Thurs -9/5: CA – Time to drive some bills home! Today’s menu – Gun shows, political funding transparency and vaccine exemption fraud.

(graph from LA Times article here.)

Senate vote

Action #1 – “YES” on AB 893 – Stop gun shows at the Del Mar Fairgrounds

AB893 AB 893 – “22nd District Agricultural Association: firearm and ammunition sales at the Del Mar Fairgrounds” would, on and after January 1, 2021, prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition at the Del Mar Fairgrounds property located in the 22nd District Agricultural Association, as specified, and would thereby make a violation of that prohibition a misdemeanor. The bill would exclude from its provisions a gun buyback event held by a law enforcement agency. (Assemblymember Gloria)

Action #2 – “YES” on AB 201 – “YES” on requiring funder information on all  political text messages

AB 201Vote YES on AB 201, the Text DISCLOSE Act which requires text message ads to disclose who paid for them. (Cervantes-Mullin)

Minimal script for your State Senator: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Senator [___] to vote “YES” on both AB 893 and AB 201. It’s time for stop our public property to be used for gun shows and it’s also time that funding for all political messages, from whatever media, is no longer a secret from voters.

State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (SD-19): SAC (916) 651-4019, SB (805) 965-0862, OX (805)988-1940 email
Not your people?: findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Continue reading “Thurs -9/5: CA – Time to drive some bills home! Today’s menu – Gun shows, political funding transparency and vaccine exemption fraud.” →

Tues 9/3: Say “NO” to funding religious discrimination against LGBTQ & women with your tax dollars. Write a comment! Deadline Sept. 16th!

(Updated 9/4/19)

Action – Comment to stop this anti-American breakdown of the wall between church and state, funded with your tax dollars.

With this proposed rule, “Implementing Legal Requirements Regarding the Equal Opportunity Clause’s Religious Exemption“,  Trump is not just throwing meat to his base of fundamentalist evangelical Christians by targeting women and the LGBTQ community. He’s not just undermining another one of Obama’s accomplishments. By allowing the prejudices of a small group to expand their discriminatory goals further into the public sphere, fueled by our own tax dollars, he’s weakening the protections of our constitution and the bonds that hold us together as a people.

Right-wing fundamentalists and white supremacists are mobilizing their base to support this rule. There are also a lot of comments from misinformed religious people, who are worried that opposing this rule change would suddenly force churches and church soup kitchens to hire atheists. This makes it crucial that you speak out.

Please, in your own voice, comment on this proposed change. We’ve added a bunch of information below for you to use to understand what the rule would do, and it’s essential un-American nature. We’ve even added some fast American history at the bottom so you can see where we’ve been in our struggle to make “all men are created equal” true. The deadline is September 16, 2019 at 11:59 EST.

  • The proposed regulation is here.
  • Other people’s comments are here. Read for inspiration. Don’t copy. Identical comments and signatures on petitions will only count as (1) total comment.

Comment here.

What does this proposed rule do? Well, it could fire you. 

Continue reading “Tues 9/3: Say “NO” to funding religious discrimination against LGBTQ & women with your tax dollars. Write a comment! Deadline Sept. 16th!” →

Wed 8/28: Two actions for health and plastic pollution and today’s update on our favorite CA bills!

ICYMI:

  • CA legislation actions on plastic pollution and chemicals behind the words “fragrance” and “flavoring” in your hygiene products and cosmetics earlier this week, go here.
  • Call the governor at (916) 445-2841 to sign the bill that bans trapping for fur in CA. IT’S ON HIS DESK! Also ask your federal legislators to use a CRA (Congressional Review Act) against the Endangered Species Act. Go here.
  • We asked Newsom to pull out some problematic amendments his office made to AB 1505  in favor of for-profit charter schools.

Also, check out bill updates from 8/16/19 at the bottom.)

Action #1 –  Today is SB 29 – Call-in Day!

SB 29 is a top priority for immigrant rights and health care advocates and would provide full-scope Medi-Cal to low-income undocumented adults by removing immigration status as an eligibility exclusion. No one in our state should have to wait until an emergency to be able to access health care.

Minimum script:  Hi, I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Assemblymember [___] to to support SB 29 to expand Medi-Cal access to undocumented immigrant elders. California is stronger when everyone has access to healthcare and we are all healthier when everyone is covered.

Contact: 
[Click to tweet]
Patch-thru number: 760-891-CALI, press 2 to be connected
State Assemblymember Monique Limón (CA-37): SAC (916) 319-2037, SB (805) 564-1649, VTA (805) 641-3700 email
Not your people?: findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Action #2 –  There is no plan “B” for plastic waste.

Continue reading “Wed 8/28: Two actions for health and plastic pollution and today’s update on our favorite CA bills!” →

Mon 8/26: Deadline Tonight, by 11:59 EST…The Trump administration is handing over our national forests to industry & “right-sizing” our ability to comment!

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The wolves need a place to live! Please write!

Everybody! There are just over 36,000 comments here. Los Padres Forest Watch has made an awesome “Unique-Comment” generator which makes it easy to contribute!

(Guest column from Rebecca August of Los Padres ForestWatch with a new comment generator!) Good morning! The Trump administration is launching a bold move to undercut environmental regulations in national forests as a gift to timber companies and other special interests.

The proposed regulatory changes will effectively gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as it relates to national forests by not requiring thorough environmental analysis or consideration of public input prior to approving commercial logging, mining, oil drilling, and other projects in places like the Los Padres National Forest.

“By going to such great lengths to obstruct public input, the administration shows its hand, and how much power there is in our collective voice.” Rebecca August, Public Lands Advocate, Los Padres ForestWatch.

The administration’s proposed rule was recently published in the Federal Register and at regulations.gov. Deadline is now August 26th, 11:59 pm EST.

Comment with LPFW great new “original comment” generator here!

Continue reading “Mon 8/26: Deadline Tonight, by 11:59 EST…The Trump administration is handing over our national forests to industry & “right-sizing” our ability to comment!” →

Sunday – 8/25 is HUGE with TWO great activities! Swap Meet Justice is “ON” and so is “Write for Your Rights 2019!”

If you’ve never watch Ronald Reagan’s astonishing last speech as president, reminding his listeners that immigration is “the great life force of each generation of new Americans…” watch it here. (Quick timeline of the history of immigration here.)

Action #1: Volunteer and spread the word about our free monthly immigration fair at Oxnard College this Sunday, 8-3!

Continuous volunteer trainings for Swap Meet Justice

WHAT?: Come to Swap Meet Justice at 8:30 am this Sunday morning and get trained to help there and at all future fairs! We love to have bilingual people but English-only volunteers are also most welcome. Volunteers do not need to be citizens, nor adults. Interested teens make great volunteers!

When: Aug. 25th – Sunday – 8:30 am  (and every last Sunday of the month, including 9/29, 10/27,  11/24,  and12/29)

Where: Swap Meet Justice is held at Oxnard College’s Community Marketplace, right next to the Student Bookstore.

More information, including Campus Map, documents to bring, eligibility rules and downloadable posters about the Swap Meet Justice fairs here.

Action #2 – Reach out to your legislators at Write for your Rights! Do something powerful that’s easy and fun!

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Continue reading “Sunday – 8/25 is HUGE with TWO great activities! Swap Meet Justice is “ON” and so is “Write for Your Rights 2019!”” →

Fri 8/23: This is your 3-day warning…The Trump administration is handing over our national forests to industry & “right-sizing” our ability to comment. Deadline 8/26.

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Everybody! There are just over 35,000 comments here. Blast them with comments! It’s as easy or hard as you want to make it.

(Guest column from Rebecca August of Los Padres ForestWatch with a new comment generator!) Good morning! The Trump administration is launching a bold move to undercut environmental regulations in national forests as a gift to timber companies and other special interests.

The proposed regulatory changes will effectively gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as it relates to national forests by not requiring thorough environmental analysis or consideration of public input prior to approving commercial logging, mining, oil drilling, and other projects in places like the Los Padres National Forest.

“By going to such great lengths to obstruct public input, the administration shows its hand, and how much power there is in our collective voice.” Rebecca August, Public Lands Advocate, Los Padres ForestWatch.

The administration’s proposed rule was recently published in the Federal Register and at regulations.gov. Deadline is now August 26th, 11:59 pm EST.

Comment with LPFW great new “original comment” generator here!

Or, go old school and comment here.
(Lots of source material below under “Deeper dive for “right-size” comments!“) Continue reading “Fri 8/23: This is your 3-day warning…The Trump administration is handing over our national forests to industry & “right-sizing” our ability to comment. Deadline 8/26.” →

Fri 8/23: More “Domestic Terrorism” laws won’t help! We need to start tracking the haters better. – 2 actions

Apologies that this is a long post. But this issue targets our resistance movement as well as minorities. We need to understand it.

Action #1 – Acknowledge that our first instinct is wrong. “NO” on all the “Domestic Terrorism” bills.

The FBI doesn’t need any new “anti-terrorism” laws. They already has all the tools they need with the Patriot act. “There are already 52 federal crimes of terrorism (listed at bottom of this post) that apply to entirely domestic acts, five federal hate crimes statutes that address the bias crimes often committed by white supremacists commit … and dozens of other statutes that can and have been used to prosecute domestic terrorists. The Justice Department’s failure to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of white supremacists results from a policy choice, not a lack of authority.” – Michael German, former FBI special agent.

Wait a minute…who are they looking at instead of white supremacists? Us!

Continue reading “Fri 8/23: More “Domestic Terrorism” laws won’t help! We need to start tracking the haters better. – 2 actions” →

Wed 8/21: Call Your Assemblymember – Tell Them to #FreeTheVote

Action: Call your assemblymember and ask them to pass ACA 6

“I was a part of the community, and yet I was separate. I wasn’t a community member.” – Dexter Stanton who lost voting rights after a 2009 drunk driving felony conviction, according to the SCTimes.

The CA Assembly will be voting on ACA 6 very soon. Nearly 50,000 Californians on parole pay taxes at the local, state, and federal levels, but are not able to vote at any level of government, simply because they are on parole. Disenfranchising people on parole is a form of voter suppression that disproportionately and systematically locks Black and Brown people out of the voting booth.

Minimal script: Hello, I’m calling from [zip code]. I’m calling to ask the Assemblymember [___] to vote “YES” on ACA 6 to restore voting rights to people on parole. Continue reading “Wed 8/21: Call Your Assemblymember – Tell Them to #FreeTheVote” →

Tues 8/20: Every day we “vote” with our dollars. Make sure you know what you’re voting for.

“The Illusions of Choice” (full-size version) (Check out “Background – Deep dive into a viral meme and the politics behind the restaurant industry (and where you want your fast food dollars to go“) at the bottom)

Action #1:  Join “Sleeping Giants” to stop a white supremacy-denier from spreading his toxic message.

After the El Paso shootings by a domestic terrorist intent on killing Latinos, Fox’s Tucker Carlson publicly called white supremacy, the cause of most mass shootings in 2018,  both “a hoax” and “conspiracy theory used to divide the country”. He lost almost almost 60% of his ads and was sent away on Fox’s standard “time-out vacation”. This isn’t the first time –  Carlson lost over 70 paid advertisers in December 2018 after his comment that “immigrants make our own country poorer and dirtier“. This time “at least five advertisers — HelloFresh, Nestle, SteinMart, Calm and SoFi — have removed their ads from Tucker Carlson’s show, and many more have quietly distanced themselves. One major Fox News advertiser, Long John Silver’s, was so frustrated that it removed its ads from the network entirely.” However, one big one remains…USAA [United Services Automobile Association] remains.

Ask them to step away. Send an email to their Executive Director of Media & Social  – Laura Powers. Sleeping Giants provides a letter template and all the information you need here. While you’re on their page, sign up to follow Sleeping Giants!

Action #2:  – Tell companies it’s no longer “business as usual.”

Since before the 2016 election, #GrabYourWallet has been listing companies that had financial relationships with the Trumps.  Since then over 70 companies have been dropped from the list due to people like us reaching out to them. However, recent news of the Trump administration’s continued use of family separation despite a U.S. court order to stop—an action resulting in 900 additional children being separated from their parents – has caused #GrabYourWallet to add donations, fundraising events, and endorsements of high profile Trump supporters.”

Buying the products or services of a company on the #GrabYourWallet list, may put your money in the pocket of someone who will use it to try to reelect, support, and/or celebrate Trump. Check out the list here and start reaching out.
There are names, phone numbers, email and twitter addresses.

Use their minimal script or make your own: “Hi. I’m a customer of [CompanyName]. Unfortunately I can no longer do business with your company because it and/or its leaders have aided in the political efforts/endeavors of the Trump administration. If your company were to publicly commit to not doing so in the 2020 election cycle, I would enthusiastically return as a customer. Please communicate my feedback to management.”

Action #3:  – Your voice as a consumer has power and yes, there’s an app for that…

Continue reading “Tues 8/20: Every day we “vote” with our dollars. Make sure you know what you’re voting for.” →

Monday 8/19: Public improvements

Action: ±425,000 people have already signed this petition.

You can sign on too here.

“The City of Los Angeles recently honored former President Barack Obama by renaming a stretch of the 134 Freeway near Downtown L.A. in his honor.

We request the New York City Mayor and City Council do the same by renaming a block of Fifth Avenue after the former president whose many accomplishments include: saving our nation from the Great Recession; serving two completely scandal-free terms in office; and taking out Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind September 11th, which killed over 3,000 New Yorkers.”

Update on earlier petition for street renaming to honor Jamal Khashoggi.

 

A DC neighborhood group voted to rename the street in front of the Saudi embassy for Jamal Khashoggi. (CNN) Community activists and local government leaders have asked for an exception to a D.C. Code that mandates that no public space be named after anyone who is still alive or who has been dead less than two years. Khashoggi was murdered this October of 2018. The DC Council Chairman has so far refused to grant the exception.

These petition campaigns can be effective.

Washington renamed the street in front of the Russian embassy in 2018 after Boris Nemtsov, a slain critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nemtsov was killed near the Kremlin three years ago by an unknown assailant. Moscow has denied any involvement in his murder.