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Holiday Break December 23, 2017 to January 3, 2018 The Ten-Minute Activist is announcing a break for Christmas and the holidays beginning today. We plan to resume on Wednesday, January 3, but of course we’ll spring into action before then in the event of emergencies or sudden developments. Before you enjoy a much-needed respite from angst, if you have not yet written your Christmas/New Year wish list to your representatives, now’s a good time! Our wish list includes:
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And So It Goes On Congress has passed the Continuing Resolution, preventing a government shutdown, allocating temporary funds to the Children’s Health Insurance program, and kicking a lot of problems down the road. Action: Before Congress - and The Ten-Minute Activist - go on recess, send a message to your Senators and Member of Congress with a wish list for what you would like to see the government accomplish in 2018. House contact info: www.house.gov Senate contact info: www.senate.gov Health Care As Washington continues to play havoc with all our lives, let’s turn our attention to our state legislators. A Tuesday recount for a state house election in Virginia has resulted in a one-vote-margin win for the Democrats. The Republicans in Virginia have now lost their majority, and there is a chance that the legislators may be able to enact Medicaid expansion, which is backed by the outgoing Governor as well as his successor. Other states are also considering Medicaid expansion. Action: 1. Contact your State Representative and ask them to work to expand Medicaid in order to achieve universal coverage in your state. 2. Contact your State Senator and ask the same thing. 3. Contact your State Governor and ask the same thing. Find your State Rep and State Senator here: http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ Find your State Governor here: http://www.usa.gov/state-governor DREAM The Tax “Reform” Bill has been passed by the House. There’s another procedural vote which has to take place, and there’s going to be some adjusting between the Senate and House versions. However, a more pressing issue today is the DREAM Act. Time’s a-wasting, and DREAMers deserve a clean DREAM Act to be passed before the next recess. There is broad bipartisan support for this, and they should buckle down and produce a bill so that DREAMers can enjoy Christmas. Action: Call your Member of Congress and ask for a clean DREAM Act WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED and which includes a path to citizenship BEFORE the Christmas recess. Tax Here’s what Beto has to say about the GOP tax bill: This bill is bad for most Americans. According to the Tax Policy Center, every income group in the bottom 95 percent will be worse off by 2027 if this bill passes. And some backroom deals made it into the bill -- including an obscure tax break for pipeline giants that will benefit over a dozen members of the Senate, including Senator Ted Cruz. It's clear: the big winners of this tax plan are corporations, hedge fund managers, real estate developers and the wealthiest of the wealthy. (email from Beto for Texas, 12/18/17) Here’s what the Washington Post has to say about the GOP tax bill. www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/11/26/senate-gop-tax-bill-hurts-the-poor-more-than-originally-thought-cbo-finds/?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.4127162abd82 Action: Contact your Member of Congress to excoriate the GOP Tax Bill, using some of the talking points above. No PAC Act Congressman and Senators routinely accept campaign donations from corporations and political action committees. These donations buy access and influence and should be called for what they are - bribery. Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX-16) has introduced the No PAC Act (HR 1743) to ban candidates from accepting money from PACs. O’Rourke is one of perhaps only two legislators on Capitol Hill who do not accept any contributions except from private individuals. O’Rourke is also the universe’s best hope for getting Ted Cruz (whom he has already outraised) out of the Senate. Action: Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to co-sposor the No PAC Act, HR 1743. You can also send a free fax to your congressperson at faxzero.com/fax_congress.php. Mueller Trump is publicly considering firing Mueller. Action: Sign up for a MoveOn.org Mueller Firing Rapid Response Event. Go the this page on the website and input your zip code to find an event near you. https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/search/ Health Care Action: 1. Pennsylvania voters: the PA House is considering legislation (HB 1407) to impose work requirements and lifetime limits on Medicaid recipients. Contact your State Representative to ask them OPPOSE HB 1407. 2. Maryland voters: the MD House is considering legislation (HB 913) to protect elements of Obamacare. Contact your State Representative and ask them to SUPPORT HB 913. 3. New Jersey voters: the NJ House is considering legislation (A 4211) to expand access to health care. Contact your State Representative and ask them to SUPPORT A 4211. 4. Ohio voters: the Ohio House is considering legislation (HB 49) which restricts access to health care. Contact your State Representative and ask them to OPPOSE HB 49. 5. Massachusetts voters: the MA House is considering legislation (H 2987) to expand access to health care. Contact your State Representative and ask them to SUPPORT H 2987. 6. Maine voters: Contact the Governor and ask him to IMPLEMENT Question 2, which expands Medicaid. 7. Other Voters: contact your State Representative and ask them to implement expanded Medicaid or Medicare for all in your state. Legalization of Marijuana Action: Use this handy link at the NORML website to send a letter to your state representatives asking them to put reform of marijuana laws on their agenda for 2018. http://norml.org/action-center/item/tell-your-lawmakers-to-keep-marijuana-reform-on-their-2018-agenda |
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