CA Health Care for All Act (AB 1400) is in the Health Committee hearing starting tomorrow (1/11)!

While we’re waiting for health care improvements in the Build Back Better plan to go through the Senate – we need to move forward with AB1400, Medicare for All in California.

Here is the story so far…

California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare) – A bold, public-funded, “cradle-to-grave, head-to-toe” healthcare reform bill to replace the commercial, for-profit-only healthcare system and take control of healthcare away from companies like Pacifica Companies and political lobbyists like the California Association for Health Facilities (CAHF).

“A long awaited major move towards passing single payer legislation in California is HAPPENING TOMORROW. The single payer bill, California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (AB 1400) has been advanced to the Health Committee and the first hearing is tomorrow 1/11/22. It will only be in the Health Committee for a few days and will hopefully be passed on to the Appropriations Committee and then the full Assembly. Jim Wood, chair of the Health Committee, has long been opposed to single payer, but has agreed to move it through his committee.”

(Update! Assembly Health Committee chair Jim Wood has committed his SUPPORT for AB1400 when it’s heard in committee on Tuesday. If you are in his district, please thank him!)

AB1400 MUST pass out of the Health Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and the floor by the end of January, or the bill DIES for yet another legislative session! 

Action – Make a call to your assemblymember!

Continue reading “CA Health Care for All Act (AB 1400) is in the Health Committee hearing starting tomorrow (1/11)!” →

Democracy won’t stand up by itself. Our job is to tell legislators to do their job.

  • Action #1: Contact your senators about the 4 essential bills necessary for democracy and to carve up the filibuster to do it.
  • Action #2: Keep election administration in these states (AK, AZ, GA, IA, KY, MI, MO, NH, PA, SC, or WI) from being usurped – Friends and family plan.
  • Action #3: Call on President Biden to support voting rights legislation

President Biden and Democrats in the Senate have the moral responsibility, and the power, to uphold the principles of democracy and protect our elections from sabotage. To let the GOP continue to use the filibuster – a “tool used overwhelmingly by racists,” to override the basic civil and voting rights of American citizens is equivalent to legislative malpractice. Our votes for them were a contract. Tell them you expect them to fulfill it.

Action #1: Contact your senators about the 4 essential bills necessary for democracy and to carve up the filibuster to do it.

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Senator [___] to put their constituents first and push through these four bills to protect our democracy. The filibuster should be carved up or eliminated as necessary.

Continue reading “Democracy won’t stand up by itself. Our job is to tell legislators to do their job.” →

January 6 – Light a candle, light up the phone lines!

The leadership of Indivisible Ventura did not plan an in-person vigil for January 6 due to COVID. We know that others, due to geography, illness, weather, etc., would also not be able to attend a in-person vigil on Thursday evening – the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. (Find a nearby in-person or virtual event here: https://www.mobilize.us/democracyvigils/) But there are great alternatives for expressing our support!

  • Light a candle: Small Deeds Done (https://smalldeedsdone.com) highlighted this idea of “putting a lighted candle (or one that works on a battery but looks like a candle) in a window visible to the street on the evenings of Jan. 5 and 6, just as a way of saying metaphorically, “I want to keep light and democracy alive.”” Then, “If you are on social media, take a photo of it and post with the hashtag #lightupdemocracy.”
  • Light up the phones and social media: Many hands make light work, and now we can do it from home. Pick an activity from below, even a type you’ve never tried before (training included), and join in to fight back against the forces of fascism and secession threatening the country we love. Yes, this work is effective!
  • NEW – Oppose the Sedition Caucus! Donate to “IT STARTS TODAY” – Eight Senators and 139 Representatives (all Republicans) voted to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania. Contribute today to the next opponent of every one of these treasonous legislators here: https://contribute.itstarts.today/anti-sedition
  • We will update as more activities are posted or are filled.

Thursday – 01/06/2022

Read transcript here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/06/biden-jan-6-capitol-riot-speech-transcript/9115459002/

10:00 am

Thursday – 01/06/2021 – LANCASTER – ”Defend Democracy January 6th Write Postcards with Field Team 6” (10:00am – 1:00pm PT)

Continue reading “January 6 – Light a candle, light up the phone lines!” →

+150 political scientists sent a warning to Congress…Democracy is on a deadline.

(Statement in Support of the Freedom to Vote Act)

  • Action #1: Call your senators! Every day.
  • How to program your phone for fast calls to your legislators!
  • Action #2: Write your reluctant senators an email/letter. (Yes, Dianne, we’re looking at you.) Pile it on!

In keeping with the racist origins of the filibuster, the only Senate bills that are currently still subject to it remain civil and voting rights bills like the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Meanwhile, without these federal-level restrictions, the GOP are busy eroding rights on a state level, using new voter restrictions, partisan election audits, and state-level efforts to sabotage future elections. And now they’re destroying the last line of defence – the courts. GOP legislators in 35 states proposed over 153 bills in 2021 to limit state courts’ power or independence or to make them more partisan. At least 19 have become law across 14 states. We’re running out of time.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is using Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as D-Day for democracy, a war against an opposition that’s already on our own shores, and even embedded within our own party. (His letter here.) Please, call your senators every day, especially those of us with reluctant ones, like Feinstein.

Action #1: Call your senators – updated message for use EVERY DAY!

Minimal script for SEN. FEINSTEIN:

Continue reading “+150 political scientists sent a warning to Congress…Democracy is on a deadline.” →

Fast Action! DEADLINE TODAY for last call to stop the toxic neighbors next door!

Tell Gov. Newsom that you support a 3200 foot setback between homes, schools, businesses, prisons and healthcare facilities and new & EXISTING oil and gas operations.

  • Action #1: Call Gov. Newsom
  • Action #2: Email Newsom and CalGEM at the same time with this nifty form!

Today is the LAST DAY to send public comments to California oil & gas regulators in support of 3200 foot setbacks between drilling and sensitive sites.

Action #1: Call Gov. Newsom

Minimal script for a call: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Governor Newsom and CalGEM to take the following three actions:

  • Support a 3,200-foot setback for new wells
  • Demand that the setback applies to existing wells
  • Demand an emergency response to ban all new permits within the setback until the final rule is in effect

CALL: Governor Newsom (916) 445-2841 

Action #2: Email Newsom and CalGEM at the same time with this nifty form!

EMAIL BOTH NEWSOM AND California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM): Here! https://secure.foodandwaterwatch.org/act/no-drilling-where-were-living

Sample script for an email: (NOTE: Mix it up and make it yours. It doesn’t have to be as long as this. Talk about your own issues of living next to these installations or that of your family and friends.)

Continue reading “Fast Action! DEADLINE TODAY for last call to stop the toxic neighbors next door!” →

The CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is trying to burn down solar.

Quote here.

Action #1: Stop them!

Just as the Biden Administration is working to catch up to CA’s ambitious climate plan, our own California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), wants to slam the brakes and impose the harshest penalty fees on solar users of any state.

They moan that the solar panel owners are forcing others to pay more than $200 a year in additional costs to maintain the network. Their answer to solving this issue? Helping EVERYBODY get access to solar panels?

Hahahahahaha, no!

Their solution is to make solar users pay an average of $57 per month, nearly $700 per year, taking solar energy out of reach of the low-income consumers they pretend to care about. Meanwhile, no one’s utility bills will go down, we’ll be left more vulnerable to climate-change power interruptions and pollution, the solar industry will implode AND utility interests will make a huge profit! Business as usual for an agency repeatedly accused of corruption and mismanagement. Here’s how we fight back!

The CPUC’s proposal is a near-carbon copy of what PG&E and the other utilities have pushed for months. If Gov. Newsom doesn’t step in, these changes will be finalized by January 27th and go into effect this spring. More details are below.

ASK #1: Please call Governor Newsom’s office today (9 am – 5 pm weekdays). Even if you already made a call, do it again and get your friends to phone tree this baby. We need to flood his office with calls this week.

Sample script: My name is ___ and I live in ____. I am against the proposed Solar Penalty Fee and I’m against slashing the value of rooftop solar 80%! Nobody should pay a penalty for putting solar panels on their roof and our climate-change driven fires, blackouts and pollution show that California should be doing more, not less, to promote rooftop solar. Say no to the utilities’ profit grab, and yes to actively assisting millions of our working and middle class residents to access solar technology for their homes.

Continue reading “The CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is trying to burn down solar.” →

Advent calendar for democracy – Demand that the Senate include the “Billionaires Income Tax” in the Build Back Better Act.

This is from 2014, but the points are still accurate.

Action – Call/email your legislators every day! Today’s pick is the “Billionaires Income Tax.

MInimal script: I’m calling from [zip code]. First, I want Sen. [___] to delay any holiday recess until they pass legislation essential for our continued democracy: the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). I also expect [him/her] to carve up the filibuster for these foundational bills, just as the Senate somehow managed to do for the debt ceiling.

Then I want the senator to pass the Build Back Better Act, including a true building block of a healthy and just economy, the “Billionaires Income Tax. That this tax can raise $557 billion in 10 years from only 700 people, demonstrates a level of wealth inequality not seen since the Gilded Age of robber barons. According to the UN, this issue is destabilizing democratic societies around the world, ours included, stagnating wages, eroding trust and paving the way for authoritarion and nativist regimes. Their time-tested solution is what we’re asking Sen. [___] to do – increase social safety nets, protect workers’ rights, and actively redistribute extreme wealth for a more stable and just society for all.

Continue reading “Advent calendar for democracy – Demand that the Senate include the “Billionaires Income Tax” in the Build Back Better Act.” →

A message from Ventura County on gun violence

Action #1: Share this important message from Susan Schmidt-Orfanos.

“Most of you don’t know me. Our son Telemachus Orfanos, was murdered in the Borderline mass shooting on Nov. 7, 2018. Our lives were and continue to be shattered. The pain, the anguish and the rage are often uncontrollable. My family continues to work with a number of gun safety organizations to find ways to finally end gun violence. So that no more families experience this horror.

We need your help.

On December 2, devastated by the school shooting in Michigan, Manuel Oliver, who lost his son Joaquin at the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida flew to Washington D.C. to demand a meeting with President Biden in order to urge him to prioritize gun violence reduction. (UPDATE: Message from Manuel at the bottom of this post)

Manny is not leaving. Then-candidate Biden promised all gun violence survivors he would use all his powers to mitigate gun violence. We are all still waiting.”

Contact the White House: 202-456-1111 || 202-456-1414.,
email: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code][state] to ask President Biden to meet with Manuel Oliver, whose son, Joaquin, was killed in the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland Florida. He’s flown to Washington D.C. to personally ask the president to pledge that he’ll announce a plan of action for reducing gun violence at his State of the Union address.

Continue reading “A message from Ventura County on gun violence” →

Trump left behind a ticking health care bomb that will allow Wall Street to destroy Medicare. Most legislators have no idea this is coming.

Update 03/01: Our pressure is scaring them! They’ve been forced to re-brand “direct contracting” (Say hello to “ACO REACH!”) and added a few crumbs for the poor, but PNHP states that it’s still “direct contracting in disguise” – putting profit-driven middleman that no beneficiary ever asked for into traditional Medicare.

(Note to self: Any privatization program that requires “Accountable” as its first word is in trouble out the door.)

  • Action #1: Sign a petition to HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra that asks him to exercise his power to end this dangerous program.
  • Action #2: Call your representative to fight against Trump’s privatizing of Medicare and to support H.R.3. – the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act .
  • Action #3: Seriously Joe. What are you thinking? Keep your word!

However, Rep. Katie Porter is sounding the alarm! We need to educate Congress — and soon.

In May of 2021, four members of the U.S. House of Representatives (Reps. Mark Pocan, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Lloyd Doggett, and Katie Porter) sent a letter to Dept. of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra expressing concern about Medicare Direct Contracting, and calling for an immediate freeze of the program.

Action #1: The Biden administration has the power to stop this program in its tracks. Sign a petition to HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra and ask him to exercise his power to end this dangerous Medicare privatization program.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (lead sponsor of H.R. 1976, the Medicare for All Act) sent a sign-on letter to every member of Congress (read the letter here) addressed to HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra, asking him to immediately end the Medicare Direct Contracting pilot program.

Thousands of doctors and other advocates have already signed a petition demanding that Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra halt the DC program, provide real oversight of CMS’ Innovation Center, and protect Medicare for future generations. (One-page fact sheet: pnhp.org/DCEFactSheet)

Now it’s our turn.

Sign the petition here: https://pnhp.salsalabs.org/dcepetitionseptember2021/index.html

Continue reading “Trump left behind a ticking health care bomb that will allow Wall Street to destroy Medicare. Most legislators have no idea this is coming.” →