj-a8phw-gcyjn-9grzx-akpyh-2pztw-w67j3-csyjf-pmdkp-z2zsz-4j68a-wnt8k-t5lsd-f9d93-d72ew-48e2p-ygtrt-7kjt8-9b8p8-ttjgd-jhl9w-deak3-mthzc
Politics as usual seeing both parties totally flip their stance from 2016. That said I have reached out to my reps (R's) urging them to maintain their position from 2016 and not allow a vote on a replacement.
But the situation is different, isn't it? Dems opposed delaying consideration before the Repubs denied Garland a hearing, but as they failed and the Repubs established their new "rule" it seems reasonable to me that in those changed circumstances the Dems can properly say "we think this rule was wrong but having established it you should stick with it". The moral opprobrium for hypocrisy falls on the Repubs not the Dems.
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We knew what the real "rule" was then, just as we know what it is now.
Power preserves itself.
Republicans must consider why they cannot say that. What possible element in our national tradition would make openly expressing this so harmful?
Why must Leader McConnel speak in code rather than just simply say, "Our Majority wants this"? Perhaps because he must still wrangle fifty votes, and he doesn't yet have those.
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We knew what the real "rule" was then, just as we know what it is now.
Power preserves itself.
Republicans must consider why they cannot say that. What possible element in our national tradition would make openly expressing this so harmful?
Why must Leader McConnel speak in code rather than just simply say, "Our Majority wants this"? Perhaps because he must still wrangle fifty votes, and he doesn't yet have those.
Saying "we knew they were lying when they said it at the time" doesn't actually fix anything? It's still completely hypocritical for them to go back on it now. It's still correct to be outraged at the Republicans unconstitutionally (I hold) stealing a Supreme Court seat.
By this same logic you can just as easily conclude "it's all good" if Trump cancels the election and declares himself dictator for life. "We all knew what Trump wanted when he was elected the first time, he was very open about being a Dictator-wannabe. Power preserves itself. The real question is why people are outraged by it?"
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Call your reps about not allowing a floor vote on RBG's replacement until after inauguration! If their voicemail is full, text/email, then call again Monday.
https://www.indivisibleor.org/daily-actions/protect-election-security-gfbkd-dk89r-mxws6-5tffj-a8phw-gcyjn-9grzx-akpyh-2pztw-w67j3-csyjf-pmdkp-z2zsz-4j68a-wnt8k-t5lsd-f9d93-d72ew-48e2p-ygtrt-7kjt8-9b8p8-ttjgd-jhl9w-deak3-mthzc
Politics as usual seeing both parties totally flip their stance from 2016. That said I have reached out to my reps (R's) urging them to maintain their position from 2016 and not allow a vote on a replacement.
But the situation is different, isn't it? Dems opposed delaying consideration before the Repubs denied Garland a hearing, but as they failed and the Repubs established their new "rule" it seems reasonable to me that in those changed circumstances the Dems can properly say "we think this rule was wrong but having established it you should stick with it". The moral opprobrium for hypocrisy falls on the Repubs not the Dems.
I agree that there is less coming from the Dems as a result of 2016. Of course my esteemed senator, can't wait to vote him out, is now saying this is different than 2016 because the same party controls the Senate and WH, and Trump is not an outgoing President.
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RGB died on my sister-in-law's birthday. In honor of them both I'm donating to Get Mitch or Die Trying.
Fuck McConnell right in his lying, hypocritical cakehole.
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We knew what the real "rule" was then, just as we know what it is now.
Power preserves itself.
Republicans must consider why they cannot say that. What possible element in our national tradition would make openly expressing this so harmful?
Why must Leader McConnel speak in code rather than just simply say, "Our Majority wants this"? Perhaps because he must still wrangle fifty votes, and he doesn't yet have those.
Saying "we knew they were lying when they said it at the time" doesn't actually fix anything? It's still completely hypocritical for them to go back on it now. It's still correct to be outraged at the Republicans unconstitutionally (I hold) stealing a Supreme Court seat.
By this same logic you can just as easily conclude "it's all good" if Trump cancels the election and declares himself dictator for life. "We all knew what Trump wanted when he was elected the first time, he was very open about being a Dictator-wannabe. Power preserves itself. The real question is why people are outraged by it?"
I have actually said that several times.
I mean, sure, it is a bit surprising that a politician actually holds his election promise, but why being enraged about that?
And that the Reps are hypocrits who fuck the rules whenever it suits them but always pressure the Dems to hold up the rules when it would be bad for the Dems is no surprise either. That has been standard operation tactics for the Reps for decades.
So much I think it even appears in the must-read book in my signature :D
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RGB died on my sister-in-law's birthday. In honor of them both I'm donating to Get Mitch or Die Trying.
Fuck McConnell right in his lying, hypocritical cakehole.
A wonderful thing about our system is he can be voted out. I assume the real opponents have been working for years since this situation was surely in the top ten possible outcomes.
Calling a politician a liar ain’t going to change any minds, since in the Venn diagram the liars completely engulf the politicians. It’s just how the system works.
Sure would be nice to see him go. Voted out, carried out, who cares, just out.
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Today and yesterday I sent too-many-thousands of texts for the MI Democratic Party-endorsed candidates for the MI Supreme Court. Seemingly weird system there wherein the candidates are nominated by the political parties, but then they are placed on the nonpartisan portion of the ballot and their nomination/endorsement is not noted. So we're texting strong democrats that (hopefully) want to vote all blue and would vote for these two candidates if they knew they were endorsed by the MDP. It seems really successful! Probably a good time to capitalize on interest in courts, coincidentally and unfortunately.
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@sui generis - nice! Can you send me the link for that?
I've started setting up a new phone bank for Reclaim Our Vote. If anyone is interested, message me. They have a bunch of established ones already.
Still helping out with other campaign phone banks and writing letters and postcards.
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( @MonkeyJenga sent you a DM)
Signed up with Choose Democracy. https://choosedemocracy.us/
After last night's debate and Trump making it pretty clear that he is going to "win" this election whether he actually wins it or not, I think it's best to start cultivating a mindframe of NOT giving in easily, not being frozen and looking to other leaders to fix it or stand up against it, but act quickly to reject a coup. Good info on the website and hopefully we don't need to use this knowledge, but I think it's a good idea to have it.
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Bloodaxe, you are welcome to start your own thread, but this one is focused on standing against Trump and the Republicans.
(For the group, that link is raising money to defend Kyle Rittenhouse, the accused Kenosha shooter.)
@sui generis - thanks! This new phone bank is taking more time than I thought, so I'll take a look once it's up and running.
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MJ, I don't post here much but wanted to say thanks for doing what you do and posting this info as a contagious act of hope.
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Weeks ago, but - contributed $600 to a group focusing on flippable Senate seats. Contributed $190 to Biden campaign.
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Have a great spreadsheet from Warren's team that lists textbanks for Biden and other Dem candidates every single day of the week. Please PM me if interested in the link!
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Have a great spreadsheet from Warren's team that lists textbanks for Biden and other Dem candidates every single day of the week. Please PM me if interested in the link!
I love how things get around! I've been sending that link to people for a few days now and it's going in my group's newsletter in a couple of days!
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I text voters every day for at least a half hour through Resistance Labs and NextGen. Go to the votedem subreddit and they have a Volunteer from Home spreadsheet.
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We have donated $450 (and counting) for Biden/Harris, and today I texted 1000 undecided voters for the Biden/Harris Victory 2020 campaign. It was discouraging how many Trumpers there were, but a few people I contacted agreed to volunteer to make calls. So that's something...
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I did a phone bank today for one of my group's candidates that included the appearance by a cast member from the Broadway production of Hamilton! This actor (Ryan Vasquez) is the only one who has performed all of the male lead roles in the musical and has been super generous with his time. He's also a total state legislature nerd - wanting to flip state legislatures across the country and appearing at phone banks and fundraisers to draw time and dollars from volunteers. We had a great turnout for the phone bank and everyone loved it. He performed Dear Theodosia and then we all went off to make calls!
Yesterday I did a briefing on voter protection work, and have links to do sign up for voter protection (poll watcher, staffing hotlines, ballot cure, recruiting local vols to poll watch) if anyone is looking for a way to participate, particularly in AZ, FL, IA, ME, MI, MN, NC, PA, SC, TX, WI, PM me and I'll be happy to connect you.
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That's pretty impressive about Ryan Vasquez, but I guess there isn't really a true bass part in the cast (as opposed to something like "The Lion King"). When I saw "Hamilton" live, they had the understudy in the Lafayette role, and he had to drop his French accent during the really fast rapping in "Guns and Ships". It was a disappointment, but seeing "Hamilton" live was probably still one of the five most incredible experiences in my life, even with that (minor) disappointment. And he was fantastic in the Jefferson role.
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Sent ballot tracking links to friend living abroad.
Hosted climate event for 40+ virtual attendees.
Earlier:
Donated to 314 Action Fund, focused on flipping Senate districts with climate-unfriendly Senators;
Donated Biden campaign.
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Sent link on how to do ballot cures (i.e. help voters whose absentee ballots were rejected) to a friend who wants to do something. PM me for link.
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My friends died today from COVID. His only high risk group was “healthcare worker.” I donated to the Biden campaign.
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My friends died today from COVID. His only high risk group was “healthcare worker.” I donated to the Biden campaign.
My sympathies. Health care worker is a high risk category all by itself.
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Another $100 to Emily's list. Thanks for the reminder.
Also, I took all the ballots down to a drop box Monday, and checked on them today: they've been received, but not yet counted.
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A neighbor was walking the street distributing door hangers. She identified herself as working for a local Republican campaign, and asked me, "Do you support the President?"
(through my mask) I told her, "no", and grabbed a door hanger so I could throw it in the trash. One fewer person who can be reached.
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A neighbor was walking the street distributing door hangers. She identified herself as working for a local Republican campaign, and asked me, "Do you support the President?"
(through my mask) I told her, "no", and grabbed a door hanger so I could throw it in the trash. One fewer person who can be reached.
Oh you mean that racist, misogynistic pig?.... Ummm... How do I put this?
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A neighbor was walking the street distributing door hangers. She identified herself as working for a local Republican campaign, and asked me, "Do you support the President?"
(through my mask) I told her, "no", and grabbed a door hanger so I could throw it in the trash. One fewer person who can be reached.
I support of the office of president.
Which of course means you have to be against Trump having that.
It's like "I am loyal to the throne. Whoever sits on it." Without the second sentence.
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A neighbor was walking the street distributing door hangers. She identified herself as working for a local Republican campaign, and asked me, "Do you support the President?"
(through my mask) I told her, "no", and grabbed a door hanger so I could throw it in the trash. One fewer person who can be reached.
Oh you mean that racist, misogynistic pig?.... Ummm... How do I put this?
There was a guy walking around our neighborhood yesterday with a giant Trump/Pence flag, leaving literature. For reference, I live in the bluest town in the state, and my neighborhood is largely either (1) retired teachers and hippies, or (2) extremely progressive young families, or (3) still extremely progressive people like us. There are a couple of somewhat less progressive folks sprinkled in, but ... seriously? And the flag just makes it more clear that he was mostly here to needle and provoke, not to actually convince people.
anyhow, he encountered my 16 year old who was outside. The kid was polite, enough.
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My friends died today from COVID. His only high risk group was “healthcare worker.” I donated to the Biden campaign.
My condolences MudPuppy. This is a tragic time.
I'm continuing to text on anti-gerrymandering and anti-corruption measures. Last weekend we mailed get out the vote letters to underrepresented voters. Yesterday was my DH's birthday and part of our celebration was taking our ballots to a county drop box.
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I've begun thinking that Trump will lose, then immediately declare his candidacy for 2024. Sort of like how my Houston Astros friends adopted the "Take it Back" slogan for the 2019 MLB season.
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Seems like the latest trend in small acts of political resistance in the USA is voting! The number of celebs pictured on social media clutching their paperwork....
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I cohosted (through my volunteer org) an “ask your city clerks” town hall via Zoom last night. There’s so much misinformation about the absentee voting process, how ballots are counted, how precincts will handle security, etc. I’m glad we were able to give our local clerks a platform to provide the facts.
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My friends died today from COVID. His only high risk group was “healthcare worker.” I donated to the Biden campaign.
My condolences regarding your friend, @MudPuppy.
Voted.
Confirmed that my friend's ballot was received.
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Signed up to chase ballots with the GA Dems: https://www.mobilize.us/dpgvoterprotection/event/329170/
It's not over!
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My proudest moment yesterday as a poll worker was when a young voter came in with a copy of the local League of Women Voters voter guide, for which I did all the layout and communications with the publisher. I know that the guides are appreciated -- we had to do a second printing -- but there's nothing like visible evidence.
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ETA: Not actually sure if the GA Dems need more volunteers right now. Does anyone know of ballot chase efforts in another state?
Looks like they may need people for NC: https://www.mobilize.us/nc2020victory/event/314753/
Also a Senate race there, so it's an important one even if it's not in reach for the presidency.
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Thanks slice. I actually knew about the NC event, but I was holding out hope for AZ, NV, or PA.
Please ignore my original comment about GA. That was about a specific part of the ballot chase. Pretty confident they still need phone bankers and texters. The presidential race and BOTH Senate races are going to depend on this.
Sign up for a shift to call GA voters: https://mobilize.us/s/Kg5ujU
Nice going @OtherJen !
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Looks to me like the AP called Arizona way to soon.. If anything AZ could go the other way!!
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If I want to obsess over numbers and drive myself crazy, I'll go to 538, thank you very much. If y'all are gonna post in here, better tell us what you're doing about it!
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I'm sending even more money..:)
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I have a question -- MJ, if you want me to move this, I can.
I was looking at an election map, and ... I have to drive across a bunch of that swath of red in the next month or three. And I probably have to decide about purchases from some of those states.
Does anyone know of a way to find businesses that, you know, view me and my POC and gay friends as actual citizens, and didn't donate/pressure their employees/otherwise act in ways that would strip us of citizenship? Because I'm no longer interested in giving money to businesses who don't view me as a full citizen, with all the responsibilities and rights implied.
I think there are a couple of websites that look at larger firms, but what if I have to buy gas on my way across iowa? Or decide where to get woodworking products from?
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Just heard about this ballot chase for AZ: https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/362491/
Nice, efb.
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I'm sending even more money..:)
To whom? Mobilize.us doesn't seem to have a "donate" option?
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I'm sending even more money..:)
To whom? Mobilize.us doesn't seem to have a "donate" option?
Through actblue.com. I recommend searching for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff for the two GA specials that will decide control of the US Senate in January!
I just signed up to go to Reno on Monday to do ballot cure canvassing (every vote counts! Even though the electoral college better damn well be decided by then. Btw, have y'all seen all the hilarious NV ballot counting memes?) and then Fresno on Thursday (or beyond TBD, to do legal observing for ballot counting for a US House race. We flipped a bunch of seats in 2018 and now 4 (!!!) of them in danger this year. With the surprising loss of seats in the House, we gotta try to stop the bleeding!
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I'm sending even more money..:)
To whom? Mobilize.us doesn't seem to have a "donate" option?
Through actblue.com. I recommend searching for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff for the two GA specials that will decide control of the US Senate in January!
I just signed up to go to Reno on Monday to do ballot cure canvassing (every vote counts! Even though the electoral college better damn well be decided by then. Btw, have y'all seen all the hilarious NV ballot counting memes?) and then Fresno on Thursday (or beyond TBD, to do legal observing for ballot counting for a US House race. We flipped a bunch of seats in 2018 and now 4 (!!!) of them in danger this year. With the surprising loss of seats in the House, we gotta try to stop the bleeding!
Thanks. I'm off to donate...
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I'm sending even more money..:)
To whom? Mobilize.us doesn't seem to have a "donate" option?
Through actblue.com. I recommend searching for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff for the two GA specials that will decide control of the US Senate in January!
I just signed up to go to Reno on Monday to do ballot cure canvassing (every vote counts! Even though the electoral college better damn well be decided by then. Btw, have y'all seen all the hilarious NV ballot counting memes?) and then Fresno on Thursday (or beyond TBD, to do legal observing for ballot counting for a US House race. We flipped a bunch of seats in 2018 and now 4 (!!!) of them in danger this year. With the surprising loss of seats in the House, we gotta try to stop the bleeding!
Thanks for telling us about actblue.com. I wanted to let you know that I appreciate the work you're doing (and all of the other volunteers) and I just made a nice donation because you recommended them here. It felt so good I'll probably make another one tomorrow. :)
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I'm so glad the rec was helpful and thank you for donating! Yes, I also echo the thanks to everyone here who has made small (and large) efforts to resist and to be more engaged. We are seeing the fruits of that now (perhaps today it will be announced?). There's no doubt of the difference that "small, daily acts" can make!
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I'm so glad the rec was helpful and thank you for donating! Yes, I also echo the thanks to everyone here who has made small (and large) efforts to resist and to be more engaged. We are seeing the fruits of that now (perhaps today it will be announced?). There's no doubt of the difference that "small, daily acts" can make!
I "played it forward" and shared the actblue.com link on another forum last night. This morning I experienced the satisfaction of having folks there post that they'd made donations too. :)
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Well, I've now received 5 or 6 emails from the Ossoff campaign, which seems like a lot, in fewer then 24 hours.
I also donated to Stacy Abrams' group, Fair Fight.
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I decided to donate to the Movement Voter Project's Georgia Fund. https://movement.vote/funds/ga-fund/?refcode=ab-redirect MVP is a great org that does due diligence and connects with organizing groups on the ground in each state.
For Georgia, they are distributing funds to the 13 groups you can read about in the link above. I will donate to Ossoff and Warnock directly, but I'm really seeing the value of these local organizing groups that have been building strong networks within the communities they live in. They are the best people to turn out their friends and neighbors, not necessarily campaigns, which are ephemeral and don't stick around working in the community and building trust for the long-term.
I think the work of some of these groups (LUCHA in AZ is one great example. Detroit Action, another) have been critical. Stacey Abram's Fair Fight is another sort of example as well. I really am passionate about supporting the people IN these areas to maximize their capacity. I did a ton of phone banking this year and it didn't feel like a super effective use of time. It's never going to be very effective for some random lady from CA to call voters across the country, even though it is true that these campaigns do need more volunteers to do things like this to help them succeed. But I want to shift my focus to supporting local organizers that are embedded and known in the community to reach more of their own neighbors and speak with more authority to voters than I can.
GA Senate's gonna be tough. But worth the effort and the building up of these groups that can be done during the effort that I hope will have long-lasting impacts in the state and their local races as well.
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We have been waiting 4 years for this. Except we weren't waiting, we were making it happen!
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Damn right!!!!...:)
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Hells yeah!!
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This was the most satisfying one for me:
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
People need the relief. Let them have the day.
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
I'm sure everyone realises that. They are feeling the relief that they don't have to deal with another 4 years of a divisive president.
And for everyone, I recommend Twilight of Democracy. Very real, very scary, look at how democracies can be subverted. The US system was planned with checks and balances, but they have weaknesses. The Parliamentary system evolved instead of being designed, and it also has weaknesses. I'm beginning to realise that democracy is fragile.
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
I will still be making my donations, still getting out the vote for every election...
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
Geez, let us have just one day to enjoy the fact that actual rational non-fascists will occupy the White House in late January. We know the next few months are going to be shitty for multiple reasons. Today still feels like waking up from a 5-year nightmare.
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
Geez, let us have just one day to enjoy the fact that actual rational non-fascists will occupy the White House in late January. We know the next few months are going to be shitty for multiple reasons. Today still feels like waking up from a 5-year nightmare.
+1000
I've spent four years with PTSD from the last election, followed by daily servings of worry, creeping anxiety, rage, and/or disgust. Let us enjoy our first truly joyful day in over 1400 shitty ones!
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I donated to Fair Fight today in honor of American voters.
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
I'm sure everyone realises that. They are feeling the relief that they don't have to deal with another 4 years of a divisive president.
And for everyone, I recommend Twilight of Democracy. Very real, very scary, look at how democracies can be subverted. The US system was planned with checks and balances, but they have weaknesses. The Parliamentary system evolved instead of being designed, and it also has weaknesses. I'm beginning to realise that democracy is fragile.
A democracy needs that the majority is democrats. There is no democracy without democracying.
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I donated to Fair Fight today in honor of American voters.
Awesome!
Places to donate, including Fair Fight:
Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/2020gasenaterunoff
Fair Fight: https://fairfight.com/
Reclaim Our Vote: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/reclaim-our-vote-signup
Vote Forward: https://votefwd.org/
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
I'm sure everyone realises that. They are feeling the relief that they don't have to deal with another 4 years of a divisive president.
And for everyone, I recommend Twilight of Democracy. Very real, very scary, look at how democracies can be subverted. The US system was planned with checks and balances, but they have weaknesses. The Parliamentary system evolved instead of being designed, and it also has weaknesses. I'm beginning to realise that democracy is fragile.
A democracy needs that the majority is democrats. There is no democracy without democracying.
She talks about Poland and Hungary and the UK before she gets to the US. It's the other pandemic.
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Man y'all are some downers today. We need 100% more Gritty in here.
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/lcjNHIJilbfGOdqIkd/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47iao12zgw2ddzt8mm0nf4imf9uf2vat1rt9qahnrt&rid=giphy.gif)
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I'm too busy celebrating getting that fucking despot out of the WH and making us look like morons!
:)
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Man y'all are some downers today. We need 100% more Gritty in here.
I gotchu, MJ.
I'm actually kind of glad they didn't call it till today since I had all kinds of nauseous migraine BS the last few days and I wouldn't have been able to enjoy my champagne properly. Tonight, we party like liberal elites! Slowly savoring a demi bottle of rose champagne while social distancing alone in my apartment. :-P
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It has been a huge help to have some funny memes and tweets to provide some levity and an occassional escape from doom scrolling over the last few days (also: years). Here's one of my favorite at the moment.
Onward to the 2 Senate runoffs in Georgia!
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
Geez, let us have just one day to enjoy the fact that actual rational non-fascists will occupy the White House in late January. We know the next few months are going to be shitty for multiple reasons. Today still feels like waking up from a 5-year nightmare.
100%. We've been alternately dancing, crying, drinking, and screaming all day long. Random grabbing each other for huge hugs and kisses. Hubby became a US citizen because of 45, worried about what might happen - and also because FUCK THIS NOISE. Today is for celebrating.
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You about to lose yo' job!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cDyvJu05bc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cDyvJu05bc)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWfRF8kSnc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWfRF8kSnc)
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Man y'all are some downers today. We need 100% more Gritty in here.
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/lcjNHIJilbfGOdqIkd/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47iao12zgw2ddzt8mm0nf4imf9uf2vat1rt9qahnrt&rid=giphy.gif)
YES. Go Philly! (From a Red Wings fan)
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I think some of the celebrations are a tiny bit premature.
Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not!
A little less than half of the population STILL supports the casual and banal evil of putting kids in cages.
I am sure it's appropriate to feel a tiny bit relief, but celebration like the kind I am seeing in TV sounds like a bit premature to me.
Sorry for being the negative Nancy here. I just wrote what I felt in my gut.
Geez, let us have just one day to enjoy the fact that actual rational non-fascists will occupy the White House in late January. We know the next few months are going to be shitty for multiple reasons. Today still feels like waking up from a 5-year nightmare.
100%. We've been alternately dancing, crying, drinking, and screaming all day long. Random grabbing each other for huge hugs and kisses. Hubby became a US citizen because of 45, worried about what might happen - and also because FUCK THIS NOISE. Today is for celebrating.
Yup I became naturalized in 2018 for that very same reason!
I got to vote for the very first time.. For Biden of course!
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The RNC has set up a hotline to report election fraud at 1-(888) 630-1776. I hear (my people tell me, they say, and all the other meaningless phases he uses) that it's being heavily pranked. So if you want to get creative and get them chasing their own tails, dial away. Not really results-oriented action, but some fun.
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The RNC has set up a hotline to report election fraud at 1-(888) 630-1776. I hear (my people tell me, they say, and all the other meaningless phases he uses) that it's being heavily pranked. So if you want to get creative and get them chasing their own tails, dial away. Not really results-oriented action, but some fun.
I don't know the legal details in the US but I am quite sure that saying a crime has happened when it has not is not very legal.
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The RNC has set up a hotline to report election fraud at 1-(888) 630-1776. I hear (my people tell me, they say, and all the other meaningless phases he uses) that it's being heavily pranked. So if you want to get creative and get them chasing their own tails, dial away. Not really results-oriented action, but some fun.
I don't know the legal details in the US but I am quite sure that saying a crime has happened when it has not is not very legal.
IANAL, but I imagine that'd be more the case if you were making statements to police, and less the case if you're calling a private hotline.
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The RNC has set up a hotline to report election fraud at 1-(888) 630-1776. I hear (my people tell me, they say, and all the other meaningless phases he uses) that it's being heavily pranked. So if you want to get creative and get them chasing their own tails, dial away. Not really results-oriented action, but some fun.
I don't know the legal details in the US but I am quite sure that saying a crime has happened when it has not is not very legal.
I think it's less that people are claiming crimes and more that they're spamming the hotline and leaving ridiculous messages to snarl up the system and make it much more difficult for Trump's legal team to work. Kind of like how TikTok users blocked out a bunch of Trump rally tickets so that actual Trump fans couldn't attend, or how gay men took over the Proud Boys hashtag on social media after one of the presidential debates.
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Celebrating, elated, grateful for a president who will do what he can to unite people & speak like a damn adult instead of a petulant child. Aware that there is significantly more work to do, and donated to Fair Fight.
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As Shuffler noted, you are not reporting a crime to the police or a gov agency, even. You're just telling some people about what you regard as fraud. More like telling some tall tales to people with no authority over you. Or, in this case, like when trump himself announces to the world at large that he has heard of all kinds of absurd voter fraud cases. Good luck trying to prosecute someone who told people at a republican hotline that they saw the Hamburglar stealing a bunch of votes. And this is where a lot of these ridiculous claims will get tripped up. Those trying to bring court cases based on this BS will eventually need to have signed statements or affidavits with details and particulars based on facts, which probably won't materialize.
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I don't know who needs to hear this but fun fact about Georgia: there's no residency requirement to register to vote there.
If you're living there by December 7 you can register and vote in the runoff w/ ID.
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I am happy but will not be totally assured until he is gone.
We were basically on the road to Autocracy with an aspiring Dictator at the helm. I am still not 100% comfortable until Biden assumes the Presidency. The "12 more years" chants at rallies were not a joke.
But very happy disaster seems to have been averted.
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I don't know who needs to hear this but fun fact about Georgia: there's no residency requirement to register to vote there.
If you're living there by December 7 you can register and vote in the runoff w/ ID.
Was Georgia the state where 11 of 14 senators went to the Republicans with less votes than the Democrats?
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Was Georgia the state where 11 of 14 senators went to the Republicans with less votes than the Democrats?
Assume you mean state Senators and not U.S. Senators. Gerrymandering does not help with any given U.S. Senate seat because those are statewide races that ignore district boundaries. In principle, winning these Senate runoffs is exactly as hard as winning the state's electoral votes which we just proved is possible.
But to your question: there are a *lot* of states like this thanks to gerrymandering. Which is a problem we can maybe fix if -and only if- we sweep those two Georgia races.
Georgia is a Very Big Fucking Deal right now.
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Was Georgia the state where 11 of 14 senators went to the Republicans with less votes than the Democrats?
Assume you mean state Senators and not U.S. Senators. Gerrymandering does not help with any given U.S. Senate seat because those are statewide races that ignore district boundaries. In principle, winning these Senate runoffs is exactly as hard as winning the state's electoral votes which we just proved is possible.
But to your question: there are a *lot* of states like this thanks to gerrymandering. Which is a problem we can maybe fix if -and only if- we sweep those two Georgia races.
Georgia is a Very Big Fucking Deal right now.
He could also mean US House Representatives. For example in 2012 Republicans took 9 out of 13 US House seats in NC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina) despite having fewer votes.
“I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats, because I do not believe it’s possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats.” - NC Rep David Lewis, 2016
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Is there any way to kill gerrymandering?
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Is there any way to kill gerrymandering?
Yes, get your state to pass (https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/gerrymandering-and-representation/gerrymandering-redistricting/) independent citizen-led redistricting commissions.
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Was Georgia the state where 11 of 14 senators went to the Republicans with less votes than the Democrats?
Assume you mean state Senators and not U.S. Senators. Gerrymandering does not help with any given U.S. Senate seat because those are statewide races that ignore district boundaries. In principle, winning these Senate runoffs is exactly as hard as winning the state's electoral votes which we just proved is possible.
But to your question: there are a *lot* of states like this thanks to gerrymandering. Which is a problem we can maybe fix if -and only if- we sweep those two Georgia races.
Georgia is a Very Big Fucking Deal right now.
He could also mean US House Representatives. For example in 2012 Republicans took 9 out of 13 US House seats in NC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina) despite having fewer votes.
“I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats, because I do not believe it’s possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats.” - NC Rep David Lewis, 2016
I think that was the one. The quote stuck in my head. That is as Bloody Awful as you can get without actually killing people. If I had a gun, I would shoot such a person on sight. I am sure there is some "I felt threatened" law that can be used for the get out of jail card.
That sentence alone should make it impossible to be elected to any office for life and end any currently holding.
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Is there any way to kill gerrymandering?
Yes, get your state to pass (https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/gerrymandering-and-representation/gerrymandering-redistricting/) independent citizen-led redistricting commissions.
Yep. I have several friends who worked tirelessly with Voters Not Politicians (https://votersnotpoliticians.com/), a grassroots org formed in early 2017 to end partisan gerrymandering in Michigan. In fact, I remember sitting in a meeting in Feb. 2017 and hearing an explanation of the goal, which seemed both excellent and impossible.
The resulting statewide ballot measure, Proposal 2, passed in Nov. 2018, receiving 61% of the vote. The independent citizens redistricting committee (https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_91141---,00.html) was selected earlier this year and will begin its work once the census data are available.
It is far from impossible. Now is the time to start.
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Is there any way to kill gerrymandering?
Yes, get your state to pass (https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/gerrymandering-and-representation/gerrymandering-redistricting/) independent citizen-led redistricting commissions.
1) Win the Georgia runoffs.
2) Reform the courts.
3) Pass a voting rights act that makes gerrymandering illegal nationwide.
Georgia is a Very Big Deal right now.
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Is there any way to kill gerrymandering?
Yes, get your state to pass (https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/gerrymandering-and-representation/gerrymandering-redistricting/) independent citizen-led redistricting commissions.
Yep. I have several friends who worked tirelessly with Voters Not Politicians (https://votersnotpoliticians.com/), a grassroots org formed in early 2017 to end partisan gerrymandering in Michigan. In fact, I remember sitting in a meeting in Feb. 2017 and hearing an explanation of the goal, which seemed both excellent and impossible.
The resulting statewide ballot measure, Proposal 2, passed in Nov. 2018, receiving 61% of the vote. The independent citizens redistricting committee (https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1633_91141---,00.html) was selected earlier this year and will begin its work once the census data are available.
It is far from impossible. Now is the time to start.
You don't need seom (independend?) citizen to commitee anything.
Just take one of the existing redistricting algos and let it run throw the US data. The only thing you might need to "independently" formulate are some of the settings, like how tight to existing other political borders (like counties) and how much is a physical barrier a political one (one district for two sides of a river that have no bridge for 20 miles? Or 2?)
I think some Canadian university even has a working model for the US on the net?? It surely was a few years ago, but I have no idea where I have seen that.
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You don't need seom (independend?) citizen to commitee anything.
Just take one of the existing redistricting algos and let it run throw the US data. The only thing you might need to "independently" formulate are some of the settings, like how tight to existing other political borders (like counties) and how much is a physical barrier a political one (one district for two sides of a river that have no bridge for 20 miles? Or 2?)
I am also fine with automatic redistricting assuming the algorithm is fair. This however seems to be harder to convince people of. There are several states that already have citizen-led districting commissions, there are zero that have automatic districts. And there is a fairly-legitimate concern that the politicians in power when the algorithm is chosen would choose one that slants things in their benefit the same way they do when they draw the maps themselves. It comes down to trust.
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You don't need seom (independend?) citizen to commitee anything.
Just take one of the existing redistricting algos and let it run throw the US data. The only thing you might need to "independently" formulate are some of the settings, like how tight to existing other political borders (like counties) and how much is a physical barrier a political one (one district for two sides of a river that have no bridge for 20 miles? Or 2?)
I am also fine with automatic redistricting assuming the algorithm is fair. This however seems to be harder to convince people of. There are several states that already have citizen-led districting commissions, there are zero that have automatic districts. And there is a fairly-legitimate concern that the politicians in power when the algorithm is chosen would choose one that slants things in their benefit the same way they do when they draw the maps themselves. It comes down to trust.
It's such a weird argument to run into.
"The way we currently do things is extremely and demonstrably unfair!"
"So let's fix that with an algorithm!"
"No, the algorithm might be slightly unfair! We need to keep things the same!"
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You don't need seom (independend?) citizen to commitee anything.
Just take one of the existing redistricting algos and let it run throw the US data. The only thing you might need to "independently" formulate are some of the settings, like how tight to existing other political borders (like counties) and how much is a physical barrier a political one (one district for two sides of a river that have no bridge for 20 miles? Or 2?)
I am also fine with automatic redistricting assuming the algorithm is fair. This however seems to be harder to convince people of. There are several states that already have citizen-led districting commissions, there are zero that have automatic districts. And there is a fairly-legitimate concern that the politicians in power when the algorithm is chosen would choose one that slants things in their benefit the same way they do when they draw the maps themselves. It comes down to trust.
It's such a weird argument to run into.
"The way we currently do things is extremely and demonstrably unfair!"
"So let's fix that with an algorithm!"
"No, the algorithm might be slightly unfair! We need to keep things the same!"
Colorado voted for redistricting in 2018.
Currently they're looking for volunteers for all of the work that needs to be done, but they're warning "Please understand that once the work of the commission gets underway, it will basically be a full-time job... While we are uncertain about when the heavy work of the commission will take place, we anticipate that it will be around July through September of 2021. You will be paid a per diem and travel expenses for your time." (emphasis mine).
I'd absolutely love to be involved in this, but I can't quit my full time job to do 3 months of this, or pay for extra child care during that time without said job. From what I've heard, the committee so far is composed mostly of older white men (presumably retired?).
I'd trust an algorithm infinitely more than retired old dudes, tbh.
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You don't need seom (independend?) citizen to commitee anything.
Just take one of the existing redistricting algos and let it run throw the US data. The only thing you might need to "independently" formulate are some of the settings, like how tight to existing other political borders (like counties) and how much is a physical barrier a political one (one district for two sides of a river that have no bridge for 20 miles? Or 2?)
I am also fine with automatic redistricting assuming the algorithm is fair. This however seems to be harder to convince people of. There are several states that already have citizen-led districting commissions, there are zero that have automatic districts. And there is a fairly-legitimate concern that the politicians in power when the algorithm is chosen would choose one that slants things in their benefit the same way they do when they draw the maps themselves. It comes down to trust.
It's such a weird argument to run into.
"The way we currently do things is extremely and demonstrably unfair!"
"So let's fix that with an algorithm!"
"No, the algorithm might be slightly unfair! We need to keep things the same!"
Colorado voted for redistricting in 2018.
Currently they're looking for volunteers for all of the work that needs to be done, but they're warning "Please understand that once the work of the commission gets underway, it will basically be a full-time job... While we are uncertain about when the heavy work of the commission will take place, we anticipate that it will be around July through September of 2021. You will be paid a per diem and travel expenses for your time." (emphasis mine).
I'd absolutely love to be involved in this, but I can't quit my full time job to do 3 months of this, or pay for extra child care during that time without said job. From what I've heard, the committee so far is composed mostly of older white men (presumably retired?).
I'd trust an algorithm infinitely more than retired old dudes, tbh.
1. Old white dudes may gerrymander, but they will only do that to the same extent Gerry did back in 19th century. Modern gerrymandering is ultra efficient and driven by big data and massive simulations. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/gerrymandering-technology-redmap-2020/543888/... As long as you take that capability away, results should be far better.
2. Random citizens are far less probability of being sociopaths than career politicians.
So I'd still tentatively argue it is an improvement - on balance - over political redistricting.
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Colorado voted for redistricting in 2018.
Currently they're looking for volunteers for all of the work that needs to be done, but they're warning "Please understand that once the work of the commission gets underway, it will basically be a full-time job... While we are uncertain about when the heavy work of the commission will take place, we anticipate that it will be around July through September of 2021. You will be paid a per diem and travel expenses for your time." (emphasis mine).
I'd absolutely love to be involved in this, but I can't quit my full time job to do 3 months of this, or pay for extra child care during that time without said job. From what I've heard, the committee so far is composed mostly of older white men (presumably retired?).
I'd trust an algorithm infinitely more than retired old dudes, tbh.
1. Old white dudes may gerrymander, but they will only do that to the same extent Gerry did back in 19th century. Modern gerrymandering is ultra efficient and driven by big data and massive simulations. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/gerrymandering-technology-redmap-2020/543888/... As long as you take that capability away, results should be far better.
2. Random citizens are far less probability of being sociopaths than career politicians.
So I'd still tentatively argue it is an improvement - on balance - over political redistricting.
It's also not obvious that "old white dudes" are going to want to gerrymander in any particular direction. The actual laws around citizen districting commissions usually specify that applicants are required to state which way they lean politically (or neither), and then the applicant pool will contain some Republicans, some Democrats, and some Independents, and then often the major/minor party leaders in the state legislature get some strikes to disqualify applicants they think are too extreme, similar to how juries are selected.
And even if a disproportionate number of leaners in one way did slip through, citizens are much less incentivized to gerrymander. Many of them want to do the honest thing, and many of them realize that gerrymandering doesn't lead to higher-quality politicians, even if their side wins. To me just assuming without evidence that the "old white dudes" are going to gerrymander is itself the weirder argument.
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Colorado voted for redistricting in 2018.
Currently they're looking for volunteers for all of the work that needs to be done, but they're warning "Please understand that once the work of the commission gets underway, it will basically be a full-time job... While we are uncertain about when the heavy work of the commission will take place, we anticipate that it will be around July through September of 2021. You will be paid a per diem and travel expenses for your time." (emphasis mine).
I'd absolutely love to be involved in this, but I can't quit my full time job to do 3 months of this, or pay for extra child care during that time without said job. From what I've heard, the committee so far is composed mostly of older white men (presumably retired?).
I'd trust an algorithm infinitely more than retired old dudes, tbh.
1. Old white dudes may gerrymander, but they will only do that to the same extent Gerry did back in 19th century. Modern gerrymandering is ultra efficient and driven by big data and massive simulations. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/10/gerrymandering-technology-redmap-2020/543888/... As long as you take that capability away, results should be far better.
2. Random citizens are far less probability of being sociopaths than career politicians.
So I'd still tentatively argue it is an improvement - on balance - over political redistricting.
It's also not obvious that "old white dudes" are going to want to gerrymander in any particular direction. The actual laws around citizen districting commissions usually specify that applicants are required to state which way they lean politically (or neither), and then the applicant pool will contain some Republicans, some Democrats, and some Independents, and then often the major/minor party leaders in the state legislature get some strikes to disqualify applicants they think are too extreme, similar to how juries are selected.
And even if a disproportionate number of leaners in one way did slip through, citizens are much less incentivized to gerrymander. Many of them want to do the honest thing, and many of them realize that gerrymandering doesn't lead to higher-quality politicians, even if their side wins. To me just assuming without evidence that the "old white dudes" are going to gerrymander is itself the weirder argument.
This is fair. I would like to see a larger range of people, but you're right that my assumption that the majority of older white guys are going to want to gerrymander is wrong. There are a lot of requirements going into the process, and I'm sure they'll make good choices.
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This is fair. I would like to see a larger range of people, but you're right that my assumption that the majority of older white guys are going to want to gerrymander is wrong. There are a lot of requirements going into the process, and I'm sure they'll make good choices.
Sure, and that's fair too. But the facts of life are that retirees have more time on their hands, and can do things like this for all the reasons you stated before. Most poll workers are retirees. All the more reason to RE so that you can be a part of things you find important.
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This is fair. I would like to see a larger range of people, but you're right that my assumption that the majority of older white guys are going to want to gerrymander is wrong. There are a lot of requirements going into the process, and I'm sure they'll make good choices.
Sure, and that's fair too. But the facts of life are that retirees have more time on their hands, and can do things like this for all the reasons you stated before. Most poll workers are retirees. All the more reason to RE so that you can be a part of things you find important.
I'd just like to take a short break to make everyone mentally picture some old retirees workin' the pole.
That is all.
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This is fair. I would like to see a larger range of people, but you're right that my assumption that the majority of older white guys are going to want to gerrymander is wrong. There are a lot of requirements going into the process, and I'm sure they'll make good choices.
Sure, and that's fair too. But the facts of life are that retirees have more time on their hands, and can do things like this for all the reasons you stated before. Most poll workers are retirees. All the more reason to RE so that you can be a part of things you find important.
I'd just like to take a short break to make everyone mentally picture some old retirees workin' the pole.
That is all.
I am a poll worker. I now need to scrub my brain of ~images of other poll workers. :shudder:
(also, love being able to see people like... have a reasoned disagreement online, it's heckin awesome, thanks guys)
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This is fair. I would like to see a larger range of people, but you're right that my assumption that the majority of older white guys are going to want to gerrymander is wrong. There are a lot of requirements going into the process, and I'm sure they'll make good choices.
Sure, and that's fair too. But the facts of life are that retirees have more time on their hands, and can do things like this for all the reasons you stated before. Most poll workers are retirees. All the more reason to RE so that you can be a part of things you find important.
I'd just like to take a short break to make everyone mentally picture some old retirees workin' the pole.
That is all.
Just leaving this here to help out your imagination:
https://www.tmz.com/2020/09/24/pole-dancing-strippers-vote-ad-get-your-booty-to-the-poll/
Edited to add: Very, very, very NSFW.
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Some things anyone can do for the Georgia runoff races:
- Donate to the Ossoff and Warnock campaigns: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dscc-warnock-ossoff-runoff-nov2020
- Donate to Fair Fight: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/forcemultiplier19fairfight
- Volunteer for the above organizations.
- Donate (tax deductible) to the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda's voter registration effort (Tax ID 31-1770856)
- Ask everyone you know in Georgia to vote and give and volunteer, and impress upon them how disastrous divided government would be as we're fighting Covid and trying to transition into an economic recovery.
- Pull an Andrew Yang and move to Georgia. :D (Registration deadline Dec 7.)
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As people learn about Get Out the Vote letters, postcards and text campaigns, please share them here. I think Vote Forward is doing something, but lists aren't up yet.
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I figured I'd share this because it would make this group happy: My 85 year old, conservative, Seventh Day Adventist grandmother voted in this election for the first time in her life because she could not live with herself if she hadn't and Trump got re-elected. My Mom helped get her registered and figure out how to fill in and mail her ballot so she could help vote him out of office
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Some things anyone can do for the Georgia runoff races:
- Donate to the Ossoff and Warnock campaigns: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dscc-warnock-ossoff-runoff-nov2020
- Donate to Fair Fight: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/forcemultiplier19fairfight
- Volunteer for the above organizations.
- Donate (tax deductible) to the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda's voter registration effort (Tax ID 31-1770856)
- Ask everyone you know in Georgia to vote and give and volunteer, and impress upon them how disastrous divided government would be as we're fighting Covid and trying to transition into an economic recovery.
- Pull a Jerry Yang and move to Georgia. :D (Registration deadline Dec 7.)
Andrew Yang
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Thanks Bacci --fixed.
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As people learn about Get Out the Vote letters, postcards and text campaigns, please share them here. I think Vote Forward is doing something, but lists aren't up yet.
My recommendations, speaking as a non-Georgian organizer with connections to a few different campaigns:
Phone banking, personal outreach, and donating funds are the highest priorities. Vote Forward will have addresses, but there is a TON of interest in Georgia right now. Texting and writing campaigns are flooded with volunteers. They are running out of addresses quickly, and texting is generally going to be restricted to volunteers who have already texted and don't need further training.
GA's 6th got completely overwhelmed during the Ossoff special election, and organizers are trying to avoid that. To best help, I would personally:
1) Sign up with campaign phone banks or other trusted groups. (We will be hosting Reclaim Our Vote phone banks, which are non-partisan and try to reach people who aren't targeted by most campaigns.)
2) Send money to the Ossoff and Warnock campaigns (http://"https://secure.actblue.com/donate/dscc-warnock-ossoff-runoff-nov2020").
3) Send money to groups on the ground who have more community trust and can reach voters better than someone outside the state. Fair Fight (http://"https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fair-fight--inc--1"), New Georgia Project (http://"https://newgeorgiaproject.org/"), there are a lot of lists going around.
4) Reach out personally to everyone you know who lives in Georgia or might have friends or family in the state. The runoff election isn't well known, so even do this with people you assume will vote.
5) Post about this in multiple places, to alert weak ties. FB, insta, twitter, tiktok - if you like dogs, this video is for you: https://twitter.com/ReverendWarnock/status/1324321816102506497
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3) Send money to groups on the ground who have more community trust and can reach voters better than someone outside the state. Fair Fight (http://"https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fair-fight--inc--1"), New Georgia Project (http://"https://newgeorgiaproject.org/"), there are a lot of lists going around.
Just donated to these!
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Speaking of political resistance, what's up with so many people flying American flags at their house all of a sudden?
Around election day my neighborhood started to fly flags all over - is this something that Trumpsters are doing?
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I don't know who needs to hear this but fun fact about Georgia: there's no residency requirement to register to vote there.
If you're living there by December 7 you can register and vote in the runoff w/ ID.
I read that moving there to vote with the intention of leaving quickly is a felony. On the off chance that anyone here is planning to this, please investigate before moving.
(article just mentions it in passing - illustrative, not definitive)
https://www.theroot.com/efforts-to-make-voting-harder-in-georgia-s-senate-runof-1845646734?utm_source=theroot_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-11-12
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Speaking of political resistance, what's up with so many people flying American flags at their house all of a sudden?
Around election day my neighborhood started to fly flags all over - is this something that Trumpsters are doing?
My unscientific observation in the deep, deep red south is that flying an American flag outside your house seems to correlate very closely with being a trumper. There are at least three houses in my neighborhood (including my parents' house) that have actual flagpoles. One (thankfully, not my parents though it is across the street and I have to look at it every day) flies a trump flag just underneath the American flag. I see it as an extension of the toxic patriotism that took root after 9/11.
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Speaking of political resistance, what's up with so many people flying American flags at their house all of a sudden?
Around election day my neighborhood started to fly flags all over - is this something that Trumpsters are doing?
My unscientific observation in the deep, deep red south is that flying an American flag outside your house seems to correlate very closely with being a trumper. There are at least three houses in my neighborhood (including my parents' house) that have actual flagpoles. One (thankfully, not my parents though it is across the street and I have to look at it every day) flies a trump flag just underneath the American flag. I see it as an extension of the toxic patriotism that took root after 9/11.
I remember thinking it was a bad omen in the summer of 2016 when I saw that a house that I pass by on my way to work TOOK DOWN their American flag to replace it with a Trump flag. Very symbolic of what we saw these past 4 years.
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We had an inexpensive house flag that was getting all tattered, so I took it down. I bought a good quality, made in USA flag with sewn stripes and embroidered stars, but didn't get up the energy to hang it until the week before the election. I put my Biden yard sign below it to make it clear where we stand.
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Speaking of political resistance, what's up with so many people flying American flags at their house all of a sudden?
Around election day my neighborhood started to fly flags all over - is this something that Trumpsters are doing?
Several Biden voters I know have put up flags since election day, in celebration of getting Trump out, and also in defiance of the cheap patriotism on the right that has "stolen" the flag to be come a symbol of their anti-American B.S.
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I don't know who needs to hear this but fun fact about Georgia: there's no residency requirement to register to vote there.
If you're living there by December 7 you can register and vote in the runoff w/ ID.
I read that moving there to vote with the intention of leaving quickly is a felony. On the off chance that anyone here is planning to this, please investigate before moving.
(article just mentions it in passing - illustrative, not definitive)
https://www.theroot.com/efforts-to-make-voting-harder-in-georgia-s-senate-runof-1845646734?utm_source=theroot_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-11-12
Yeah, even without that law in place I don't think it would be right to just move there, vote, and leave. When I was pitching this to my wife, the idea was that we'd take our time exploring the region. Probably put our current place up for rent for 6 months for some geographic arbitrage, and plop down some place with a reasonably favorable combination of nature and network speeds.
Unfortunately, we have some obligations that we couldn't figure out in the context of a cross-country move. If we lived on the East Coast I think it would have happened.
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I just sent another donation to Actblue. :)
I'm happy to help, but is there somewhere we can see the current total donated to these? I feel like I'm giving blindly, because I don't know how much they need nor how much they've received.
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As people learn about Get Out the Vote letters, postcards and text campaigns, please share them here. I think Vote Forward is doing something, but lists aren't up yet.
Vote Forward is up now.
https://votefwd.org/posts/Georgia-Runoff-campaigns
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Donated to both Senate runoff campaigns, and also to 314 Action (group focused on electing candidates likely to enable environmental legislation)