September 7, 2023

Tuberville fiasco, CDC COVID booster restrictions, 14th Amendment, 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:

• usa.gov/federal-agencies

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• TOMMY TUBERVILLE IS ENDANGERING NATIONAL SECURITY
  The Senate is back from recess, and long overdue to confront Senator Tommy Tuberville’s blockade on military promotions. More than 300 senior military leaders now have their nominations on hold because of Tuberville’s opposition to reproductive rights, and the Army, Navy and Marine Corps are all led by acting commanders. At the end of this month, the Chair of the Joint Chiefs is set to retire. Clearing the backlog through regular procedure will take extensive floor time – at least a month even if the Senate worked around the clock. Let’s contact our senators and push for them to keep the Senate in town on the weekends to get through these promotions until they’re caught up or Senator Tuberville relents. And if we’re represented by Republicans, let’s tell them we want to see the GOP caucus taking a strong and more public line against Tuberville and for national security.

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• PROTECT OUR NEW MAJORITY ON THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT
  The Wisconsin Republican Party has over and over used its power to create a democracy desert in their state to secure their rule. Now, after the victory we helped earn for Janet Protasiewicz has flipped the state supreme court and put their gerrymander at risk, they’re at it again. State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has threatened to impeach Judge Protasiewicz before she’s heard a single case – which would be the first time a state official has ever been removed by impeachment in Wisconsin.  Senate Majority Leader Devin LaMahieu has said his chamber will not act, meaning instead of Democratic Governor Tony Evers appointing her temporary replacement after removal, she would be suspended without a replacement until further notice, leaving the court deadlocked at 3-3. If LaMahieu changes his mind and the Senate convicts before December 1st, it will trigger a special election next April… on the same day as the GOP presidential primary.  If we’re in Wisconsin, let’s reach out to our legislators and tell them that the people have spoken, and we expect them to respect the results of the supreme court election. We can find out where legislators stand on this attack on democracy and sign a petition at this website. For the rest of us, we can sign up to phonebank Wisconsin voters to encourage them to reach out to their lawmakers here. We can also consider a donation to the Wisconsin Democratic Party so they can continue their work to take this state back.

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• TELL CDC NOT TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS FOR FALL BOOSTERS.
  Though we all wish it was behind us, we are entering another Covid surge, with hospitalizations up 16% from mid-August and deaths up 18% from the same period.  Despite this increased risk to all of us, NPR reports the CDC plans to limit fall boosters to people who are over 75, pregnant or immunocompromised.  With hospitalizations and deaths on the rise, all of us need the further protection these boosters can give us and the CDC must change course and make them available to everyone. There is still time.  We can tell the CDC to let all who need the fall boosters get them. Friday, Sept 8 is the last day to submit our comments here. 

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• ADVANCING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH

  The CDC (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reports  that, in schools with LGBTQ-supportive policies and practices,  all  students experience less emotional distress, less violence and harassment, and fewer suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The CDC’s What Works in Schools program “has been shown to improve health behaviors and experiences, support mental health and reduce suicidality in schools….” Let’s  read about the program, and let’s share it with our local school boards (look up) and tell them that we want these policies and practices implemented in our schools. (h/t Lexington Pride Coalition)

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• DISQUALIFY TRUMP FROM RUNNING UNDER 14th AMENDMENT

  The 14th Amendment to the Constitution unequivocally disqualifies anyone who has engaged in an insurrection against the U.S. from running for office. Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed in Colorado to use this reasoning to keep the former president off the ballot there.  Other states are also facing this.  The evidence raised so far is overwhelming and several conservative law professors say his actions have already disqualified him, even without a conviction. Groups like Inequality Media Civic Action and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington have been working to raise public awareness and call on elected officials to take a stand on disqualifying Trump. Let’s consider donating to these groups and raising the issue ourselves to our elected officials, federal and state. Especially, let’s tell Republicans to stop defending Trump for his inexcusable actions.

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STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS

• MI - NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE

  In 2000 and 2016, the presidential candidates who lost the popular vote still became president, because they had won the most electoral votes. This system of the Electoral College deciding the presidency is not only an inaccurate and unfair representation of the people, but it is also founded in racism. Although it would take a constitutional amendment to get rid of the Electoral College altogether, some states are adopting a workaround by joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The states that have joined the Compact have passed state laws in which they commit their electoral votes to the popular vote winner of the presidential election. Michigan has taken the first step to join the Compact, by introducing the National Popular Vote law (HB 4156/SB 126) in the House and Senate. Let's contact our state legislators and tell them that every Michigander's vote matters, and that we want them to support and pass the National Popular Vote Law.

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