ARMACT Alert of the Day Archive

The Armchair Activist has been working since 1996 with a mission to inspire and encourage civic action for positive, progressive change. We bring you alerts from a variety of progressive organizations covering a wide range of issues via our E-List, each and every weekday on GDPR’s Persistence Radio with Natalie Davis, which airs Monday through Friday at 8am and 2pm Central Time, and right here on the GDPR website. Check here weekdays (and sometimes on weekends!) for your updated progressive marching orders. Get busy – activism is the rent we pay for living on Earth.

Scroll down for the alerts and links provided each day we broadcast a new episode.

 

FRIDAY, DEC. 1, 2017

Persistence Radio is on hiatus until the start of the new year — doctor’s orders, alas — but we had to share  an alert for Dec. 1: WORLD AIDS DAY.

Thirty-four million people worldwide are HIV+. Over the decades we’ve stood up, fought back, fought AIDS, but the job remains far from done. Now, it’s time to #EndAIDS. Spread the word, remember those we’ve lost, remember the caregivers, click the graphic below for event info.

 

And do this now; it’s URGENT: CALL YOUR SENATORS! The dangerous Tax Scam Bill is thisclose to winning passage in the Senate. Call now: 202-224-3121.

We are about to lose the free and open internet as the FCC and its evil leader, Trumpette Ajit Pai, is determined to end net neutrality. Make your views known before it’s too late!  Call Ajit Pai at the FCC: 202-418-2000. And urge your family and friends to take action too!!!

 

TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 2017

From WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

Last month, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan.

When it was released in 2015, the plan marked the first national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants. It was the most significant action ever taken by the US to address climate change—designed to reduce America’s carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

Now is when we need to be advancing our clean energy strategy, not stalling it—tell the EPA not to repeal the CPP.

The Clean Power Plan alone can’t ward off the most devastating impacts of climate change, but it is an essential step towards that goal.

The EPA and the federal government have a legal obligation and a moral responsibility to address climate pollution in order to protect the health and welfare of Americans. Without the emissions reductions called for under the Clean Power Plan, the EPA is putting American citizens and our planet at risk.

We are already seeing the severe impacts of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns, with wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters devastating our communities. Now is the time to double down on action, not to retreat.

Send EPA Administrator Pruitt a message: Support the Clean Power Plan!

 

 

MONDAY, NOV. 13, 2017

From DAILY KOS LIBERATION LEAGUE

In the latest development in the Trump administration’s violent crusade against immigrants, the Department of Homeland Security ended Temporary Protected Status or TPS for 2,500 Nicaraguan immigrants last week.

Making this terrible situation even worse, the State Department recommended that TPS also be rescinded for recipients from Honduras, El Salvador, and Haiti. Together with the Nicaraguan recipients, this means that 300,000 people currently living legally in the United States would be forced to leave or legalize their status by 2019.

Homeland Security could put a stop to this — but it hasen’t. Instead, it’s considering revoking TPS status for even more immigrants.

Immigrant rights leader Frank Sharry called this a “mass deportation strategy” — but apparently for the Trump administration, it’s not enough. One of Trump’s right-hand men, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, had the gall to complain that Homeland Security wasn’t deporting people quickly enough.

Congress needs to take action immediately. U.S. House Democrats have already introduced the American Promise Act to protect TPS recipients — something Homeland Security and the rest of the Trump administration are unwilling to do.

Our elected officials must not be complicit in this mass deportation strategy. Sign the petition if you agree Congress must act swiftly to permanently protect ALL TPS recipients.  And double your messaging power: Call your representative via 202-224-3121 to tell him or her to support the American Promise Act.

EXTRA ASSIGNMENT: Call your House representative and senators EVERY DAY and tell them VOTE NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs bill!!!!! 202-224-3121

 

 

FRIDAY, NOV. 10, 2017

From NORML

Legislation is pending before Congress — and now is in a House of Representatives committee: IF passed, HR 331 would stop the federal government from taking civil forfeiture action against properties involved in state-sanctioned, medical marijuana-related conduct.

If approved, the measure would “amend the Controlled Substances Act … to exempt real property from civil forfeiture due to medical marijuana-related conduct that is authorized by state law.”

In the past, federal officials have sought to close dispensaries by threatening property owners with civil forfeiture proceedings. Under these proceedings, property may be seized if there exist evidence that it was involved in activities that violate federal law, regardless of whether those activities are licit under state law.

Presently, the Justice Department is barred from taking such actions because of the passage of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment. However, that protection will expire on December 8, 2017 unless renewed by Congress.

Please take action for patients’ rights:    Urge House lawmakers to support and pass HR 331.

 

MONDAY, NOV. 6, 2017

From SECULAR COALITION FOR AMERICA

The House of Representatives unveiled the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a supposed tax reform bill that includes a repeal of the Johnson Amendment — only as it applies to churches.

The Johnson Amendment prohibits all nonprofits, including houses of worship, from meddling in partisan politics while receiving taxpayer-subsidized benefits as a nonprofit. Since houses of worship are the only nonprofits that aren’t required to submit detailed financial disclosures to the IRS, repealing or weakening the Johnson Amendment would effectively turn churches into Super PACs.

Members of Congress beholden to the religious right hoped they could sneak through this repeal of the Johnson Amendment by hiding it inside of a massive tax bill. Let’s not allow them to get away with this.

Take action now. Contact your Representative today and urge him or her to oppose this underhanded effort to destroy the Johnson Amendment. 

TUESDAY, OCT. 10, 2017

From MOMS RISING

FRIDAY, OCT. 6, 2017

From MOMS RISING 

The budget the House of Representatives passed this week is both callous and irresponsible. It rewards our country’s wealthiest people and corporations, while devastating essential programs that boost our economy and our families, including health care, nutrition assistance, early learning, education and poverty relief.

This budget is an affront to our values and our families because it makes deep, painful cuts to programs that help the most vulnerable among us, while at the same time giving away more than a trillion dollars in tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations. This budget would have long lasting effects on our national economy and force struggling families into impossible situations. That is not what moms want or what America needs.

After spending the better part of this year attempting to take away the health care our families rely on, and losing because outraged moms organized across the country, this budget once again rejects the promise to protect and defend USian families by slashing Medicaid and repealing the ACA, leading to the loss of health care to 23 million people. Compounding the harm this budget does to our families it would also slash funding for SNAP, job training, housing assistance and higher education. By 2027, programs for low- and moderate-income people would shrink by 36 percent, on average.

We must reduce, not exacerbate, the income inequality plaguing the nation. We need a budget that helps struggling and working families make ends meet – not one that helps the rich get richer and leaves the rest of us to suffer.

Take action: CALL your senators and urge them to reject the House budget out of hand and instead pass one that prioritizes anti-hunger, housing, health, education, disaster relief and other vital programs that make life better for the poor and middle class. We need a budget that would leave our economy healthier, not worse off. You can reach your senators via the congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

 

THURSDAY, OCT. 5, 2017

From FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION

 

The mass shooting in Las Vegas is a national tragedy. It also brutally lays bare our elected officials’ failure to act on gun violence.

Again. In a Sunday night massacre in Las Vegas, a person with guns killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500 people. On the 274th day of 2017, it was the 273rd mass shooting in the U.S. this year, and one of the deadliest shootings in U.S. history.

But while the scale of this shooting was unprecedented, the fact that it happened was not. Gun deaths have become absurdly routine in this country; nearly 100 people are killed by people with guns every day. In addition to almost-daily mass shootings, thousands more people are killed by guns one by one. Gun violence in the U.S. is so common that it rarely makes the news. I am baffled and appalled at how, as a nation, we have seemingly accepted that ordinary activities – going to a concert, a nightclub, a school – carry the risk of violent death.

Our elected officials have abdicated their responsibility to enact policies to keep us safe. In the wake of previous mass shootings, Congress has debated – and done nothing to stop these kinds of tragedies from happening again. We must not allow politics to once again prevent common sense, responsible legislation. Congress must act.

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said that there was no way to prevent this massacre because the shooter was unknown to them – but that’s not quite the whole story. Military style weapons made this act of domestic terrorism possible, letting the shooter kill dozens of people in just minutes. Easy access to guns will continue to make it horrifyingly easy to escalate fear, hatred, and rage into slaughter. No matter the shooter’s motives, gun violence prevention must be part of the conversation.

FCNL is holding in the Light the victims, their families, and their communities. It is holding in the Light the emergency and medical personnel who continue to work to save lives. And it is holding in the Light this country, as we confront this latest demonstration of the epidemic of gun violence that plagues our society.

Gun violence prevention isn’t about partisanship or politics. It’s about keeping people alive. Every single member of Congress needs to hear that message. Call your members of Congress and tell them to take action. 

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4, 2017

From LADY PARTS JUSTICE LEAGUE

Today, instead of doing anything about gun control, Puerto Rico, or the renewal of CHIP health coverage for poor children, the U.S. House of Reps sneakily passed H.B. 36, a bill based on ZERO science and 100% misogyny. While the rest of country is in crisis, reeling from the horrors of the past days and weeks, our lawmakers are spending their time taking away a constitutional right to abortion until 24 weeks that women and pregnant people rely on in the most vulnerable moments in their lives.

We need to raise the alarm right. now. Trump has said he would sign a 20-week abortion ban, and Mike Pence is waiting gleefully to break any tie on this issue that comes to the Senate.

Now let’s make clear what these charlatans are stipulating with what they call the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. They’re trying to make you believe that a 20-week-old fetus feels pain. Science says that is a LIE. Physicians for Reproductive Health reminds us that science proves that the part of the brain that perceives pain is not connected to the part of the body that receives pain signals until 24 weeks. Which is what the law allows now — 24 weeks.

Don’t let junk science destroy access to lifesaving abortion care!

People who seek later abortions do so because of serious health concerns, fetal abnormalities, and enormous barriers to accessing abortion earlier on. Even the exceptions in this bill are abhorrent—in the case of rape, you will have to report your rape AND then endure a mandatory 48-hour waiting period! NOT acceptable!

Ban Alternative Facts, Not Abortion Access! Call your senators and tell them to vote NO to the 20-week abortion ban. The phone number is 844-877-3280. That’s 844-877-3280.

 

MONDAY, OCT. 2, 2017

From COLOR OF CHANGE

The whitewashing and erasing of the national anthem movement began in earnest this week. While we saw many players take emotional stands for racial justice, many teams, owners, and media outlets began to erase Colin Kaepernick and racial justice from this protest movement in favor of vague statements about “unity.”

From National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell’s weak rebuke of Trump’s comments, to owners Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder, and Shahid Khan using the protests as a photo-op, to Sports Illustrated erasing Kaepernick by leaving him off their athlete activism cover, to teams like the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints being pressured into standing for the anthem, it’s clear that those in charge want to avoid the much-needed conversation regarding police brutality and racial justice.

With these efforts to erase the core message behind the anthem protests, and the ongoing blackballing of Kaepernick, it’s critical that we reaffirm what these protests are about. We must not let the NFL off the hook. The protests are about ending police brutality and racial justice. And the league has been given a concrete plan by their own players for how to engage and use their considerable resources to make a difference in the fight against police brutality and racial injustice.

Earlier this year, a group of players and a former player, Malcolm Jenkins, Michael Bennett, Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin, met with Goodell and NFL officers to discuss the Player’s Coalition’s activism in their local communities. They delivered a memo calling on the NFL to declare November a month of social activism to advance racial justice causes, including criminal justice reform, to elevate the issues in the same way the NFL does with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. The request is detailed and includes an ask for owners and league officials to attend player-led visits to local prisons and meetings with formerly incarcerated people and their family. It also makes clear that the request is not for permission but for financial support and genuine collaboration.

It’s time for the NFL to move past words and meaningless displays of “unity” and mean ingfully back the Support Players’ Platform for Racial Equality and Criminal Justice Reform.

Tell the NFL: Support the Players’ Platform & Plan for Racial Equality and demand the NFL listen to players and designate November an official month for racial justice activism.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29, 2017

From FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is trying to hand over Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and eight other protected areas to Big Oil.

But his friends in the fossil fuel industry want even more leeway to destroy our wild places. And Zinke plans to give them what they want.

In a speech to the National Petroleum Council, Zinke said he will completely restructure his agency to make it easier to help his Big Oil cronies. “It’s going to be huge,” he told the room full of industry executives.

Tell Congress: Stop Zinke from putting his corrupt crew in charge of our public lands!

The Department of the Interior is responsible for our public lands — wild places that belong to you and me. It
ensures that special places like Grand Canyon Parashant and Giant Sequoia National Monument are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

But Zinke has a very different idea of what the agency should do. He thinks it should open as many of our public lands as possible to fossil fuel development.

If it’s left up to Zinke, visitors to these national treasures will soon be able to hear and smell coal mines and oil
wells. We can’t let that happen.

Tell your representative to save our last wild places from Big Oil!

Our public lands are home to endangered wildlife. They provide recreation for millions of Americans each year. And
they support communities across the country.

But Secretary Zinke thinks Big Oil’s profits are more important.

Congress can still stop Zinke from using his position to help the fossil fuel industry. But your representative needs
to hear from you.

Let’s send 30,000 messages to Congress: Don’t let Ryan Zinke destroy our public lands!

THURSDAY, SEPT. 28, 2017

From MOMS RISING 

The current situation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands is dire. A week after Hurricane Maria, Americans are experiencing what has been described as a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hurricane Maria made landfall less than 2 weeks after Hurricane Irma did, ripping through the center of Puerto Rico, taking out power for the entire island, water, roads, and other infrastructure, and has already claimed the lives of 16 people, with that number expected to rise.

A report by catastrophe-modeling firm AIR Worldwide estimates that Hurricane Maria’s damage could lead to as much as $85 billion in losses, with most of that loss being in Puerto Rico.

A major infusion of federal funds is critically needed to bring in additional emergency response teams; begin cleanup efforts; repair the infrastructure of damaged hospitals, houses, schools, and businesses; provide aid to displaced families; help those who have lost their homes and livelihood; provide healthcare and nutrition assistance to those in need; and more. (NOTE: The broadcast alert includes a request to urge Trump to waive the Jones Act of 1920, which prevents non-US vessels from making deliveries to Puerto Rico. The White House announced after our Thursday morning taping that the Jones Act would be waived for 10 days.)

Federal funding for disaster relief MUST be increased immediately, and it must not come at the expense of other programs that support our families’ health care, nutrition, housing, education, and welfare. Under current law, emergency funding is not included under existing budget caps, and Congress should follow the law to ensure an immediate and effective response without causing harm elsewhere.

Tell Congress to pass emergency funding for Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands now!  And share this alert with anyone you know who wants to help our fellow Americans in the path of Hurricane Maria. The more of us who reach out to Congress, the faster we’ll have an impact.

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27, 2017

From OUR REVOLUTION

Voting is one of the greatest equalizers we have. Regardless of who you are or what you look like, we are all equal. Because of that we must continue to protect and expand access to the ballot box. Yet, with the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, our right to vote is under a renewed assault.

Voter ID laws, restrictions on same-day registration and early voting, gerrymandering, aggressive purges of voter rolls, and a multitude of other efforts have made voting more difficult for African-Americans, Latinos, students, seniors, and many others. Our Revolution is working to pass the Automatic Voter Registration Act (H.R. 2840) as part of the People’s Platform.

Our vote is how we hold our elected officials accountable to the policies we want to see passed. It is how we express
our opinions in the public space. Policies pushing voter access remain just as important now as they were during the
Civil Rights era.

Automatic Voter Registration will add millions of new voters to the rolls, ensuring that people are not barred from
voting for want of registering on time.

The struggle will always continue, but through the power of voting we have the opportunity and responsibility to
create a nation that values clean water, fresh air, safe neighborhoods, and quality education for everyone.

Add your name to Our Revolution’s petition to guarantee that every eligible person age 18 and up is automatically
registered to vote.

BONUS ACTION: Write to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey – jack@twitter.com – and let him know that Donald Trump’s heinous tweets are in violation of Twitter’s terms of service.

Sample email from MoveOn activist Matthew Etu:

Donald Trump used the Twitter platform to incite and promote violence against women by posting a video of himself hitting a golfball into Hillary Clinton. This is just the latest example of Trump’s misuse of the site—earlier this summer, he used Twitter to threaten an entire nation!

A significant number of Trump’s tweets have also included language of hate, racial discrimination, fear mongering, and outright lies.

I believe that his words on your platform violate Twitter’s terms of service under the headings of “Abusive behavior,” “Violent Threats,” “Harrassment,” and “Hateful Conduct.”

Donald J Trump tweets on average once every 4 hours. A significant majority of these messages have included language of hate, racial discrimination, fear mongering, and outright lies. Now he has used digital media as a platform from which to threaten nuclear war on an entire nation of people! If this is not a direct violent threat, harrassment, and hateful conduct, I do not know what is.

 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26, 2017

From INDIVISIBLE

• WE HAVE FOUR DAYS TO DEFEAT TRUMPCARE! Yes, it appears the GOP doesn’t have the votes to pass Graham-Cassidy, but the Sept. 30 deadline looms and anything can happen. Don’t take any chances: Continue to let your senators know how much you hate this bill and how much you’ll make them pay for supporting it. Make a call (make many calls!), show up, make your voice heard! Be sure to use Indivisible’s resources, contact info, call scripts, and event registration and RSVP on www.trumpcareten.org! By the way: If you’re in a state with two Democratic senators who oppose Graham-Cassidy, or you’ve made all your calls for the day to your own senators, use Indivisible’s peer-to-peer calling tool to reach constituents in key red states and connect them with their senators. Without your calls, this bill could still pass. You’ve already dialed 191,000 times. Let’s light up those phone lines!
• A ban is a ban and it’s unconstitutional. Last weekend, the Trump administration issued a revised Muslim ban that included non-Muslim majority countries (aka countries der Trumpenführer hates). These revisions don’t change the fact that this ban is unconstitutional and un-American. Part of an activist’s job is to stay informed and do your homework: Stay updated on what the new ban means by visiting www.nomuslimbanever.com.
• Urge your members of Congress to pass emergency disaster relief for Puerto Rico immediately. More than 3.5 million US citizens live in the US territory of Puerto Rico, and right now they need federal support. Hurricane Maria has devastated the island, leaving at least 10  dead, and millions without power and running water. Puerto Rico deserves the same immediate federal response that victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma received. Ask your members of Congress to make sure they get it without delay. Use the Indivisible calling tool mentioned above or use the Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. Call today!

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20, 2017

From CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. In fact, cars and trucks alone account for approximately one-fifth of all US carbon emissions, contributing around 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other  greenhouse gases for every gallon of gasoline used.

Here’s some good news: the current fuel efficiency standards enacted by the Obama Administration are expected to prevent about 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save more than 2 million barrels of oil a day and $1.7 trillion in fuel costs by 2025. But unless you speak up, the Trump Administration may weaken those standards.

There’s only one group that benefits from lower fuel efficiency standards: the fossil fuel industry.  Trump made his
fossil fuel ties clear when he stacked his cabinet with Big Oil insiders and climate deniers. But strong fuel efficiency  standards will save US families money, reduce harmful air pollution, and prove that We The People are serious  about taking climate action.

It’s up to you to stand up for the interests of our families and our planet – because if 45 won’t lead on climate, then
we must. Send a message to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging him to maintain strong fuel efficiency standards and to stand with citizens and families, not fossil fuel insiders.

 

 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2017

From WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

Just when you thought it was safe — Trumpcare is back AGAIN.

At exactly 11:59 pm on September 30, the fiscal year ends, and so does the Senate’s ability to use reconciliation to
repeal the Affordable Care Act with only 50 votes.

With no time to lose, Republicans are doing everything they can to resurrect Trumpcare and take health care away from millions next week. And reports are swirling that they might have already earned Sen. John McCain’s “reluctant” support this time.

The GOP’s latest reincarnation of Trumpcare — known as Graham-Cassidy — would:

• Destroy Medicaid as we know it
• Siphon funds from states who expanded Medicaid
• Redistribute that money to mostly red states that did not expand Medicaid
• Allow insurance companies to charge people more with pre-existing conditions
• Water-down protections against lifetime limits
• Make coverage of essential services optional — including coverage of maternity care, mental health, prescription drugs, and preventive care.
• Strip essential health care coverage from millions of people.

Literally millions of citizens made their voices heard and defeated Trumpcare not once, but twice. And now Republicans know that the only way they can pass a repeal bill is to sneak it past us. We can’t let them.

Senate Republicans are trying to ram this bill through without a score from the Congressional Budget Office to show how many millions of people will lose their insurance this time.

They’re using parliamentary tricks to avoid any debate on a bill that would take away health care from millions and
affect the lives of everyone.

Senate Republicans are meeting today to discuss their latest plan to strip millions from health insurance. Make sure
your senators hear from you:

Call (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with each of your two senators. Tell them to vote NO on the Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare bill.

After your call, let WFP know how it went using Working Families’ link.

 

MONDAY, SEPT. 18, 2017

From INDIVISIBLE

1. STOP THE RETURN OF TRUMPCARE.  TrumpCare is back and Republicans are as close as they’ve ever been to passing it. There are 12 days left for the Senate to ram healthcare through reconciliation with just 50 votes. This is TrumpCare’s last stand. Call your senators ASAP and tell them to vote no on “Graham-Cassidy” using all the latest resources at TrumpCareTen.org.
2. Don’t let Trump use fear to trample on civil liberties. We stand in solidarity with those impacted by the horrific acts of violence in London. We also condemn Trump’s knee-jerk rhetoric and irresponsible exploitation of this moment to promote expanding his bigoted Muslim ban. Find out what you can do to resist the Muslim ban at nomuslimbanever.com.
3. Continue pressuring Members of Congress for a clean DREAM Act. Democratic Leaders Pelosi and Schumer continue to cultivate their cozy relationship with Trump. Last week, they announced a deal (to make a deal) on the DREAM Act with Trump. Contact your MoCs and use our call scripts to tell them that you want to see a “clean” DREAM Act.
4. Tell your representative to protect people with disabilities and vote no on H.R. 620. We really shouldn’t even have to say this (that’s how outrageous this bill is), but we need you to call your representative and tell them to vote no on H.R. 620 should it come to the House floor for a vote. As noted by Human Rights watch, this bill “would very deliberately undermine the protections afforded under the Americans With Disabilities Act” and would “dramatically increase the burden on any person with a disability who seeks to vindicate their rights.” Call lawmakers via the Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
5. Blue state/red state calling tool is back. Help fund calls to stop TrumpCare once and for all. We’re pulling out all the stops to end the latest reincarnation of TrumpCare. And we need your help to sponsor a call tool that will connect Indivisibles across the country with progressive constituents in Alaska, Arizona, Tennessee, and West Virginia, to encourage them to call their senators.

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2017

From MOVEON
While Trump is being denounced for his vile efforts to whitewash bigotry, his number two, Mike Pence, is trying to skitter under the radar.

“President Trump’s leadership inspires me every single day,” Pence says.

What about the days when Trump defends and incites racist violence? Even Secretary of State Rex Tillerson remarked that “Trump speaks [only] for himself.” When a journalist asked Pence, he dodged the question.

What about the days when Trump threatens nuclear war, or esclates the war on Afghanistan?

Or the day when Trump pardoned a Sheriff for illegal racist targeting?

What about the days when Trump removes environmental protections or hurricane preparedness?

Or the days when he tries to ban Muslims from entering the country?

What about the day when Trump set up a commission to suppress voting?

Or the days (every day of his presidency so far) when Trump accepts domestic and foreign payments (aka “emoluments”) in violation of the U.S. Constitution?

Are those days when Pence feels inspired by Trump’s leadership or not?

Demand that Pence directly say whether he agrees with Trump’s comments on Charlottesville and other key issues.

The silences and utterances from Mike Pence are dangerous and despicable.

Sign the petition demanding that Pence stop evading the moral depravity of Trump’s coziness with racism and bigotry.

 

 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 12, 2017

From MOVEON
Credit-reporting giant Equifax just disclosed that five weeks ago, hackers gained access to the personal information
of 143 million of its customers. The hackers obtained names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and, in
some cases, even credit card information.

Think about it… the US has about 332 million residents. This Equifax hack affects 143 million. Do the math. This is
massive.

Equifax was entrusted with consumers’ personal information, but the company has broken that trust by having a weak
data security system. Equifax’s response to the cyberattack has been to offer a free, one-year credit-monitoring
service, which provides no guarantee that those who are impacted will not still be affected after the year. MoveOn is
demanding that the company offer a free, lifetime credit-monitoring service to those who are impacted by Equifax’s
inadequate security.

Equifax’s response to this cyberattack is appalling. The company is offering its free credit-monitoring service
for one year — and then it gets to profit from its despicable behavior by offering the service for a fee. And to find out IF you were hacked, you must turn over the last six digits of your Social Security number. Really??

Equifax needs to be held accountable for its actions and shoddy security; that’s why the company needs to provide an
unlimited, free credit-monitoring service to all who are impacted by the security breach.

MoveOn is gathering signatures for a petition to be sent to Equifax’s CEO. Please sign it, and then pass it along to
your friends. If enough of us speak up, we can shame Equifax into finally doing the right thing.

 

MONDAY, SEPT.  11, 2017

From ROOTS ACTION

Sign a petition to the Charlottesville Virginia City Council urging its members to install a Peace Pole in Charlottesville, Va.

The ask: To set aside one square foot of space in a prominent public place, on the Downtown Mall or in a park, where a peace pole can be erected.

Why is this important?

A peace pole is a popular means of expressing a desire for peace around the world, including in the United States, where peace poles are found in public plazas and parks in many locations, including the Pentagon — which is of course a travesty that injures the whole project.

A registry of peace sites lists none in Virginia, save for a peace pole at a church in Charlottesville and a small pole reading “Peace” at an elementary school. What we’re proposing is a public peace pole.

This is not something that is expensive or complicated. A peace pole can be purchased for $200 with “May Peace Prevail on Earth” written on four sides in four chosen languages.

One idea would be to have six sides including English, Spanish, and the languages of Charlottesville’s Sister Cities: Italian, French, Bulgarian, and one of the many languages from Ghana. Or eight sides with some left blank to be filled in later.

But whatever plan is chosen, this is something that can be accomplished fairly easily. And it needs to be done.

Charlottesville’s monuments to wars — including the Native American genocide, the defense of slavery, and the slaughter of 3.8 million Vietnamese people — dominate public space. Removing them would be ideal.

An easier method of quickly displaying Charlottesville’s support for peace, however, would be to create a peace pole. Charlottesville’s city council has spoken up repeatedly over the years for peace, for reduced military spending, for transition to peaceful industries, and for a halt to particular wars. But a visitor to Charlottesville cannot observe any of that anywhere on the landscape.

Charlottesville has four sister cities, and signs indicating them are visible in Charlottesville. But the motto of Sister Cities International, “Peace Through People,” is nowhere to be found. There is no location set aside to celebrate these relationships, as there could be in combination with a peace pole.

Please add your voice to this effort endorsed by Roots Action, World Beyond War, Pax Christi Charlottesville, Amnesty International Charlottesville, and Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 8, 2017

From HANDS OFF
Hands Off is a campaign dedicated to stopping cuts to people’s health care, disability benefits, nutrition assistance, and other basic living standards in the upcoming congressional budgets.

The effort is backed by a coalition of progressive groups including the Center for American Progress, Indivisible, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, Organizing for America, Social Security Works, National Women’s Law Center, The Arc, La Raza, Public Ceitizens, and many more, among them the unions AFSCME and SEIU.

Hands Off notes that Donald Trump’s and the congressional Republicans’ budgets have a goal of cutting access to basic living standards—everything from jobs to education, housing, Meals on Wheels, food assistance, environmental protections, and disability programs—all to pay for tax cuts for millionaires and corporations.

The idea behind Hands Off is that our lawmakers need to hear the stories of citizens. They need to hear about our lives, our struggles, and how the actions of government affect our daily lives, the lives of our children and grandchildren, the lives of our parents and their parents.

Hands Off asks that you take a brave action: Visit its website and check out the various subject areas, among them Disabilities, Education, Environmental Protection, Health Care, Housing, Nutritional Assistance, Science and Research, and Women’s Health and Rights. If you see one or more topic that touches your life, via the website you can share your story and tell Congress about how these cuts in these areas would impact you and those you love.

And if your subject area is not included — perusing the site I did not see civil rights or LGBT rights, areas certainly getting short shrift by Trumpists and the GOP — there is a mechanism to add them so that you can tell those stories too.

The hope is that by putting a human face on these issues through our stories, we may convince some lawmakers to do the right thing when it comes to formulating the budget. So get busy and take action.

 

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 6, 2017

From COLOR OF CHANGE

More than 800,000 families and loved ones are on the verge of being torn apart. Right now we must show up for our friends, partners, neighbors, coworkers, and relatives. Call Congress today at 1-844-382-8315 to tell them to pass the DREAM Act and #SaveTPS!

On Tuesday, Jeff Sessions  announced that the Trump administration is eliminating DACA. Trump also tweeted to Congress, ‘get ready to do your job – DACA,’ confirming that the job of protecting immigrant families from being torn apart is now in the hands of Congress.  DACA currently protects over 800,000 young immigrants from being deported. It allows immigrants to stay in the U.S. live with their families, work, go to school, and thrive in their communities. Without such program, families will be torn apart.

But there’s more: Trump is refusing to extend the Temporary Protected Status program for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have sought safety here in the U.S. from harm, climate disaster, violence in their home country. Many Haitian immigrants and other Black immigrants benefit from this program. It is expected to expire in January. When it expires, many of these immigrants will be immediately deported — forcing many to live in fear. There is already bipartisan support for the extension of TPS. But not for Haitian immigrants. The Trump administration has even said, “Haitians should be prepared to go home.” Congress can no longer stay on the sidelines and let Trump continue his vicious attack on immigrants.

People all across the country are rallying to push Congress to act swiftly in passing the DREAM Act and to demand the White House to extend TPS. By mobilizing together with phone calls, we are getting the attention of Congress. #DefendDACA and #SaveTPS! Call Congress today at 1-844-382-8315 and let them know they need to protect all immigrants.

We’re in a tense and scary moment. But pressure is building and momentum is on our side. Just last Friday, State Attorney General of Tennessee, Herbert Slatery dropped the state’s lawsuit against DACA, stating in his letter to state senators, “there’s a human element” to his decision.Several large companies such as Microsoft, Uber, Lyft, and Facebook and over 500 companies have signed a letter to Trump and leaders of Congress, calling on them to do the right thing and to keep DACA.

Trump does not care about immigrants.  The reality is, more needs to be done to ensure all immigrants are protected. We must end all criminalization of Black and Brown people. This means, no ban, no wall, no deportations, no detention centers, #DefendDACA #SaveTPS, protect our communities.

Call Congress today.

 

TUESDAY, SEPT. 5, 2017

From MOMS RISING 

THURSDAY, AUG. 31, 2017

From MOMS RISING

This alert is one of Mom’s Rising’s famous Five Actions we need you to do this week.

1.  Close the African-American Women’s Wage Gap

July 31st was the day that the average earnings of African American women in the United States FINALLY caught up to the average earnings of what European-descended men earned in 2016. Your voice is needed now to bring this issue forward. The sad fact is that women still experience wage discrimination every day, with moms and women of color experiencing the most extreme discrimination and wage hits. Solutions are possible—and the more of us who speak up, the faster we’ll get to those solutions. This wage gap is outrageous. So outrageous that you’re still trying to figure out the math? Here’s how the numbers work out: African-American women who work full-time, year round, are paid only 63 cents on the dollar compared to White men. Sixty. Three. Cents. African-American mothers are paid even less. On average across the country, African-American mothers earn 51 cents on the dollar compared to European, non-Hispanic fathers.  Speak out.

2. How have school discipline policies affected your children and family?

Every year, 3.3 million students in the United States are suspended from school, causing them to miss critical learning time, as well as opportunities to grow and succeed. Recent federal data show that African-American and Latino and Latina students and students with disabilities are disproportionately targeted by suspensions. They are also likely to be punished more severely than European=descended students for minor misbehavior, contributing to the achievement gap and high dropout rates for these students. Moms Rising needs you to help them speak out on the issue. The group is collecting stories from families who have been negatively impacted by suspensions and from teachers who are using alternatives to suspensions and other exclusionary discipline policies that too often push students into the school to prison pipeline. These stories help to push legislators and school districts to see the data,hear the experiences of children and families, and make changes to dismantle the school to prison pipeline. And teachers: Moms Rising needs to hear your stories too!

3. Speak Out for High-Quality, Affordable Childcare!

A lot of lip service has been paid—both good ideas and not so good ideas—recently in terms of the childcare crisis many families find themselves in. Childcare played a major role in the 2016 election with candidates from both sides of the aisle proposing solutions on how to fix our childcare dilemma. In fact, a 2016 poll found that 90% of voters (both Republicans and Democrats) agree that our elected leaders should work together to make quality early childhood education, including childcare, more accessible and affordable to low- and middle-income families. This is why we are calling on Congress to step up to the plate to pass policies that help our families afford childcare, increase access, and give our childcare professionals the boost they need! Key leaders in Congress are already starting to draft legislation on this issue, but we need to make sure it is the right type of legislation—not just a benefit for the wealthy few. Write your Members of Congress NOW! Tell them to support high-quality, affordable childcare legislation!

4. Tell the FCC and Congress: Protect Net Neutrality!

An open internet is essential to protecting freedoms we hold dear: our ability to innovate, speak our mind, connect, and hear diverse voices and opinions. The FCC wants to roll back 2015 rules that require internet service providers to treat all content the same. We can’t let them. Join say NO! Net Neutrality ensures a level playing field. It stops ISPs from blocking or suppressing content. It limits them from manipulating the speed at which you receive certain content, or selling premium access to the highest bidder. Net Neutrality ensures that when we raise our voices online, they can be heard – loud and clear. Less than a week left for this fight, so get busy: Join us to take action!

5. Ask Congress to Stand With 800,000 Dreamers Across the Country! Defend the DREAM ACT!

Stand with young adults who have been here since they were children by protecting the path to citizenship for Dreamers! Dreamers are young adults who were brought to America as children and raised in this country. As Senator Chuck Schumer stated, Dreamers are “Americans in every way but paperwork”. Urge legislators to stand with Dreamers and support Dream Acts currently under consideration in the House and Senate.

 

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30, 2017

From SIERRA CLUB

Breitbart News was founded by the late Andrew Breitbart. Now, I don’t like to speak ill of the dead unnecessarily, so that’s all I’ll say about him. Since Breitbart’s death in 2012, the fake-news site, which routinely posts racist, sexist, anti-semitic, xenophobic, homophobic, and climate change-denying propaganda, has been run by hatemonger and suspected white supremacist Steve Bannon.

Surely you know the name: Bannon infamously took a break from Breitbart to work on the Trump campaign and then to become Trump’s chief strategist. He was one of the architects of 45’s unconscionable scheme to take the nation to the far right and away from true US values of compassion, justice, and equality for all.

Just over 10 days ago, Bannon was fired from his White House post, and that same day, he reassumed command over Breitbart. He came back to a hate site that is bleeding advertisers: To date, more than 2,000 companies have pulled their ads from the publication.

But one major online retailer has not done so done the decent thing: Amazon. Owner of Whole Foods and the Washington Post.

Really, Jeff Bezos???? By advertising on Breitbart’s site, Amazon is funding bigotry, hatred, and climate change denial. This is not acceptable.

The Sierra Club urges you to send a message to CEO Jeff Bezos via its site: Tell Amazon to stop advertising on Breitbart — and pull its ads now.

 

TUESDAY, AUG. 29, 2017

From DEMAND PROGRESS

It’s the final stretch of August recess. Your member of Congress will be back in Washington next week, the day after Labor Day. There are just a few more opportunities for you to attend a congressional town hall and make sure net neutrality is on the agenda.

Demand Progress is asking you to commit to attending a congressional event or drop-in near you and ask a question about net neutrality.

You need to take a look at a super cool map to help on the DP website to help you find events in your area. Check it out at events.battleforthenet.com.

No event in your area? Create your own! The Demand Progress site will help you set up a drop-in at your member of Congress’ local district office.

It is so important for members of Congress and their legislative staffs to hear directly from people like you about how vital net neutrality is to free speech, civil rights, art, and innovation. We won’t stand for Big Cable blocking, throttling, or slowing down our internet.

These meetings can have amazing impact. If enough of them happen, we could stop Big Cable’s plan to dismantle net neutrality in its tracks. If not enough people step up, lawmakers will assume people don’t care, and we could lose the free and open Internet forever.

We know the overwhelming majority of U.S. internet users from across the political spectrum support net neutrality protections, but we must use August recess to our advantage to make sure our Representatives hear from us about this. We must tell them, now: tell them: no blocking, no throttling, and no fast-lanes online! Time is running out!

Internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon are counting on us not being able to get to Congress before they can. Let’s do this – let’s prove them wrong.

We need to keep the pressure on and remind our elected officials that we’re watching — and will accept nothing less than REAL net neutrality.

 

MONDAY, AUG. 28, 2017

From DRUG TRUTH NETWORK

Today’s action alert was created by the Drug Truth Network’s Dean Becker, host of Cultural Baggage, which airs Saturdays at 11:30 pm Central on GDPR, and the 4:20 Drug War News, which airs as part of Persistence Radio each weekday and during Ring of Fire Saturday mornings.

Within the last year, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, the US Conference of Mayors and both the National Black and Latino Police Associations, along with the NAACP and many other  international organizations and individuals have called for an end to the current mechanism of drug war.

Currently, there is not one high echelon proponent of drug war willing to discuss this subject in any open, public venue. Therefore, let us quench our thirst for justice and open this dialogue not just on the editorial pages or the occasional
broadcast of two-studio banter, but rather we must have an open, national debate on the subject of drug war.

Dean Becker says that given the opportunity of a national debate on the drug war, his first question would be: What is the benefit, what have we derived that offsets the horrible blowback of waging this, the first eternal war?

Think of what you would ask and what you would say. Then sign Dean’s petition, which urges Trump and Congress to mandate that an open and public discourse about the prohibition of drugs take place forthwith with the Directors of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

THURSDAY, AUG 17, 2017

From WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

The Nazi swastika. The confederate flag. Both are bone-chilling images, and both were on proud display in Charlottesville last weekend, where white supremacists marched, and in an act of domestic terrorism, killed activist Heather Heyer and injured many more.

But yesterday, Trump blamed the violence on “both sides” and called some tiki-torch wielding white supremacists “fine people.” The comment earned praise from former KKK leader David Duke.

Let’s be crystal clear: In rhetoric and in policy, the Trump administration has coddled and encouraged white supremacists. At least three White House staffers — Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka, and Stephen Miller — are reported to have ties to white nationalists and/or neo-Nazis.

We’ve seen this dark history before and we will not go back.

That’s why House of Representatives members Jerrold Nadler, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Pramila Jayapal are introducing a resolution to formally censure Donald Trump for refusing to condemn the KKK and neo-Nazis. The measure would also call on Trump to fire any  staffers who cater to the white supremacist crowd.

In spite of progress, racism and bigotry have never been far beneath the surface in US society. But under Trump,  dangerous right-wing extremists are emboldened in a way we haven’t seen since the backlash to the civil rights movement.

US citizens have stood together before to resist this kind of violent extremism. We have stood together across racial lines, across religious lines, and even across party lines. We must do it again.

It’s just not enough for GOP lawmakers to issue statements against violence in Charlottesville. They must act against the rise of domestic terrorism and white nationalism — especially when the man in the White House refuses to do so.

Sign on to the Working Families Party petition urging Congress to censure Trump for refusing to denounce domestic terrorism and for surrounding himself with white supremacists in the White House.

 

WEDNESDAY, AUG 16, 2017

From COURAGE CAMPAIGN

The 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, just defended torch-bearing Neo-Nazis who marched through a university campus to protect a statue of a secessionist traitor, instigated a race riot, and assaulted a crowd of peaceful protesters with a vehicle — injuring more than a dozen people and killing an innocent woman in the process.

There is no longer simply a legal case to impeach Donald Trump. There is now a moral imperative. Every Republican in the House of Representatives and Senate must now understand this reality. Every day they do not act, they own this President’s actions.

The President of the United States — the supposed leader of the free world — just publicly, shamelessly, and embarrassingly stood with the white supremacists and Neo-Nazis who rioted in Charlottesville. Every day the Republican Congress fails to impeach Donald Trump for the crimes to which he’s effectively already confessed — namely obstruction of justice — is a day that the Republican Congress endorses this President’s ruinous leadership.

We live in a country where nearly anyone who publicly stands with Nazis would lose their jobs. It’s long past time that Donald Trump should lose his. Today, Courage Campaign calls for the impeachment of Donald Trump. We will ask every member of Congress to go on record supporting Trump’s impeachment, and we will hold accountable members of any party who refuse the call — especially Republicans, who so clearly hold the power to impeach.

Impeachment is more than a legal process — it’s a political one. That’s why President Gerald Ford, who completed Richard Nixon’s term when the latter resigned in disgrace, said, “An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history.”

Donald Trump has done many things — from revealing classified information to Russians to openly admitting that he fired FBI Director James Comey in order to obstruct the Russia investigation — that might merit impeachment on legal grounds. But convincing the Republican House of Representatives to vote to ratify articles of impeachment seemed entirely out of reach — until now.

Today, Donald Trump gave comfort to Neo-Nazis and white supremacists by once again blaming “both sides” for Saturday’s violence. Trump practically blamed peaceful protesters for being hit by a car when he said, “There is another side. There was a group on this side, you can call them the left. You have just called them the left, that came violently attacking the other group. You can say what you want. That’s the way it is.”

David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, thanked Trump for the “honesty and courage” it took to blame both sides for Saturday’s ugly violence.  Richard Spencer, the white supremacist who coined the term “alt-right” said that “only a dumb person” would believe that Trump was seriously denouncing the racists and anti-semites who terrorized Charlottesville.

Trump’s pathetic moral equivocation that “many sides” were at fault for Saturday’s violence has been condemned by people across the political spectrum, including by Republicans. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, who leads Senate Republicans’ 2018 campaign efforts, noted Trump’s failure to directly call out Saturday’s “evil” as “white supremacists” and “domestic terrorism.” And Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted that “there can be no moral ambiguity” on white supremacy.

Republicans like Ryan and Gardner talk big now, but they can’t have it both ways. Their words will be empty so long as they continue to support Donald Trump’s immoral presidency through their actions — and inaction.

Sign the petition calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump.

 

TUESDAY, AUG 15, 2017

From COLOR OF CHANGE

It is hard to wake up in the US today and not feel a deep sense of rage.

The bravest of our people were violently attacked in an act of terrorism this weekend that shook the nation and reminded us of our duty to fight. Hundreds of white supremacists, Neo-Nazis, and white nationalists carrying torches descended upon Charlottesville, Va., in a march intended to evoke a violent history of racial terrorism. Three people died. 19 were injured.

Most infuriating was that so many of the forces here to protect us instead stood idle for hours and let it happen–including the police, the institutions that govern Charlottesville, and some allies. So many stood by the “Unite the Right” rally’s right to exist and were surprised to see it turn violent and terroristic. This did not come as a surprise to the people living in the face of oppression every day. We know that the roots of white supremacy and hate run deep into the soil of America. But what runs even deeper is the love, sweat, tears, and sacrifice of our ancestors who worked hard to eradicate hate and the systems that reinforce it. We must continue their work even on days like today when it’s hard to even turn on the news.

With decisive and strategic action, we can make sure that white supremacists don’t have the power to make Charlottesville happen ever again. Here are 5 places where your voice is needed to stand up for our brothers and sisters of color and all who seek justice for all in this moment:

 

 

Demand corporate funders cut off white supremacist hate groups. #NoBloodMoney 

Payment processing companies like Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover tout their embrace of diversity — and that’s great. But at the same time, they are making big money from processing the funds for some of the vilest white supremacist groups–giving them the funds to plan events just like “Unite The Right.” These firms can celebrate diversity or do business with hate groups. But they can’t do both. If companies refuse these services, we can make it more difficult for hate groups to fund rallies like this in the first place.

 

Call for the removal of ALL Confederate symbols from places of honor in America.

Symbols of the Confederacy are symbols of this nation’s history of racist, vitriolic hate. And they embolden white supremacists to march the streets without shame. They must all come down. Now. Kudos to Baltimore, which apparently is beginning to take action in this regard.

 

 

Stop legislation in North Carolina that protects drivers who hit protesters with cars.

Republican lawmakers actually want to protect people like the man who killed one woman and injured 19 other people by ramming his car into a crowd of protesters. Bills to protect drivers in these situations were defeated in North Dakota, Tennessee, Florida and Rhode Island. But in North Carolina this bill won passage in the state House of Representatives earlier this year. We must stop it from becoming law in North Carolina or anywhere.

 

 

Tell Congress to refuse to side with white supremacists and force Trump to #FireBannon.

Now more than ever, we cannot tolerate white supremacists running our country. One of the primary sources of this evil working for Trump is White House chief strategist and former Breitbart chief Steve Bannon. There is no place for the philosophies of Bannon and likeminded Trump underlings in government – none. Democrats and Republicans in Congress alike must take a stand from hate taking a front seat in the White House.

 

 

Tell businesses to #QuitTheCouncil and drop from Trump’s business and manufacturing councils. 

After this weekend, businesses like Merck and Under Armour have already started dropping from Trump’s special business councils. We can’t stop until all of them have #QuitTheCouncil.

 

Now more than ever, we cannot back down.

 

MONDAY, AUG. 14, 2017

FROM INDIVISIBLE

The KKK doesn’t need a hood anymore. Friday night, white supremacists marched through Charlottesville, Virginia with torches to evoke terrorism intended to intimidate this community.

On Saturday, white supremacists, Nazis, and armed right-wing militias gathered for another day of violent marches that led to the deaths of two police officers and an innocent woman working for justice. Others were injured, some critically.

We condemn this violence and stand with the people of Charlottesville who are resisting and working to build a world in which we all can live with human dignity.

Now is the time to take a courageous stand against white supremacy and to organize for our collective liberation.

In the immediate wake of the Charlottesville tragedies, thousands rose up across the nation to march against hate. It’s not too late to take a stand. The coalition organization Indivisible, along with other progressive groups including Million Hoodies, GDPR, MoveOn dot org, Working Families Party, Womens March, Roots Action, Democracy for America, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Resist Here, and many more, encourage YOU to make your stand by organizing a local event to stand against hate and fascism and to show your support for peace, justice, and equality.

Get started and find informational resources at the Indivisible Guide site . Fill out the form there and you’re on your way.

When you’re finished — or if you don’t feel equipped to organize your own event, check out events in your area for activism opportunities during Congress’s August recess. Find something you can do to make a difference and stop the Trumpist onslaught putting the nation and the world at risk.