March 7, 2023
Social Security tax cap, ERA, Walgreens, 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:
ELIMINATE THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX CAP
Those of us who earn $160, 200 or less pay 6.2% in Social Security payroll tax. If we earn the highest amount, $9 932.4 is withheld from our paychecks. If we earn more than $160,200 nothing more than that is taken from our paychecks for Social Security, leaving us with a larger percent of discretionary funds than if we made less. It puts a large burden on lower- and middle-class workers. Removing that earning cap of $160,200 would help alleviate some of the identified problems with Social Security and better share the burden. All parties understand that something should be. Let’s urge our MoCs to work together find a creative solution.
URGE YOUR MOCS TO RATIFY THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT: The fight for the Equal Rights Amendment began in the 1970s, and even though 38 states have ratified it, some of them didn't do that until after the arbitrary timeline that Congress imposed. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/lawmakers-renew-push-ratify-equal-rights-amendment-100/story?id=97633672 and https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/05/senate-ratify-equal-rights-amendment-era/11389985002/. Congress now has an opportunity to remove this timeline by passing H.J. Res. 25 and S.J. Res. 4. Action Network has set up a portal to write letters to MoCs on this issue. Let’s engage in this easy action by clicking here.
STOP MARKETING GUNS TO KIDS
Gun manufacturers are increasingly following the lead of the tobacco companies and marketing their products to children. This has been exemplified by Wee 1 Tactical’s JR-15, an AR-15 for kids that has been marketed with logos depicting a skull and crossbones with a pacifier and images depicting children shooting the weapon. Members of Congress led by Senator Ed Markey have introduced the Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act, requiring the Federal Trade Commission to create a rule to prohibit the firearms industry from marketing to kids. Let’s ask our members of Congress to sign on to this legislation.
WALGREENS & ABORTION PILLS (h/t Chop Wood, Carry Water): According to Politico, Walgreens is revving up to dispense abortion pills and is seeking certification from some states to do so—but the pharmacy chain has decided not to dispense abortion pills in the nearly two dozen states whose Republican attorneys general have threatened to sue Walgreens if they try selling abortion pills there. Let’s:
Tell Walgreens to reverse their policy: call 847-315-2500, or write to Senior Vice President for Pharmacy and Healthcare Rick Gates, rick.gates@walgreens.com and Senior Vice President for Operations Lisa Badgley, lisa.badgley@walgreens.com
Support the Democratic Attorneys General Association (if we start getting too many fundraising emails, we just can just unsubscribe).
Make sure we get election reminders so we never miss a chance to vote for state attorneys general who support reproductive health rights.
DEMOCRACY CHECKLIST
Teri Kanefield, an attorney, author, and blogger, is great at clearly explaining the connection between current events and threats to democracy—example—and she offers us a list of things we, personally, each one of us, can do. Let’s read her list of ways to preserve democracy and join in!
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
NY: VOTE TO ALLOW NY VOTERS ABROAD TO RETURN BALLOTS ELECTRONICALLY
NY State Senator Zellnor Myrie has introduced legislation that will allow NY voters abroad to return their ballots electronically! Let's contact all our legislators to ask them to support S2892, and signal our support by clicking "Aye" on this website, using our NY voting address.