Monday, May 8th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)


(Image courtesy of Gerald G and OpenClipArt under Creative Commons Zero 1.0 Public Domain License)

Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue proclaimed (and has had confirmed) new rules that free public schools from the requirements put in place by the Obamas' “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.” Perdue wants to “make school meals great again” by allowing schools, starting next year, to discard the calorie, fat, or sodium requirements of the 2010 legislation and ignore its mandate to increase offerings of fruit, whole grains, vegetables, and nonfat milk. (Read more:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/us/politics/nutrition-rules-school-lunches-michelle-obama.html  )

Action You Can Take Today

Please take a moment to share your thoughts with him:

Sonny Perdue, Secretary, US Dept of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20250. 

Sunday, May 7th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Yet another Trump disclosure omission:  “Jared Kushner didn't disclose his business ties with George Soros, Peter Thiel, and Goldman Sachs, or that he owes $1 billion in loans…” (Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-ties-george-soros-goldman-sachs-peter-thiel-1-billion-loan-2017-5 )

Today, there are reports in the Guardian that Kushner's sister has been pushing Chinese investment in Kushner family properties in exchange for US green cards, most recently yesterday at an event at the Beijing Ritz-Carlton: "Members of the audience of 100 were reportedly told that if they stumped up at least half a million dollars for the project they could become US residents under a controversial cash-for-residency program that is known in China as the “golden visa”."  

Here's a slide shown during Kushner Co. event in Beijing identifying @realDonaldTrump as "key decision maker" on EB-5 investor visa program pic.twitter.com/j1M4E7eGtQ

— Javier C. Hernández (@HernandezJavier) May 6, 2017

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/07/jared-kushners-family-criticised-for-touting-cash-for-visas-scheme-in-china

Action You Can take Today:

Contact the Office of Government Ethics and ask that they investigate Kushner now:  https://www.oge.gov/Web/OGE.nsf/Resources/Contact+Us

Friday, May 5th

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Action You Can Take Today

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) in an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN distinguished people with pre-existing conditions from those “who lead good lives”:  http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2017/05/01/lead-brooks-interview-live.cnn  

Please take a moment to let Rep. Brooks know what you think of his perspective.

Twitter: @RepMoBrooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepMoBrooks 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RepMoBrooks


And while you're at it, here's a list from Daily Kos of the "24 Most Vulnerable House Republicans Who Voted to Destroy Health Care".  Write to them, donate to their opponents, let them know that this term will be their last.

Thursday, May 4th

(Adapted from Rogan's List, and Project Fair Play)

We know that at least some members of this administration want to blur the lines between church and state, and today Trump is expected to sign an executive order today which does away with the Johnson Amendment.

As noted by Project Fair Play, "The Johnson Amendment is a federal law that protects the integrity of tax-exempt organizations, including houses of worship, as well as the integrity of our elections and the tax code.

This law prohibits tax-exempt organizations—whether a secular group or a house of worship—from supporting or opposing political candidates and political parties. It furthers the original intent behind providing tax-exempt status to nonprofit organizations, which was to ease the financial burden on organizations that operate for religious, educational, and charitable purposes. It was not intended to enable these organizations to more easily engage in partisan politics."

4500+ non-profits have asked the government to keep the Johnson Amendment.  Read what they have to say here.  99+ faith groups have done the same.  Read what they have to say here.

Action You Can Take Today

Tell the White House that you do not support removing the Johnson Amendment.  

Email:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Twitter:

• @WhiteHouse
• @POTUS
• @realDonaldTrump

Facebook: 

• www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse

Phone:

• Comments: 202-456-1111
• Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Wednesday, May 3rd

(Adapted from Rogan's List)

Jimmy Kimmel’s healthcare story on Monday about his newborn son’s heart condition is touching and revealing of so many concerns we all have about making sure our own families have heathcare when they need it.  (Watch now · Read more)

We have healthcare stories, too.  Let’s make sure we tell those stories to our legislators so they can see and retell what these changes in the ACA will do to real people.  Let them know how important this is to all of us and our families: remind them that healthcare is a human right.

Even if we don’t have a compelling healthcare story, we know that we can keep pushing to get better care for more people.  The efforts to repeal and replace the ACA seem to be coming to a head. (Learn more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/331478-gop-struggles-to-find-obamacare-repeal-votes)

Action You Can Take Today

Reach out to your members of congress with your concerns.

Residents of Phillipstown: click links below for contact info:

Senator Chuck Schumer · Senator Kirstin Gillibrand · Representative Sean Patrick Maloney

If you live somewhere else, you can use this link: https://www.callmycongress.com/