Wednesday, May 31st

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Amidst the health care madness, the budget madness and the investigation of collusion with Russia madness, things are tilting the wrong way on our participation in the Paris climate change agreement (Read more.)

Please reach out to EPA Chief Pruitt (who wants to break the agreement):  [email protected] and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry (who wants revision)  [email protected] and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (who wants to stay in the agreement) https://register.state.gov/contactus/contactusform.  

Tell them we have no choice but to continue to work against climate change. 

And though it may make no difference, because he can't remember what he thinks about anything for more than ten seconds at a time, tell Trump to keep us in the Paris Climate Agreement:  https://secure3.convio.net/lcv/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3811&autologin=true.

Thank you.

Tuesday, May 30th

(Adapted from ACLU Action)

JEFF SESSIONS IS WRONG ABOUT THE WAR ON DRUGS

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is spouting rhetoric and promoting policies that we’ve been working hard to put in the past. With near-consensus that the War on Drugs was a failure on all levels, the country is ready to move to smart and commonsense reforms to our broken criminal justice system.

Except for one man: our top law enforcement official, Jeff Sessions.

Sessions has reversed an important charging policy that instructed prosecutors to avoid getting caught in the stranglehold of mandatory minimum sentencing. Mandatory minimums are widely understood as racist, destructive to families and communities, and fundamentally unfair. So why is our attorney general actively undoing policy in order to encourage the harshest possible punishments?

Jeff Sessions has a history of endorsing ineffective policies and positions based on political rhetoric. He wants to put as many people as possible behind bars. And not just anyone – the War on Drugs policies Sessions is rolling out target and harm Black and Brown people and communities.

This has to end. We need smart criminal justice reforms – not regressive, recycled policies.

Action You Can Take Today

• Add your name to the ACLU petition now to tell Jeff Sessions that no matter what he says, the War on Drugs must end.
• Write directly to Attorney General Sessions and ask him why he rescinded the Justice Department's commitment to reduce the use of private prisons.  Ask him if his former aides (now lobbyists for the private prison industry) led him to make that decision. Hold him accountable.

Monday, May 29th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

While the Trump administration continues to support a crackdown on “dangerous” immigrants, and is going so far as to appeal a ruling to the Supreme Court, what is it doing about the homegrown danger of extremism?

Far right, white supremacists continue to be the real terror base for our country. Three of our citizens were killed by white supremacists last week alone and there was nary a word from the White House: 

http://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2017/05/27/19041594/suspect-in-portland-hate-crime-murders-is-a-known-white-supremacist

and

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-richard-collins-stabbing-racism-page-perspec-20170526-story.html

Let’s tell our Members of Congress and the White House that it is past time to reel in these terrorists and investigate their wide-spread radicalization for the safety of all of us.  

Sunday, May 28th

(Adapted from Jen Hofmann's Weekly Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience)

Memorial Day Weekend Recommended Reading

Thought-provoking, in-depth reading that’s worth your time. 

• What the US needs to have a healthy healthcare system (HBR).

• How 45 might successfully wiggle out of special counsel’s scrutiny (Reuters).

• Long game: The true impact of activism isn’t felt for a generation (Guardian).

• Stay woke and share far-left conspiracy theories with caution (Vox).

 Please keep taking care of yourself. Your wellness matters as much as your activism.

Saturday, May 27th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Embarrassment in Europe

Trump embarrassed the American people at the NATO conference and then went on to call the Germans, one of our strongest allies, evil.  "Trump’s singling out of German carmakers for contributing to the nation’s lopsided trade surplus follows rebukes of Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp.and attacks on America’s own automakers for shipping cars from Mexico. The rhetoric overlooks that BMW AG, Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG operate some of their biggest factories in the world in southern U.S. states, and the impact that putting a stop to imports would have on the thousands of dealers who sell German vehicles." (Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-26/trump-blasts-german-carmakers-u-s-sales-and-threatens-barriers) 

Action You Can Take Today

Let's call the White House and let Trump know, we care about our German allies and that many German car makers build their cars here and American dealerships sell them providing jobs to Americans.  

Contact the White House here:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Monday, May 23rd

(Adapted from Wall of Us)

I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.

— John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

In a special election on Wednesday, May 25, the Democrats hope to elect Rob Quist to fill the at large House seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, Trump’s Interior Secretary.  GOP outside groups have reputedly poured more than $2.5 million into his opponent’s campaign, an opponent who it turns out has ties to Russia. (Read more)

Action You Can Take Today

1. Watch this video by Robert Reich about the Montana special election, Quist, and his swampy competitor. (2 minutes)

2. Donate any amount to support the Quist campaign in their final push. (3 minutes)

3. Phone Bank for Quist with the Democracy for America Hubdialer. (15 minutes+)

Sunday, May 21st

(Adapted from Jen Hofmann's Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience)

Today's Acts of Gratitude

Get out your stamps, postcards, and sparkle markers for some gratitude mail. 

1. Thank Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) for suggesting penalties for Russia’s aggression.
   Address: 290 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
   
   
2. Thank Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) for calling for an independent commission or special prosecutor.
   
   Address (LM): 522 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
   Address (AK): 2245 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
   
   
3. Thank Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) for defending Americans’ rights to free speech and protest, and calling for a swift response to violence by a foreign leader’s aggression.
   
   Address: 2310 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
   
   
4. Thank Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA) for his bipartisanship in suggesting the White House get its act together and to appoint a Democrat to lead the FBI.
   
   Address: 248 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
   
   
5. Thank Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) for putting country ahead of party by signing the discharge petition in support of releasing 45’s tax returns. I appreciate your integrity and leadership.
   
   Address: 2333 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Saturday, May 20th

(Adapted from The  Progress Report)

When every day brings new information about who is involved in this Russia web it can be hard to keep things straight. Luckily, our friends at The Moscow Project straightened things out for us. Read this complete timeline of who knew what about Russia and when. Key points: VP Mike Pence has a strange habit of claiming to only be aware of major issues when they become public; Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Ryan were briefed on Russia as early as summer 2015; and Rep. McCarthy—the one who said he thinks Putin pays Trump—had already seen reports on Russian hacking when he made that comment.

Action You Can Take Today

#ThinkingCAP. The first episode of the Center for American Progress’ podcast, Thinking CAP is live—and just in time for maybe the busiest news week of all time. On the first episode of Thinking CAP, Michele and Igor talk with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) about the growing calls for impeaching President Donald Trump and Booker’s moving speech on Tuesday at CAP’s 2017 Ideas Conference. Also on is hear from Ben Wikler, Washington Director of MoveOn.org, who tells the story of MoveOn and online activism and shares how you can sustain the Resistance. Listen here and rate the podcast on iTunes to help other people find it!

Friday, May 19th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Pass the strawberries, hold the pesticides. (Photo: Creative Commons) - See more at: http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2017/04/03/state-ag-commissioner-troxler-pleased-epas-ruling-allow-brain-damaging-pesticide-crops/#sthash.sHfyYQXN.dpuf

Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide that can harm children's brains and nervous systems has been banned for home uses.

On Monday, May 22nd, a new EPA rule (calling for stricter requirements for applying restricted-used pesticides, essentially the most dangerous ones that are still allowable) was supposed to go into effect. But a week ago, May 12, EPA head Scott Pruitt announced he would delay the new rule by at least a year.

The EPA only will allow the public to comment on Pruitt's decision through the end of today, instead of the normal 30-day public comment period.

Action You Can Take Now

Tell the EPA how you feel about pushing off this regulation by entering a comment in the Federal Register:  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/05/15/2017-09386/pesticides-certification-of-pesticide-applicators-rule-extension-of-effective-date

It's not necessary to select a "government agency." You can write your name in the "Organization Name" field.

Tell the EPA that you care about how pesticides are regulated and want our children's health and the health of the planet protected.

The EPA has to approve the comments so you won't see yours posted immediately.

Thursday, May 18th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Yesterday, the Department of Justice took a step in the right direction by appointing former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election and ties between Russia and the Trump administration. (Read more.)

Let’s thank Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for taking this crisis seriously and doing the right thing.  We can reach him at:  U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 or here:  https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice