Tag: #FakeNationalEmergency

Wed 5/20: National Day of Mourning for our “Warriors.”

(In honor of this National Day of Mourning, we’ve reconfigured our original post on “Would you rather use $500 million dollars to paint Trump’s wall or have FEMA help with the burial of his “warriors?” ) 

UPDATE 5/22/2020: Thanks to all who called! Trump is finally going to order flags at half-staff, possibly just for the Memorial Day weekend, after a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) was made public. In April, Joe Biden (D) made the same request, stating “We’ve lost more people to this virus in the last several months than we lost in the entire Vietnam War.”

STILL NO AUTHORIZATION FOR FEMA TO HELP FUND BURIALS…

“The people of our country are warriors.” (Trump)

Or we’re cannon fodder.

How can we tell which? By the respect given to our dead, which, by today’s count, is closing on 94,000.

“The frame of war allows the president to call for the collective sacrifice of laborers without taking the measures necessary to ensure their safety, while the upper classes remain secure at home…The president’s language of wartime unity is a veil draped over a federal response that offers little more than contempt for those whose lives are at risk.”  

And nowhere is that contempt more obvious than for the victims of this pandemic – Trump hasn’t bothered to lower the White House flag, a gesture to honor the dead which would cost him nothing, nor has he let FEMA help families with burial costs.

Continue reading “Wed 5/20: National Day of Mourning for our “Warriors.”” →

Tues 5/12: “Would you rather?” game – Wall v. “Warrior” edition.

Money follow values: The GOP are signalling that they’ve skimmed all they can with their $2.3 trillion 2017 tax scam and that sneaky $170 billion tax break for the rich in the CARES Act and they are now SERIOUS about deficit spending. (If you haven’t called your legislators on the tax-break travesty yet, go here.) While corporations and CEO’s are pocketing millions of our dollars, the GOP and White House officials are figuring out how to make us regular folks pay for their grift. Ideas for the next relief package include triggers for automatic spending reductions in safety net programs, as well as a proposal for desperate Americans to cannibalize their own Social Security benefits. No free lunch for those who’ve never had a free lunch. (Note: No government proposals yet for the wealthy to use their own savings to pay employees…)

The dollar numbers being thrown around are so large, it’s easy to lose track of what’s at stake. For this round of “Would you rather?,” we’re issuing you $500 million dollars to spend. This represents the low bid to paint Trump’s wall black, or a rough estimate for FEMA burial funds for 100,000 applicants. Further explanation of your choices are below in “Deeper Dive.” If you’re the people we think you are, this script will work for your legislators.

Minimal script: I’m calling from [zip code] and want Rep./Sen. [___] to know that I don’t want any of my tax dollars wasted on painting Trump’s border wall. I would also like to know why FEMA hasn’t been cleared to help families of COVID-19 victims with funeral costs. Or their Disaster Legal Services program.  Like we were actually a civilized country suffering from a disaster. Continue reading “Tues 5/12: “Would you rather?” game – Wall v. “Warrior” edition.” →

Mon – 3/25: A medieval wall has medieval enemies. Explain how catapults and cannons work to your GOP legislators. Veto-override vote tomorrow (Tues).

“They’re launching drugs not five feet from the wall, or 10 feet from the wall, where a transparent wall would help. They’re launching it 100 feet over the wall, 150 feet over the wall. No amount of transparency is going to help you in that context.” – Brandon Behlendorf , SUNY-Albany homeland security expert

UPDATE (3/16/19): Both the House and Senate overwhelmingly passed H.J. Res 46 , and Trump vetoed it. The House is scheduled to hold a veto override vote on Tuesday, March 26, which will require a 2/3rds majority to pass.

Action – We are watching you. We not interested in wasting money on this boondoggle.

Mitch has already starting musing on cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security at the same time the GOP wants to waste billions of dollars on a project that can be defeated with some pieces of timber and a heavy rock. Or a cannon. Or a shovel. For those who remember we’re in the 21st century, the first drug-smuggling drone was found in 2015.

Minimal Script. I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Rep./Sen. [___] to support an override of Trump’s veto of H.J. Resolution 46, the resolution to terminate Trump’s national emergency declaration. militarizing the border.

More script if you want it: I want the Congress[man/woman]/ Senator to know that in budget upcoming negotiations, we want four essential things: NO WALL FUNDING, NO taking border funding from any domestic or social safety net programs, NO cuts or blocks to legal immigration, refugee or asylum programs, and NO wasting our troop’s time, morale and readiness for real emergencies by marooning them at the border.

Continue reading “Mon – 3/25: A medieval wall has medieval enemies. Explain how catapults and cannons work to your GOP legislators. Veto-override vote tomorrow (Tues).” →

Thurs 3/14: Thank the 12 angry GOP-sters who did the right thing…

Action – Send a postcard/email or call to thank the senators who stood up against Trump’s executive power grab.

Positive encouragement for baby steps, right? These senators will face very real consequences for crossing the president over his hoax of a border wall (H.J.Res.46/S.J.Res.10) – at the very least a meeting with him in full unhinged rage, as well as confrontations with their own angry constituents, terrorized by Trump’s xenophobic speeches. So flood ’em with love… maybe more will join them if Trump’s vetoes this! 

Call/email your own people and write to ones outside your state!

“Dangerous precedence” camp:

Continue reading “Thurs 3/14: Thank the 12 angry GOP-sters who did the right thing…” →

Tues – 3/5: “The Wall – The Senate!” Season 2 – Call your legislators!

Action #1 – Got GOP senators? Tell them to stop being such big babies.

H.J. Res 46 –  the resolution to end Trump’s #FakeNationalEmergency, passed the House last week and it’s heading for a vote in the Senate. Mitch McConnell is now dealing with an explosion of defecting GOP senators, possibly 15, which puts it in striking range of a veto-proof majority and a huge and embarrassing defeat for the president. Many GOP senators are now swarming about, trying to subvert the intent of the House Resolution so that the president won’t give them a sad nickname.

“I think people want to find a way to give the president all the money he asked for but yet discourage the use of emergency declarations,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

No, Senator, that’s not at all what people want. That’s what you nervous weasels want.

  • We want him to stop stealing American taxpayer dollars to prop up his reelection campaign by keeping ridiculous promises to people who believed Mexico would pay for a wall.
  • We want him to stop stealing American taxpayer dollars from HUD, DHS and the Army Corps of Engineers to pay for this medieval wall, which was revealed by the El Chapo trial to be completely useless.

Minimal script to a GOP senator: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Sen. [___] to know how disappointed I am in [his/her/their] willingness to let a president seize yet another power from Congress and to allow my tax dollars to be wasted on this wall.

Continue reading “Tues – 3/5: “The Wall – The Senate!” Season 2 – Call your legislators!” →

Mon – 2/25: They’re voting on H.J.Res. 46 – #FakeNationalEmergency tomorrow!

We marched and rallied all across the country on President’s Day and most of our congressmembers heard us!  (KEYT)(VC Star)(VCStar)(VC Star images)

Action #1 – Thank our legislators for stepping up!

Our Reps. Brownley and Carbajal are two of the 225 legislators cosponsoring Rep. Joaquin Castro’s (D-TX) H.J.Res.46 – “Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019”. Thank them for doing the right thing!

(Note: If your legislator isn’t on the list, call them and tell them to sign.)

Contact
Rep. Julia Brownley: email
or Rep. Salud Carbajal: email.
Not your representatives?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com

Action #2 – Call your friends and family in Red states & ask them to call their legislator’s offices.

Continue reading “Mon – 2/25: They’re voting on H.J.Res. 46 – #FakeNationalEmergency tomorrow!” →

Thu – 2/21: Keeping on the pressure.

Thanks to the over 200 protesters who showed up Monday, Presidents’ Day!  (KEYT)(VC Star)(VCStar)(VC Star images) You were amazing! And we were not alone!

Action #1 – Call your friends and family in Red states & ask them to call their legislator’s offices.

Why should we have all the fun? Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) introduced a joint resolution of termination to end Trump’s national emergency declaration and already has 92 cosponsors. So these are the rules: If this passes in the House, the Senate has to vote on it within 18 days. If the resolution passes both chambers and the president vetoes it, then a two-thirds majority is necessary to override it. So how do we get from here to there?

  • In the House, Democrats have a 235-197 majority . For a veto-proof  2/3rds vote with all members present, we would need 53 Republicans to join in.
  • In the Senate, Democrats/Independents are down by 47 to 53. We would need 4 Republican votes to pass and 22 Senators who’ve relocated their civic duty to be veto-proof.

Who are the most persuadable?
For senators, those listed below are the best bets, but try them all. Really, all they want is to get re-elected, so have your family and friends prove to them that they are active voters.

“Oppose” -At least eight GOP senators  have said they oppose the national emergency declaration – which doesn’t guarantee a vote but it’s a start. They are: Sens. Lamar Alexander (TN), Collins (MN), Murkowski (AK), Paul (KY), Rubio (FL), Sasse (NE), Thom Tillis (NC)  and Toomey (PA)

Continue reading “Thu – 2/21: Keeping on the pressure.” →

Tues 2/19: More actions against the wall!

Thanks to the over 200 protesters who showed up yesterday!  (KEYT)(VC Star)(VCStar)(VC Star images) You are amazing!

Action #1 & 2 – Tell your legislator we support their use of “every remedy available” to stop this wall boondoggle.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, confirmed in a tweet Friday that she and Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, plan to introduce a joint resolution to terminate the emergency declaration, something House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said Thursday that he fully supports.

Minimal Script #1 for all legislators: I’m calling from [zip code] and I support Rep./Sen. [__] efforts to use every remedy available, including voting for a resolution of disapproval for the president’s false declaration of an emergency and to engage in a lawsuit if necessary to stop this process.

Minimum script #2 for senators only:  I’m calling from [zip code] and I want /Sen. [__] to know that I support the RAIDER Act of 2019

Continue reading “Tues 2/19: More actions against the wall!” →

Mon – 2/18 – This is no ordinary Presidents’ Day! Come out and roar!

“…that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”. (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address)

Action #1 – Join us on Presidents Day— Today – Monday (2/18) from noon to 1:30pm

We’ll be at the corner of Victoria and Telephone in Ventura in front of the Government Center (800 S Victoria Ave, Ventura) (Share this Facebook link: here)

Bring your flags, signs, dress in red, white, and blue – and show what real patriots look like!

If you aren’t within driving distance of Ventura, look here for your nearest event. There are over 260 protests happening at 12 noon all across America!

  • Remind our legislators that we expect them to protect us from a nonsense campaign slogan run amok.
  • Remind our legislators that we expect them to protect the people, animals and environment from the harm this wall would cause.
  • Remind our legislators that we expect them to protect our tax money from being wasted on a vanity project.
  • Remind our politicians that when this debacle is recorded in the history books, they’re getting one chance to be described as the heroes who saved our system of checks and balances.  Continue reading “Mon – 2/18 – This is no ordinary Presidents’ Day! Come out and roar!” →

Stop the #FakeNationalEmergency! Presidents’ Day Protest Ventura

Share, share, share the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2474989142574688/ – we need a HUGE turnout! This is a NATIONAL EVENT!

Join us on Presidents Day—Monday, 2/18 from noon to 1:30pm— on the corner of Victoria and Telephone in Ventura in front of the Government Center (800 S Victoria Ave, Ventura)

Bring your flags, signs, dress in red, white, and blue – and show what real patriots look like!

Donald Trump has declared a #FakeNationalEmergency—an illegal power grab from an unhinged man to push his racist, dangerous policies.

Let’s be clear: Trump is the real national emergency. In crisis moments like this—when a president abuses power so egregiously—how the citizenry responds in the immediate aftermath can shape the course of our country’s history. That’s why MoveOn members and allies are launching hundreds of events all across the country.

Together, we will say NO to Trump’s power grabs, NO to his racist border wall, NO to xenophobia, and NO to HATE.

Trump’s undemocratic power grab Continue reading “Stop the #FakeNationalEmergency! Presidents’ Day Protest Ventura” →