Friday September 29, 2017
9/29/17 http://roganslist.blogspot.com/
Contact Federal Government Officials
Find your legislators here: https://www.theloyalopposition.net/rep-finder/
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Search all members of Congress here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/current
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Fax your legislators for free: Reps: https://faxzero.com/fax_congress.php
and Senate: https://faxzero.com/fax_senate.php
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Find senators Twitter and Facebook Accounts here:
http://www.socialseer.com/resources/us-senator-twitter-accounts/
Find representatives on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/cspan/lists/u-s-representatives/members?lang=en
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If your senators and reps aren't saved in your phone yet,
text your US postal address to (520) 200-2223 and get a text back with your
STATE & FEDERAL legislative rep phone numbers.
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Many newspapers, including New York Times and Washington Post require subscriptions, but without one we can see a few articles each month. We can also check with our local libraries to find out how to get online access through them.
1) Since its creation by a bipartisan coalition under the Clinton administration, CHIP has been crucial for the health and well-being of millions of American children, their families and their communities. The benefits for families and communities of CHIP are many. For one, CHIP is crucial in providing financial security and prevents families from suffering catastrophic losses. As a block grant, CHIP requires periodic appropriation of funding to maintain the program. The most recent extension, the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act, funded the program through September 2017. Without additional funding, states will run out of money over the next few months. Moreover, without a quick congressional action, states will be confronted with daunting administrative and planning challenges on how to possibly maintain or phase out the program.http://fortune.com/2017/09/27/chip-kids-health-insurance/ Let’s remind our reps to quickly fund CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) to protect the insurance for these children and their families. If we tweet, we can also use this tweetsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yShbWOXoBeH1hluOxy8IuJtZTtft4EgpDWkzQxTHBmk/edit#gid=0
2) On Wednesday, the Senate confirmed Makan Delrahim, Trump's nominee, to head the Justice Department's antitrust division https://bloom.bg/2wZqwmm This is especially significant, as the antitrust division is deciding whether to allow an AT&T and Time Warner merger; something that would give AT&T a staggering amount of power. John Oliver addressed this in Last Week Tonight, focusing on corporate consolidation and the dangers it presents http://bit.ly/2wlF3o4 Let's check it out, then tell the Justice Department not to allow this merger. We can contact the antitrust division directly through e-mail:
antitrust.atr@usdoj.gov or leave a message on the Department of Justice comment line: 202-353-1555
3) Trump has nominated Jeff Mateer to federal court. Mateer, Texas's First Assistant Attorney General, has described gay marriage as "disgusting," and referred to transgender individuals as being part of 'Satan's plan" http://cnn.it/2wxzKWZhttp://bit.ly/2faeZVW This is not somebody who should be serving in any leadership role, much less that of a district judge. Let's make sure our Senators oppose Mateer's confirmation. We can also call Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office to voice our concerns that someone who is so clearly homophobic and bigoted is serving as the First Assistant Attorney General: (800) 252-8011 Office of the Attorney General PO Box 12548 Austin, TX 78711-2548 Or we can call Mateer's office directly: (512) 463-2191
4) Representative Joe Kennedy, III, along with 77 cosponsors, introduced the Do No Harm Act (H.R. 3222), "To amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to protect civil rights and otherwise prevent meaningful harm to third parties, and for other purposes" http://bit.ly/2xIsYN2 Let's call the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, and ask that they pass this out of committee. Chairman Steve King: 202.225.4426 Ranking Member Steve Cohen: (202) 225-3265 Let's also make sure that our Representatives are cosponsoring and supporting this important legislation.
5) Even though Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from the Russia investigation, that did not stop him from commenting on the investigation's coverage by the media http://bit.ly/2wZcU64 Let's remind Sessions not to overstep the bounds of his recusal, nor use his position to influence the investigation: 202-353-1555 U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001
6) Perhaps showing us their true colors, the Senate quietly passed the CHRONIC Care Act (S. 870) by a voice vote the same day they abandoned the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal/replace the ACA. “The bill’s provisions include expanding a program created by ObamaCare that provides care for seniors in their homes; giving new tools to groups of doctors that come together to coordinate care for a patient, known as Accountable Care Organizations; and expanding the use of telehealth, where doctors use technology to communicate with patients far away.” http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/352637-senate-passes-bipartisan-medicare-reform-bill Let’s thank our senators for working together for the common good and remind them that is why we elected them and that we’d like to see more of this.
7) Before we find ourselves thoroughly enmired in “tax reform,” we must take heed of Trump’s next, more immediate, move. “President Trump failed again this week to fulfill his promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act . . . . Now he is taking aim at President Obama’s central environmental legacy, the Clean Power Plan. The administration has made clear its desire to repeal the Obama energy plan. But what would take its place it remains a mystery.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/climate/clean-power-plan.html Let’s remind Scott Pruitt and the EPA in no uncertain terms that their job is to regulate greenhouse gases and protect our health, not cater to industry lobbyists or the president: https://twitter.com/EPAScottPruitt/
8) It appears there is movement afoot on a bipartisan Senate bill that would stabilize the ACA markets. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/chuck-schumer-democrats-republicans-on-verge-of-bipartisan-obamacare-fix/article/2635928Let’s contact our senators and express our gratitude for this bipartisan effort, but that we don’t want any one of us to be hurt by what they pass.
9) Ajit Pai is up for reconfirmation to run the Federal Communications Commission, and he needs to lose. His record on the FCC is one of rolling back policies designed to protect internet users, communities of color and poor people. If he remains in his position, he will champion unwinding net neutrality protections and losing loopholes to expand the reach of the Sinclair Broadcasting Group, aka Trump TV. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/09/fire-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-petition-tells-us-senators/. The net neutrality advocacy group Free Press is organizing people to call their senators and urge them to vote against Pai’s reconfirmation. We can find talking points and be connected to our senators at this link: http://act.freepress.net/call/internet_nn_pai_fire.
10) Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen has caused the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe, and their campaign relies on American-made weapons and refueling provided by the American military. Now, we have an opportunity to put a stop to it. A bipartisan coalition of members of Congress has introduced legislation that would halt American support for the Saudi-led coalition, and under the War Powers Resolution, this measure is guaranteed a vote http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/09/28/lawmakers-demand-u-s-withdrawal-from-saudi-led-war-in-yemen/ Let’s join Win Without War in e-mailing our members of Congress and asking them to support House Resolution 81 and help stop the killing at this link: http://act.winwithoutwar.org/letter/tell-congress-stop-fueling-war-yemen
State Actions
1) AR and soybean and/or cotton growing states: Arkansas is on the verge of banning the use, during the growing season, of a Monsanto-backed weedkiller, dicamba, which has been blamed for damaging millions of acres of crops in neighboring farms this year. According to estimates compiled by weed scientist Kevin Bradley at the University of Missouri, at least 3 million acres of crops have seen some injury. Dicamba can be sprayed on soybeans and cotton that have been genetically modified to tolerate it. But not all farmers plant those new seeds per this NPR article. The Arkansas State Plant Board has already voted unanimously to ban the use of dicamba on the state's crops from mid-April until November. A public hearing about dicamba will be held on Nov. 8. We can find out more information on the AR Agriculture Dept. Dicamba update page. The Governor and other legislators will need to sign off on this as well. If we are Arkansans, let's tell Governor Asa Hutchinson that we want him to accept the State Plant Board's recommendation by using his web contact form or calling:501-682-2345 or writing: 500 Woodlane St Rm 250, Little Rock AR 72201. Let's also contact our own Arkansas state senators about this issue. Other states, and the EPA, are considering new restrictions on dicamba use. We know the current EPA is unresponsive. If we are in states that plant soybeans or cotton, let's contact our own Governors and ask what they plan to do about the dicamba problem.
2) CO: "The Trump administration and the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest supervisor Scott Armentrout have determined to expand coal mining operations near Somerset. This despite overwhelming comments in opposition. Now there is a 45 day comment period before finalizing this travesty." https://www.d3indivisible.co/daily-actions/2017/9/23/d3-daily-actionContact Scott Armentrout with your comments: GMUG Forest Supervisor (Delta Office), Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest
2250 Highway 50, Delta, Colorado 81416, or Phone: (970) 874-6600, or Email: sarmentrout@fs.fed.us
3) MA: Let’s prevent foreign influence in elections by limiting political spending by foreign-influenced corporations. The state legislature is considering bills that ban “political spending in Massachusetts elections from a foreign-influenced corporation—a company of which 5 percent is owned by a single foreign national, or 20 percent is owned by a group of foreign nationals. [The bills also impose] a disclosure requirement on outside spending groups that take corporate money.” https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/09/26/how-massachusetts-can-fight-foreign-influence-our-elections/CM8rjPu8NtmRJIYRVeUVJM/story.html If we’re in Massachusetts, let’s tell our state senators and representatives to give careful consideration to H.2904 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H2904 ,H.2081 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H2081 , and S.394 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S394 and pass legislation that will stop foreign-influenced corporations from influencing our elections. We can look up our legislators here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
4) ALL: The Pence-Kobach commission on “voter integrity” continues to try to disenfranchise American voters. After its September meeting, “Kobach . . . began building a more methodical case for further federal voting restrictions — like more restrictive photo-ID requirements, background checks and strict enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) voter maintenance — with the help of 12 white, male witnesses”: http://billmoyers.com/story/calling-kobach-commission/ We need to continue to urge our state officials to push back, as they did when Kobach tried to get extensive data on individual voters; we might also want to keep track of Republican efforts to deny us the vote at https://thefranchiseproject.com.
Other Actions
1) From one of our own: ResistBot, can be a great #resistance resource. By texting "resist" to 50409, people can send faxes to their senators through text messages. It even finds your senators for you based on your zip code and remembers your phone number. Also, after you send a certain number of faxes, you unlock the "letter" function, where the service will turn your texts into a letter which they mail. The service is free. For more info, check here: https://resistbot.io/
2) Some of us sports' fan Rogan's listers are already boycotting the NFL (for supporting systemic racism and not hiring Kaepernick among other issues like concussions and domestic abuse) and now we are seeing another NCAA basketball scandal with the University of Louisville. Maybe we need a change. Let's take the time to check out the WNBA. Not only has the league been scandal-free, they have also been on the front lines of activism. In For the Win, WNBA president Lisa Borders says, "Our players have been working in our communities, not just this year or last year. This has been an ongoing effort by the WNBA since our inception. Our players I’m sure will continue this, as will I and all of us that are working at the league.” WBNA finals are currently in progress so now is a great time for us to check out the game with some of their best players. Let's make an effort to watch and support the WNBA. Game 3 of the Finals tips on Friday (tonight!) in L.A. (9 PM ET, ESPN2) Minnesota Lynx vs Los Angeles Sparks. The series is even at 1-1. Let's make a plan to follow the WNBA next year, pick "our own" team (local or not), and consider purchasing a season ticket or going to a game or two if they play near us.
3) Audubon Florida reports "Audubon scientists are saddened to report all of the 44 active nests of the endangered Everglade Snail Kite on Lake Okeechobee were lost due to Hurricane Irma’s high winds and high rainfall. Lake Okeechobee, Florida's largest lake, is a stronghold for the species found only in the Sunshine State. Post-Irma assessments of the Lake indicate that many adults and juveniles in the area rode out the storm and survived, but sadly, nests with eggs or flightless babies perished." If we can, let's help Florida Audubon by donating to help birds and Florida's special places recover from Hurricane Irma.
4) The Director of the Michigan State Police said in a Facebook post that those who kneel during the National Anthem are “degenerates”: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/09/26/nfl-anthem-protest-michigan-state-police/705511001/ Let’s let Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue know that speaking out about police violence against African Americans does not make one a degenerate: Michigan State Police Headquarters, P.O. Box 30634 Lansing, Michigan 48909.
5) From one of our own: After the first of the year, if our state's drivers' licenses are not compliant with the DHS requirements, we will need a passport or a passport card to board a domestic plane. http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/september-passport-awareness-month If our state is not compliant,
6) Fox 2 Now St. Louis wants to know what we think about NFL players kneeling during the anthem: http://fox2now.com/2017/09/25/poll-how-do-you-feel-about-nfl-players-kneeling-during-the-national-anthem/
7) “Royal Caribbean is using a cruise ship to help evacuate people from Puerto Rico and deliver needed supplies to Caribbean islands. The cruise line announced on Tuesday that it is canceling its September 30 Adventure of the Seas trip so it can use the ship to help victims of Hurricane Maria.” http://ktla.com/2017/09/27/royal-caribbean-sends-cruise-ship-to-help-puerto-rico/ Let’s thank these generous people: Royal Caribbean, Miami Corporate Offices, 1050, 1080 & 1040 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132
8) “Twitter said Thursday it had shut down 201 accounts that were tied to the same Russian operatives who posted thousands of political ads on Facebook, but the effort frustrated lawmakers who said the problem is far broader than the company appeared to know.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/twitter-finds-hundreds-of-accounts-tied-to-russian-operatives/2017/09/28/6cf26f7e-a484-11e7-ade1-76d061d56efa_story.html?utm_term=.6f26f3ddaf7a This on the heels of Facebook which, “Bowing to pressure from lawmakers and the public, the company said it will provide the contents of 3,000 ads bought by a Russian agency to congressional investigators, while also pledging to make political advertising on its platform more "transparent."” http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/facebook-release-russia-ads-congress-amid-pressure-50010940 Let’s contact both Twitter and Facebook to let them know how much we value their service and that expect them to maintain integrity. Facebook: 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, and Twitter: 1355 Market St #900, San Francisco, CA 94103
9) While we can pause to rejoice that Trump finally waived the Jones Act for Puerto Rico, there is MUCH left to be done. TeenVogue, an unexpected media hero in this era, has put together this very helpful guide that has both historical and social action information to help us stay moving forwarding to help Puerto Rico: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-to-help-puerto-rico
Petitions
1) "Pope Francis has been a vocal supporter of the need for climate action, making him a respected leader to Catholics and people of other faiths alike. We know the Pope believes in the need to phase-out fossil fuels, so this week we’re joining350.org in calling on him to divest. Taking the Vatican’s assets out of any coal, oil or gas investments would be consistent with Pope Francis’s call." Let's join Years of Living Dangerously and National Geographic Channel in calling on Pope Francis to divest the Vatican of fossil fuels by signing their petition.
2) Let’s join Save the Children and urge Congress to publicly oppose the Refugee Resettlement Cap: https://action.savethechildrenactionnetwork.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23329
Marches/events/teleconferences to attend/organize
1) It is time to join the Virtual March in support of the DREAM Act 9/27-10/2. Let’s learn more here how we can participate: http://virtualmarch.us/
2) “SToPP is a walk/run event to engage college students, campus administration, and other advocates in raising awareness of, and transforming behavior related to, sexual assault on campus.” In October they will host campus runs and a virtual 5k to raise funds for campus sexual assault awareness. Let’s check out places and dates: https://thenewagenda.net/stopp/ Then, let’s contact the sponsor, The New Agenda, and ask how we can help schedule these more places for next year: https://thenewagenda.net/contact-us/
Reading/Watching
1) “9 essential things to know about Puerto Rico's humanitarian crisis”: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/9/26/16365994/hurricane-maria-2017-puerto-rico-san-juan-humanitarian-disaster-electricty-fuel-flights-facts
2) While more information about Trump’s tax plan has been released, there are still many questions: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/unanswered-questions-trump-tax-plan/story?id=50152971
3) Equifax’s interim CEO offers apology and offers: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-equifax-ceo-apology-20170928-story.html
Rogan’s List is a participant in and strategic part ner of the Action Alliance,
a loosely-federated group of organizations that, in the wake of the
2016 election, are sharing daily or weekly calls to action.
Other member sites are listed here: https://www.actionalliance.co/ --scroll down and click through and you'll find many more opportunities to make a difference.
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Rogan’s List is also part of RISE Stronger’s United States of Resistance