January 24, 2023
Debt ceiling, Citizens United, Redistricting, and more…
Contact all members of Congress:
- By phone: (202) 224-3121
- By email: democracy.io
- By US mail: Representatives / Senators
- By fax: Representatives / Senators
- By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
- DEBT CEILINGLast Thursday, the U.S. hit its debt limit. Although the Treasury Secretary can take “extraordinary measures” to buy the country a few months before we officially default on our debt, the economy is still going to be affected in the meantime, likely leading to drops in the stock market, an increase in borrowing costs, and risks to Social Security and Medicare. Republicans are using this economic volatility as leverage to make spending cuts. The two co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group committed to working together on issues, are negotiating a plan that could be the fix to appease both parties by changing it from a fixed dollar amount to a percentage of national economic output. Let’s contact our representatives in the House and demand that they work together to pass a clean bill to address current debt ceiling crisis.
- GERRYMANDERING AND REDISTRICTING“Voters are supposed to choose candidates. But when lawmakers draw district lines to entrench one party’s political power, some votes count more than others.” Michigan voters took this to heart and formed a group called Voters Not Politicians, and garnered more than enough signatures to put a citizen’s redistricting proposal on the ballot in 2016. It passed and the work began. The work that this resulting panel did leveled the playing field in the State of Michigan and it showed in the election results of 2022. The documentary, Slay the Dragon, shows how this happened in Michigan and gives impetus to groups in other states to do the same. Let’s share this information with our local and state groups and get redistricting out of the hands of politicians and into the hands of voters.
- OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED
Saturday marked the 13th anniversary of Citizens United v. FEC, and it seems like money is poisoning our politics more than ever. A group of representatives including Reps. Adam Schiff, Dean Phillips, Pramila Jayapal and Jim McGovern have yet again introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn the decision and bring some basic regulation to campaign finance. This will be a long fight, and we need to make sure we’re electing folks at every level every election who will be with us. Let’s contact our members of Congress and let them know we want them to sign on, and let’s contact our state legislators to ask if we can count on their support if such an amendment gets through Congress.
- PROTECT ANTI-TRANS DISCRIMINATION AT THE STATE LEVEL: Many GOP-led statehouses are trying to pass a variety of anti-transgender laws, from charging fines and barring funds from institutions affirming an individual’s chosen pronouns, to equating gender-affirming health care procedures with child abuse. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/republican-states-aim-to-restrict-transgender-health-care-in-first-bills-of-2023. Let’s make sure we know what legislation is being proposed in our state and speak out against it. And let’s also find out if our state has introduced any pro-transgender initiatives, as recently done in California, Minnesota, and Illinois, and work to get them passed.
- GET LEADERSHIP TRAINING FROM THE OBAMA FOUNDATION The Obama Foundation is looking for tomorrow’s leaders today. Strongly motivated activists, between 24-45 years old, with at least three years of effective experience are invited to apply to the 2023 Obama Foundation Leaders USA ‘s six-month, non-residential leadership development program. The program seeks values driven change makers committed to systems level changes in our communities, and to preserving our diverse democracy. Participants will receive training, leadership coaching, and more. We can find out more about The Obama Foundation Non-Residential Leadership Program and apply, by Feb 3, at this link: https://www.obama.org/usa-23/
