January 19, 2023
Social Security, fair taxation, gas prices, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
FAIR TAX ACT IS ANYTHING BUT:
As part of the deal with the GOP extremists, McCarthy has promised a floor vote for the Fair Tax Act (H.R.25) which will eliminate the IRS and replace the income tax with a national 23% (or more) sales tax on most things. This would be a devastating amount for middle- and low-income people. While it may streamline the tax code, regressive taxes, flat amounts for everyone, like this one, are especially harmful to lower income families as it would take a larger percentage of their income. Nor is there a guarantee that a national tax at that rate could do all our taxes need to do. Let’s contact our House representatives and tell them that this is not the tax solution we want; we want fair tax reform.
RISING GAS PRICES WITH HOUSE BILL H.R. 21:
The Strategic Production Response Act (H.R. 21) was introduced last week. This bill aims to curtail a president’s ability to authorize drawing from the strategic oil reserves. Biden has been doing this to help bring US gas prices down since they were adversely affected by the Russian war in Ukraine. Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, recently stated, “This bill would significantly weaken this critical energy security tool, resulting in more oil supply shortages in times of crisis and higher gasoline prices for Americans”. Even now, our oil reserves remain the largest in the world. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-energy-chief-warns-republicans-that-oil-bill-would-raise-pump-prices-2023-01-18/ Let’s tell our House representatives to leave our strategic oil reserves alone.
HELP PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE:
Today, the government will reach its borrowing limit, which will set off another conflict between Democrats and Republicans. Part of Speaker McCarthy’s “devil’s deal” with GOP extremists was a promise not to extend the debt ceiling without massive cuts to federal programs, including Social Security and Medicare. While most voters do not think this could ever happen, this time it just well might. “Since 1960, Congress has acted 78 separate times to permanently raise, temporarily extend, or revise the definition of the debt limit – 49 times under Republican presidents and 29 times under Democratic presidents.” Until now, both parties have honored this necessity. So far, the White House is refusing to negotiate any alteration to these programs which are essential to the livelihood of a vast majority of Americans Let’s tell the White House and our Democratic MoCs that we expect them to hold the line. And let’s remind our Republican MoCs that many of their own supporters will suffer if these programs are cut. We should not be balancing the budget by taking away from those who need it most.
TURN OUT ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS:
Among the ways that the Environmental Voter Project increases voter turnout among environmental voters is through its postcard campaigns. EVP requires that its postcard volunteers attend an online orientation. Let’s sign up for one of the upcoming orientation sessions on Feb 1, 16, or 27.
RESTAURANT WORKERS:
According to a New York Times report, before cooks, waiters, and bartenders can start a new job, they often have to pay $15 for their own food safety classes provided by ServSafe—an arm of the National Restaurant Association. Their money helps fund the Association’s lobbying efforts to fight wage increases for restaurant workers. The minimum hourly wage for tipped workers has been $2.13 since 1991. Let’s tell our members of Congress to sign One Fair Wage’s pledge not to accept political donations from the National Restaurant Association’s PAC.
Thanks - these are so helpful.