Category: Daily Action

Daily Action

A Federalist Classic

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Day 26.

We’re going to be having some Senate confirmations soon, so I’m reviewing the process. Alexander Hamilton wrote about it in Federalist No. 76.

One thing I learned from the article is that only the Senate Finance Committee currently requires tax returns from nominees; that means we’ll be seeing them from Steve Mnuchin (Treasury) and from Tom Price (Health and Human Services), but that’s it, unless there’s a rules change. Remember, a rules change will require 51 votes; Republicans have 52, so that’s not likely.

However, Democrats can use their roles on Committees to have hearings to publicize two things; the ways the nominees diverge from Trump’s stated positions; and ethical problems in the nominees’ pasts.

So today’s action: Read Federalist No. 76. Get ready to resume calls and emails tomorrow.

Get Your People
Daily Action

Get Your People

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Day 25.

1. Get together with your people. In person if possible. Eat, drink, and be merry.

2. Go to http://www.injusticeboycott.com/. Read the story behind Shawn King’s effort at the link. Consider signing up.

Question for readers of these actions: I’m thinking about cross posting these somewhere. Would others like that?

I’m really enjoying doing these posts and I hope you are too. I want to keep it going.

Daily Action

No Day is Just One Day

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Day 23. December 1.

It’s two important days all at once. (No day is just one day.)

It’s the anniversary of the day Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in Montgomery, AL, sparkling the bus boycott.

It’s World AIDS Day.

Great people stood up for themselves on this day. But also for their fellow humans.

I’m using today as a day of reflection, to gather strength.

Today, I resolve that I will continue to speak up. I will continue to stand up. I will speak and stand for others. And I will stand and speak for myself.

We will all stand together.

Daily Action

I Am Not Satisfied

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Day 22.

Trump announced this morning that he is planning to leave his business operations behind while he is president.

I am not satisfied.

It should be noted that the terms of Trump’s lease for his new hotel in Washington appear to forbid him from benefiting from the lease once he takes office. Read for yourself. Section 37.19, page 103, in part 2.

I’m contacting my representative, Nydia Velázquez, and asking her to support Rep. Katherine Clark’s bill to ensure Presidential and Vice Presidential Accountability.

Script that you can use (find your rep at whoismyrepresentative.com):

Hi, my name is ___ and I am a constituent who lives in __. I’m calling to let you know I support Rep. Katherine Clark’s Presidential Accountability Act. It is important to me that we hold the president-elect and vice-president-elect accountable. I support laws that separate their business affairs from political leadership. Thank you.

Daily Action

Back to Back

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Day 21.

Some days I’m on phone calls or in meetings just about all day, and there’s not much I can do about it. I’d like to fit a call in. But on the off chance you are in the same boat, this action has email options – according to the person reached by phone at the GAO, it will be an effective way to make your voice heard if you’re concerned about the conflict of interest and waste issues that have emerged out of the Presidential transition so far.

1. Click through and take one or more of the actions listed.

Daily Action

Let’s Check In

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Day 20.

It’s Monday. Our Senators are back at work. Let’s check in with them.

I’m calling mine to ask them to oppose Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. Here’s what I’m going to say.

Dear Senator ________, I’m asking you to oppose President Elect Trump’s pick of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. Based on statements he has made about recorded statements by Trump, he does not appear to have an accurate understanding of the definition of sexual assault under the law. Further, he’s made racist comments and comments supporting the KKK. He’s neither denied these comments nor apologized for them. He’s not qualified to enforce the law as Attorney General.

Find your senators at whoismyrepresentative.com if you want to do the same.

Daily Action

Podcasts

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Day 19.

Delayed due to travel! Alas. But better late than never.

Trying to figure out how best to handle getting news that’s more in-depth and not just from surface sources (e.g., my FB feed, if current audience will beg my pardon). One way I’ve been pursuing this is podcasts.

This is very easy-to-digest format for me – I have almost a 1 hour commute each way to work, so it’s a great way to pass that time. Some of what I listen to are in-depth interviews. I mentioned a while back a great example: the Axe Files, with David Axelrod – he interviews political figures from both sides of the aisle, as well as other cultural figures. I also just started listening to Al Jazeera’s The Listening Post, which examines the world media. (Not native to the podcast platform, but usefully found there.)

There are three pods I rabidly look forward to when they pop into my phone because, let’s face, it, pop culture junkie for always. NYT’s Still Processing; The Room Where It’s Happening (Hamilton!!!); and RuPaul: What’s the Tee?

Finally, a couple assorted items: 10% Happier, for its focus on meditation; and This American Life, for storytelling.

So action? Yes, action.

1. Resist the urge to scroll and click mindlessly this week. Choose my news. There will be a lot going on when we hit the ground running tomorrow morning. Refer back to the news post earlier in my daily actions.

Can you recommend a podcast you like?

Daily Action

Sorting List

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Day 17.

Today I’m sorting out my giving for the coming year. I’ve been talking to friends and family about causes and organizations we want to support financially. I feel like I need to make an internal Maslow’s hierarchy of political needs. Whatever is most urgent will be getting recurring monthly donations and will be supported by regular action such as calls and protests. The next most urgent group will get rotating regular support.

Making this list is really really hard. Sometimes everything feels like an alarm bell going off. To the extent I can, I’m trying not to give into fear. Everything feels so important, but if I take a deep breath, I can feel my way toward what’s most important to me.

What is the most important for you? I made a list, and I also looked here:

1. Recurring monthly donations: ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Immigration Law Center, and the Brennan Center for Justice.

The ACLU aims to initiate legal action against any unconstitutional actions taken by the new administration, and I think that’s most critical.

SPLC keeps watch on hate-oriented organizations and hate crimes, which pose an imminent danger to vulnerable communities on a day to day basis.

NILC supports all sorts of work in support of immigrants, including training and litigation. Based on the reading I’ve been doing, I’m concerned that immigrant communities will be most vulnerable to having their fundamental rights taken away by the government. These are the best hope I can find to defend them.

BCJ works on lots of issues, including voter suppression, which I think is vitally important to fight – voting is our most fundamental right as citizens, and this right should never be abridged.

2. Rotating donations, subject to regular review:
Planned Parenthood (reproductive rights and women’s health)
National Resource Defense Council (environmental defense)
Dream Corps (which has initiatives to support coding education for underserved communities; green jobs; and ending mass incarceration).

Please share organizations you support in the comments.

HEADS UP FOR TOMORROW: Postcards against Bannon. Get a postcard and a stamp and get ready; I’ll post first thing in the morning about this one.