Trump says his monstrous ballroom is being “gifted” to us. But like a puppy, this “gift” will incur major expenses for us in the future. Maintenance and staffing costs will be passed on to us taxpayers, while he’ll use it for free to to entertain his ultra-wealthy friends in dictator-chic comfort.
But what our venal president and his supporters have overlooked is that it’s actually illegal for it to be funded by private donors. Constitutional attorney Bruce Fein stated that “private money to build a White House ballroom flagrantly violates the Anti-Deficiency Act, which safeguards the congressional power of the purse by prohibiting the president from using non-appropriated funds donated by private parties for a government purpose indistinguishable from plutocracy. Without enforcement of the Anti-Deficiency Act, the congressional power of the purse is a scarecrow in the ‘golden age’ of billionaires eager to curry favor with the government in exchange for multi-million-dollar regulatory or tax favors.” Yeah, that!
Target caved to Trump and rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Home Depot has done nothing to protect immigrants in their stores as ICE continues to conduct violent raids on their property.
Amazon has funded the Trump administration through donations and discounted government contracts(including for ICE), all in exchange for massive corporate tax breaks.
Thanksgiving weekend is a peak shopping time. Last year, more than 196 million Americans shopped over the holiday weekend. So it’s an opportune time to send a message to Target, Home Depot, and Amazon: if you collaborate with Trump, we won’t shop with you. They’ll be forced to take notice when they don’t get the record numbers of shoppers they’re anticipating.
Probably every sentient being in CA received this glossy screed of misinformation, misdirection and outright nonsense from the “No on 50” campaign. It uses different arguments than what the “YES on 50” campaign is focused on, as they are reaching out to the MAGA and undecided demographic. But the damage of an unconstrained Trump for another two years will harm all of us, so we need to be able to competently push back against what they’re shoveling. There are 5 points to cover. Buckle up!
(Sierra Club) “Make Polluters Pay for Climate Disasters!
From deadly heat waves to raging fires to devastating floods, fossil fuel pollution is fueling extreme weather that endangers lives, destabilizes ecosystems and communities, and costs billions of dollars per year. Families nationwide are left with higher insurance costs, rising food prices, and mounting health bills, all while Big Oil rakes in record profits and pays nothing for the damage they’ve caused.
It doesn’t have to be this way: The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act in Congress, introduced by Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Judy Chu (D-CA) would require oil and gas companies to contribute just a fraction of their profits to a federal Climate Superfund. That funding would go directly to rebuilding communities, protecting frontline neighborhoods, and preparing for future disasters.”
Action Call: It’s time to put people over polluter profits. Tell Congress to act now!
Update on the status of Federal and CA State bills that affect the lives of the LGBTQ community.
FEDERAL
PRO-LGBTQ legislation
Equality Act (S.1503/H.R.15):This landmark bill seeks to amend existing civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It would cover areas like employment, housing, education, and public accommodations. “The nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) found that nationally, support for a bill like the Equality Act topped 75 percent, which includes a majority of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. The bill has been endorsed by more than 600 organizations, including civil rights, education, health care, and faith-based organizations, as well as hundreds of major corporations and business associations.”
Transgender Health Care Access Act (H.R.2487):This bill aims to ensure access to gender-affirming care for transgender individuals. It defines gender-affirming care broadly, encompassing various medical, behavioral, and supportive services related to the treatment of gender dysphoria. This includes improving medical education for gender-affirming care providers, expanding gender-affirming care at community health centers.
Do No Harm in Medicaid Act (H.R.498):This bill proposes to prohibit federal Medicaid funding for gender transition procedures, including hormone therapy, for individuals under the age of 18, with specific exceptions for what they consider genetic disorders. The GOP tried to sneak this legislation into the similarly duplicitously named “Big, Beautiful Bill” but it was stripped out by the Senate parliamentarian. So it’s still lurking out there.
Action #1: Thank your federal legislators for supporting the LGBTQ community
Thursday – 06/26/2025 – VENTURA – Ventura Council – Community Autonomy, Rights, and Equality (CARE) Policy (Arrive as close to 4:00 pm as possible to get a seat. Pre-party in front of City Hall at 3:00 pm)