Trump’s proposed budget completely defunds the West Coast’s earthquake warning system

After years of work, an earthquake early warning system for the west coast was scheduled to begin operating next year. The system would deliver an early warning of an earthquake or tsunami to every cell phone. Trump’s budget would defund it. Public safety is a nonpartisan issue, and stopping progress on the warning system would put millions of lives at risk.

Script: I’m calling to ask (___) to fight to maintain funding for the west coast earthquake warning system that has been in development for many years. Public safety is a nonpartisan issue.

Call all three Members of Congress

Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

OR Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

AND Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

More info: Continue reading “Trump’s proposed budget completely defunds the West Coast’s earthquake warning system” →

“Recklessly Indifferent”…

“The Washington Post has calculated the number of deaths as a result of the repeal of Obamacare at 43,000 per year—the near equivalent of total American lives lost in the Vietnam War, every single year. These figures are all of public record—they aren’t a mystery to Republicans.”

There are several other sources and calculations ranging from 28,000 to 100,000 a year, here and here. We picked one fairly conservative estimate that puts the additional death toll at 217,000 by the end of 2026. We then added that number to a wikipedia graph of American military casualities to see how the War-On-The-Rest-Of-Us stacks up. Over 10 years, the GOP’s plan makes a respectable showing by disposing of more of us than World War I. Continue reading ““Recklessly Indifferent”…” →

Oppose Cuts to Core Public Health Programs – We’re Not in the Mood for an Epidemic!

The ACA provides nearly $1 billion annually to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which combats bioterrorism threats, responds to epidemics like Zika, and provides routine preventive services like immunizations. The Senate Trumpcare bill eliminates this funding, which will increase vaccine-preventable disease, food-borne infections, and hospital-contracted infections.

Script: I’m calling Senator (Feinstein and Harris) to vote NO on cutting funding to Core Public Health Programs, like any sensible person. I can’t believe that the GOP, in their rush to give a huge tax break to the wealthiest among us, would be willing to put us all, including the rich, in danger of preventable diseases and infections.

Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

More Info: Continue reading “Oppose Cuts to Core Public Health Programs – We’re Not in the Mood for an Epidemic!” →

Every student counts…so count them, please!

Email Deadline: Friday, June 30th

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Indivisible Ventura is joining with Indivisible Conejo’s action and those of other groups to ensure that all children, even those with special needs, count in California’s classrooms and that underperforming schools are quickly identified and assisted in improvement.

President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos have been busy dismantling Obama’s bipartisan “Every Student Succceeds Act” (ESSA) and our own state Board of Education has stated that they will only meet “minimum federal requirements”.

Great! What could go wrong? Continue reading “Every student counts…so count them, please!” →

The GOP has been trying to shut down Planned Parenthood for years, and they’re getting alarmingly close.

Buried amid Medicaid cuts and regulatory changes in the Senate Trumpcare bill is a provision stopping Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood for one year. The organization’s clinics could lose between 30 and 40 percent of their funding. This would devastate Planned Parenthood which provides health-care services to 2.4 million people each year.

Script: I’m calling to ask Senator (Feinstein and Harris) to vote NO on any attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. I expect my Senator to vote against any attacks on Planned Parenthood and the vital health services they provide. My zip code is [#####]. Thank you for your time.

Call Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

More Info: Continue reading “The GOP has been trying to shut down Planned Parenthood for years, and they’re getting alarmingly close.” →

Last Week! – Release the Kraken!

Mitch McConnell is rightly worried that vulnerable senators might be swayed by discussions of real-life healthcare issues with their constituents. He wants this national trauma wrapped up in a bow before the summer recess, so they can present it to us as a done deal. Continue reading “Last Week! – Release the Kraken!” →

The House is expected to bring the anti-immigrant Kate’s Law to a vote this week!

“No” on Anti-Immigrant Kate’s Law (HR 361, S 45, HR 3004)

These bills revive a bill introduced by Ted Cruz in 2015 which would establish mandatory minimum sentences for immigrants who try to re-enter the United States after being deported. It removes protections for people who reenter the U.S. for humanitarian reasons or who seek protection at the border and limits the ability of immigrants to challenge their removal on legal grounds. Prosecutions for illegal reentry are extremely costly, will fill up our jails with refugees from violence, and have not been shown to deter unauthorized immigration. After extensive research, even the conservative Cato Institute opposes this legislation.

Script: I’m calling to ask Rep.(Brown or Carbajal) to vote NO on HR 361 & 3004, Kate’s Law. This law prevents those trying to reenter for humanitarian reasons or for protection from violence. Filling up our jails with these people will be expensive, counter-productive and cruel.

Script: I’m calling to ask Senator (Feinstein and Harris) to vote NO on S 45, Kate’s Law. This law prevents those trying to reenter for humanitarian reasons or for protection from violence. Filling up our jails with these people will be expensive, counter-productive and cruel.

Call all three Members of Congress

Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

OR Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

AND Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

More Info: Continue reading “The House is expected to bring the anti-immigrant Kate’s Law to a vote this week!” →

This Week In Resistance – “The Empire Strikes Back” Edition

As you know, the Senate 13 have crept into the daylight with a “healthcare” bill which will destroy the middle and lower classes, as well as the elderly, special needs children and people with HIV or disabilities.

Here’s what our Secretary of Health and Human Services DOESN’T have to say about it… Continue reading “This Week In Resistance – “The Empire Strikes Back” Edition” →

Medicaid is not “somebody else’s” insurance.

Who does Medicaid serve?

Surprisingly, the answer is most likely you.

“Roughly one in three people now turning 65 will require nursing home care at some point during his or her life. Over three-quarters of long-stay nursing home residents will eventually be covered by Medicaid. Many American voters think Medicaid is only for low-income adults and their children — for people who aren’t “like them.” But Medicaid is not “somebody else’s” insurance. It is insurance for all of our mothers and fathers and, eventually, for ourselves.”
Embed from Getty Images Continue reading “Medicaid is not “somebody else’s” insurance.” →

“The Definition of Insanity…”

The definition of insanity, commonly (and possibly mistakenly) attributed to Albert Einstein, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Indeed, the GOP should be considered a bit touched, if not criminally negligent, for proposing to replicate the failed taxation scheme of Kansas on a national scale. The five year experiment in “trickle-down” economics was such a bust that even Kansas Republicans gave it up as a bad job and voted for more taxes.

Similarly, a health insurance plan very like the GOP’s darkest fantasies already exists as a small-scale real-life experiment in Iowa. Continue reading ““The Definition of Insanity…”” →