April 2, 2017 Newsletter

April 6, 2017 Robert Young Uncategorized 0

HDCC Newsletter, April 2, 2017

I’ll admit it: I watch The Rachel Maddow Show every night. When I can’t, I download the podcast of the show and listen to it the next day. Last Thursday, she closed with an editorial that I can’t stop thinking about. Here are her closing words:

Whether or not the Russia scandal brings down this presidency and it might, the point of the Russia attack was to knock America down a few pegs in the eyes of the world. They win and we lose if the outcome of all of this , regardless of this presidency , is that we become a country that lets all this other stuff slide,where even rank corruption becomes normal or too small potatoes for us to worry about it. We cannot let ourselves be the American generation where the standard slipped that badly, where that happened. At some point, we’re going to have to get back to zero in terms of being able to be shocked by corruption, nepotism and crime in government. We’re going to have to get back to zero when it`s all done.

Before this closing, she talks about all the scandals that we don’t pay much attention to right now: Carl Icahn (a capital-S scandal, she says), Scott Pruitt’s emails, the Alabama governor’s possible impeachment, and Arkansas’ plan to execute 8 men in 10 days. No wonder we all feel disoriented and at the end of our ropes!

To read the rest of the editorial, go to the transcript — scroll down close to the end. It’s definitely worth it.

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This Week’s Links

In Massachusetts, Trump’s immigration crackdown harms drug epidemic fight

Alt National Park on Facebook.

Center for American Progress on Facebook.

Full Text of 2013 Massachusetts Democratic Party Platform

What Do I Do About Trump? Resources for the Resistance

CHANGE STARTS WITH ME: AL GORE SPEAKS WITH CLIMATE ACTIVISTS

Congressman Capuano is keeping a record of actions we may have missed.

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National Action Items

Call, email, or send a postcard to your representatives! Phone numbers and other calling information below. Copy and paste this list into an email and send it to your red state friends — rattle the GOP.

Please join the virtual phone bank for Democrat James Thompson by following these instructions.  Phone Banks are open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST everyday. Please contact ann.indivisible.nema@gmail.com to report approximately how many calls you made or if you have questions.

There are several action items this week supporting the filibuster of Neil Gorsuch, urging Congress to get to the truth about Trump and Russia, and one that connects them:

In the wake of Trump’s climate change executive order, here are a few environmental action items:  

Tell Congress to Stand Strong Against President Trump’s Proposed Budget

National Women’s Law Center: CHILD CARE:  Urge Your Representative to Prioritize Child Care.

Call Rep. Niki Tsongas now at (202) 225-3411 and urge her to Sign the Pocan-Amash-Lieu-Jones letter. For more information:

And one more thing to be outraged about this week: Congress passed S.J.Res.34, which takes away your internet privacy. Call the White House comment line at 202-456-1111 and protest this bill; urge the president to not sign it. If your senator or representative voted for this, call them and express your outrage and disapproval.

Last, do not let your guard down about health care: Repeal of Affordable Care Act Is Back on Agenda, Republicans Say and Poll: Growing majority doesn’t want repeal of Affordable Care Act

Here’s a link to more action items and scripts for some of the above issues.

Massachusetts Action Items

  1. Sign the petition for the Safe Communities Act. This one is important! I just checked, and it has only 131 signatures. If you haven’t yet, sign this. Share it with your social networks, and email it to anyone you can think of.  Also call Speaker Deleo at 617-722-2500 and ask him to “fast track” the Safe Communities Act and protect MA from the racist, anti-immigrant actions of the federal government.
  2. Call on your state senator to support an Act establishing a family and medical leave insurance program.
  3. Please write to or call your state representative and ask him or her to make Automatic Voter Registration a priority this session!
  4. Do you have friends in New Hampshire? Call them!  Ask them to tell their state representatives to oppose  NH SB3, Relative to domicile for voting purposes.This bill would make it harder for students, members of the military, and new residents to register to vote. The bill as written could even force law enforcement to go door-to-door, checking on voters.

Coming Events

  • April 3, 6:30 PM, Haverhill Public Library Milhendler Room, Events Committee meeting.
  • April 5, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Annual Immigrants Day at the Statehouse.
  • April 10, 6:30 PM, Haverhill Public Library Milhendler Room, Action Committee meeting.
  • Wednesday nights; 5:30-6:30  Giving Tree Yoga and Wellness, Yoga 4 HDCC  Sign up now: whitsps@gmail.com
  • April 15, 2017, 1-4 p.m., Tax Day March, Cambridge Commons Park, Cambridge, MA. See the Facebook event for more information. Sister march in Portsmouth, NH, Market Square, 1 p.m.
  • April 22, 2017, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Boston Common, March for Science. There are sister marches in other towns near us. For more information on the Worcester march, contact madnick@msn.com.
  • April 22, 2 p.m., “Before the Flood,” Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, 28 Mugford Street, Marblehead. Free and open to the public. This epic documentary follows DiCaprio as he explores the dramatic and destructive changes that climate warming has brought to our planet, looks unflinchingly into the future, and explores the changes required by governments, industry, and people if we are to survive.
  • April 29, 2017, People’s Climate Mobilization, Boston, MA. See this for more information.
  • May 20, 2:30 p.m., Copley Square, Boston, Rally For Public Education

Note that carpools from Haverhill may be available for all of these marches. Contact HDCCNewsMA@gmail.com for more information.

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Important links

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Want to get even more involved?

To sign up for Daily Action alerts, text the word DAILY to 228466 (not affiliated with HDCC).

If you’re looking for local action, the HDCC has three subcommittees that need your help:

Strategic Action

Events Planning

Young Democrats

If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll connect you. Are you involved with a group of people taking action? Let me know! Do you have suggestions, content, or ideas for our newsletter or want to help? Contact hdccnewsma@gmail.com!

Here are the representatives for Haverhill, MA:

Senator Edward J. Markey: (202) 224-2742

Senator  Elizabeth Warren: (202) 224-4543

Representative Niki Tsongas: (202)225-3411; other offices.

Capitol Hill switchboard that will connect you with any representatives: 202-224-3121

Here’s a sample script:

Hi, my name is Mark, I’m a constituent from Seattle, zip code 98***, I don’t need a response. I am opposed to banning the sale of blueberries and I encourage the Senator to please oppose implementation of any such ban. Thanks for your hard work answering the phones!

Former Capitol Hill Staffer Describes EFFECTIVE Script for Calls.

5 Calls makes calling your reps easier than speed dialing!