November 15, 2024
Filling every judicial vacancy, fighting private prisons, protecting public health, and more!
NO JUDICIAL VACANCY LEFT BEHIND
We are in our last opportunity to put progressives on the bench for four years. While the Senate confirmed two more of Biden’s picks for judgeships yesterday, dozens of vacancies remain, and scheduled floor time is limited. Democrats need to show urgency to not let these openings fall to Trump to fill. We received a boost yesterday as outgoing Senator Joe Manchin indicated he would stop withholding his votes from judicial nominees without any Republican support. Let’s make sure we take full advantage of this chance. Let’s contact the White House and urge them to put up a nominee for every remaining vacancy, and tell our senators we demand a confirmation vote for every nominee and that they remain in continuing session until the work is done.
BIG WINNERS OF THIS ELECTION: PRIVATE PRISONS
While many Americans will face economic disaster from the proposed Trump tariffs and mass deportations, one industry is looking forward to huge profits from his administration. Private prison companies have long managed America’s immigration detention facilities, and with Trump’s threats of deporting 20 million people they are anticipating a windfall. They have already seen major stock gains. Part of defeating Trumpism means ensuring his backers feel the pain as much as the rest of us. Worth Rises is a leading advocacy organization dedicated to dismantling the private prison business. Let’s check them out, looking for opportunities to support their work and sign up to make sure we stay in touch with them here.
STUDENT WALKOUTS AGAINST TRUMPISM
The youth climate organizers for the Sunrise Movement are swiftly swinging back into action. They’re holding student walkouts against Trump, with their second round coming today. If we’re students or know students who’d be interested in organizing a walkout at their school, the sign-up form is here. If we want to support the walkouts, especially if we’re parents, teachers or professors, we can sign up here.
PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH FROM TRUMP
Epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves informs us that a group of epidemiologists, physicians, nurses, and other public health and clinical experts who assembled during COVID to fight back against bad policy and misinformation is coming back together to protect public health during the next Trump Administration - a task that seems somehow even tougher with the announcement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services. We can work together to push back against damaging executive actions, rules and legislation to keep our communities safe and healthy. When we sign up here, we’ll be notified of a Zoom conversation to start things going in the coming weeks.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS: TALK TO PROPUBLICA
The Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative news organization ProPublica will be deeply reporting on the Trump administration, covering topics like the rule of law, Trump’s business interests, immigration, Trump & billionaires, foreign policy, environmental regulations, religious & conservative policy, technology, reproductive health, federal poverty policy, and health care policy. If we are federal employees, we can reach ProPublica journalists via this page, or we can do so securely here. To hold the Trump administration accountable, let’s spread the word.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
CO - HOLD GOVERNOR POLIS ACCOUNTABLE FOR RFK JR SUPPORT
While most Democrats greeted the news of an antivaxxer accused of sexual assault to lead our federal health institutions with horror, our governor took to social media to enthusiastically endorse him. While Governor Polis has attempted to clarify his comments, it is a position that sharply contrasts with and undermines his efforts to play a leading role in protecting us from the damage of the Trump administration. Let’s reach out to the governor’s office and share with him our shock and disappointment at his support of RFK Jr, and let him know resisting Trump includes standing up for the vaccines that have saved so many lives.
CORRECTIONS AND UPDATES
An action from Wednesday’s issue went out with an incorrect Resistbot letter. The item with the updated petition link is below. Thanks to our readers for keeping us honest.
DEMAND NO RECESS APPOINTMENTS
Donald Trump has demanded that the Senate allow him to appoint officials to his new administration without confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, as a future Republican government began to take shape the week after his election victory. In a demonstration of his political muscle, the US president-elect urged support for “recess appointments,” which allow the president to make appointments while the Senate is temporarily paused, and can be used to circumvent the confirmation process, which can result in appointments being delayed or blocked. We cannot allow this. Let’s contact our senators today to let them know this is not acceptable: 1) call 202-224-3121 and ask to speak with your Senator, 2) find your Senator's email address at www.senate.gov. or 3) use Resistbot if it's easier here.