November 13, 2023
Protecting democracy, accountability for the corrupt, clean energy for the future, and more!
*** SUBMITTING YOUR ACTIONS TO ROGAN’S LIST ***
We’ve set up a “tip line” so Rogan’s List subscribers can send in their ideas or submissions for action items at roganslisttips@gmail.com. Please don’t hesitate to email and pass on your suggestions, we look forward to hearing from you!
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:
- THE DANGER IS REAL
In a speech on Veterans Day, Donald Trump pledged to root out the “communists, Marxists, fascists and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country” – dehumanizing language that scholars immediately pointed out echoed Hitler and Mussolini and can presage violence. This comes amidst a series of terrifying reports about his plans for his second term – mass deportation and detainment camps for immigrants, a new Muslim ban, investigating critics and using the military to quell protests and crime in cities, targeting the trans community, criminalizing homelessness, invading Mexico, purging the civil service, and more horrors outlined by Heritage Foundation schemers in the Project 2025 blueprint. The stakes we face in this election are unimaginable. It’s easy to vote in a dictator and near impossible to vote one out. As Joyce Vance writes, “if Trump wins in 2024, we lose the Republic.” We’ll be talking more over the next year about what’s to be done, but for now: let’s take this moment to renew our commitment to protecting democracy and our friends and neighbors against the threat posed by Trump by signing up to regularly help register and contact voters with Field Team Six and Black Voters Matter. And let’s do our best to share this information through our networks to make sure everyone knows what’s at risk next fall. - HARLAN CROW, LEONARD LEO SUBPOENA VOTE PULLED
The Senate Judiciary Committee had votes on subpoenas for conservative judicial activist Leonard Leo and right-wing billionaire Harlan Crow slated for Thursday as part of the inquiries into Justice Clarence Thomas’ corruption, but they were pulled in the face of Republican machinations. The GOP filed dozens of amendments the night before which would have extended the amount of time needed for the votes. Chair Richard Durbin (D-IL) has not ruled out the possibility of rescheduling, Let’s contact our senators and tell them to push for this vote to take place as soon as possible and for them to push through Republican intransigence, for them to subpoena Justice Thomas as well, and for them to fight to uncover the truth and hold the guilty accountable… whatever it takes.
- COUNTING DOWN TO A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN… AGAIN
The continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded expires at 12:01am on Saturday – just five days away. Over the weekend, our new Christian Nationalist Speaker Mike Johnson rolled out his new proposal to avoided a shutdown – a two-tiered continuing resolution that extends funding of agriculture, energy, water development, military construction, Veterans Affairs, transportation and housing programs to January 19th and all other government agencies to February 2nd. While Johnson’s plan continues funding without slashing budget or attaching major conservative priorities, its convoluted mechanisms will make an already challenging process even more complex. Let’s demand an end to the gamesmanship and gambits and push our representatives to only support a single, clean continuing resolution, without cuts, additional policy riders OR multiple deadlines.
- PASS THE ETHICS ACT
Insider trading of stocks for most people is illegal; however, members of Congress, who have oversight and often control legislation can have significant effects on industry, are immune from this rule. The New York Times reported that 97 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have traded in companies in which they have influence. The ETHICS Act (S. 1171/HR 2678) would prevent members of Congress from trading in individual stocks, assuring that they put their constituents’ interest above their own financial interest. This is a small thing that Congress can do to restore faith in our government. Let’s tell our MoCs we would like to see this bill advance through the legislative process and be passed.
- FREE COURSE: ELECTRIC ENERGY FOR OUR HEALTH AND THE PLANETWe’re now well into the second year of the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden’s landmark climate action law that’s helping to shift Americans to cleaner energy, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and create green jobs and investment. The nonprofit Rewiring America, which is known for its IRA Calculator (let’s take a look!) is offering “Why Electrify,” a free online course designed for “electrification beginners and newbies,” according to their email blast. This brief video gives a sense of what will be covered. The course takes place Tuesday, November 14, 2PM to 3:30PM ET. Let’s sign up and learn about electrifying our homes, for ourselves and for the planet.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
- MA – SUPPORT RENT CONTROL, HEARING TOMORROW
Housing prices continue to be a heavy burden on Massachusetts, where you need to be making more than $40 an hour to afford a two-bedroom rental home – third highest in the country. Advocates pushing for change are seeking to pass legislation (S.1299/H.2103) that would lift our statewide ban on rent control, which is set for a committee hearing tomorrow at 11am. Let’s show our support by attending the hearing and the housing activist press conference beforehand at 10am, or by contacting our legislators in favor of this effort directly or with this tool for Homes for All Massachusetts. - CA – TELL GOV NEWSOM NOT TO BLOCK ROOFTOP SOLAR FOR RENTERS, SCHOOLS AND FARMSCalifornia needs more alternative energy sources, not less, but profit focused utility companies are standing in the way of progress. After working for years to stop homeowners from making solar energy, now these companies are expanding their fight to renters, schools and farmers, with a utility-backed proposal from the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). to block rooftop solar on multifamily homes, schools and farms. The decision, originally scheduled on November 2, has been postponed to later this month, so we can still be heard. We can still make a difference! We can read more about the proposal to block rooftop solar for multi family homes, schools and farms here, then call Governor Newsom at (916) 445-2841 to stop this. We can also use Resistbot to do this by texting SIGN PHRASG to 50409.
AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS
- LAST WEEK’S WINS
The last seven days have been marked by chaos and tragedy beyond description, but also by some real signs of hope as we pick up steam towards the presidential election. Here’s a summary of some of last week’s biggest victories from our friend and ally Jessica Craven at Chop Wood, Carry Water, including the Biden Administration approving the largest offshore wind project yet; the Screen Actors Guild getting a deal; and electoral victories for abortion, democracy, affordable housing and public libraries and against the book banners and bigots.
