Read this article. It’s a great primer to understand the scope of this issue.
Right after El Chapo’s trial made it completely clear how useless a border wall would be, right after both New Mexico and California withdrew their guard troops as unnecessary, and in the face of a spending bill that reflected that reality, our president has decided to take a huge authoritarian leap forward with a declaration of a national emergency. This is a deliberate end run around Congress and our country’s system of checks and balances, all to appease his voting base.
While California‘s governor and attorney general get their legal challenges tuned up…
…we have work to do…
Action #1 – Tell Nancy Pelosi we expect her to bring her “A” game with this petition.
Those of us who aren’t in Senator Pelosi’s district can’t call her or email her. However, we can add our names to a petition to demand that she push back hard against this racist and anti-immigrant policy. Sign the petition here.
Action #2 – Tell our legislators to vote immediately for a resolution of disapproval to stop Trump’s revenge move.
Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the president can declare an emergency for just about anything. However, Congress gave itself the ability to terminate an emergency declaration. It’s only been tried once, when President George W. Bush tried to use an “emergency” to override federal wage requirements for government contractors rebuilding after Katrina. While the lawsuits against the administration are warming up…
Dust it off!
Minimal Script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Rep./Sen. [__] to immediately vote for a resolution of disapproval for the president’s false declaration of an emergency to force through funding for a useless wall.
(Note: For your senator calls – add in your approval for the RAIDER Act from Action #3 (below) and save time!)
Action #3 – Tell our legislators we approve of the RAIDER Act of 2019!
Washington—Sens. Feinstein, Harris and others have just introduced legislation to prevent the president from using the National Emergencies Act of 1976 to raid critical military construction, water infrastructure and disaster response funds to build a border wall. It’s called the Restrictions Against Illegitimate Declarations for Emergency Re-appropriations (RAIDER) Act of 2019. Text of the bill here.
The act is also supported by Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
Minimal Script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want /Sen. [__] to know that I support the RAIDER Act of 2019
Contact
Rep. Julia Brownley: email, (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
or Rep. Salud Carbajal: email. (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
Senator Feinstein: email, DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430
and Senator Harris: email, DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884
Who is my representative/senator?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
Background
- What can a president do during an emergency (atlantic)
- If Trump declares an emergency to build the wall, Congress can block him. (npr)
- https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/430070-mcconnell-trump-to-sign-border-deal-declare-national-emergency
- https://truthout.org/articles/mcconnell-confirms-trump-will-declare-national-emergency-to-build-wall/
- Trump plans national emergency to build border wall. (NYTimes)
- Resistance Coloring Book – Stupid Border Wall Edition (IndivisibleVentura)
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 