Looming government shutdown, protecting election workers, get out the vote, and more!
FEB 29
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:
- YET ANOTHER LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNThe 2024 budget was supposed to be approved last October, but Congress has been kicking the can since then with continuing resolutions for temporary government funding. The next deadline is tomorrow, with a second to follow next week. Jess Craven tells us how we got here and what could happen next. They really need to get to work if things are to continue running. President Biden met with the top four leaders on Tuesday morning in hopes of moving along the necessary actions to bypass a shutdown, pass the Farm bill and get some funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Gaza relief. Yesterday, both parties announced an agreement for another continuing resolution to kick the can to later in March, but it will have to pass in both the House and the Senate and then they will have to do this again soon. Let’s tell our senators and representatives that we want these things addressed for good and passed now.
- WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINSTWe at Rogan’s List try to concentrate on actions that can support, improve, and enhance the lives of all of us, but sometimes we find we need to look squarely at the options in front of us. We do not often focus on what another Trump presidency will do to us all, but we know we need to keep it in mind with all we do. We would rather spend our time and energy on creating the kind of country we want to see. Yet, it would do us well to be aware of Project 2025 and the realities of what is happening and what could happen.
- PROTECTING ELECTION WORKERS
Tens of thousands of longtime election workers have left the field in recent years and we are set to lose more than 10% of them before Election Day, as they have been increasingly attacked and subjected to harassment and threats in the wake of Trump’s false accusations. These tactics have ranged from sending fentanyl-laced envelopes to election officials to sending an election official graphic photos of mutilated bodies along with a picture of the worker’s child. More than half the counties in New Mexico and Utah have lost their top election officials, a director or assistant director has left their job in 60% of counties in Pennsylvania, and 12 of 15 top election officials in Arizona counties have stepped down – including one who did so after their dogs were poisoned. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Dick Durbin have proposed the Election Worker Protection Act (S. 1318) to ensure states have the resources to recruit and train election workers, ensure their safety, and institute federal safeguards to shield them from intimidation. But November is coming quickly and we’re running out of time to ensure this bill can have an impact on this cycle. Let’s reach out to our members of Congress, directly or using this tool from Public Citizen, and encourage them to take action against this sort of election interference and keep the folks who make our elections run safe.
- JUSTICE FOR NEXVigils have been held all over the country for Nex Benedict, the non-binary 16-year-old who died following a school bathroom beating. LGBT+ activists said an “infrastructure of anti-trans hate” had contributed to their death. It is clear that this student did not have the protection of their school or their state senator or their state superintendent of education. The Human Rights Campaign is asking the Department of Justice for an investigation into the matter. Let’s join in that request to DoJ by signing this MoveOn petition asking for the same.
- GET OUT THE VOTEVote Forward is launching their initial 2024 writing campaigns in the first week of March! The first states being targeted are Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Georgia, and North Carolina. Writing letters to voters has been shown to improve voter turnout. Here is a list of upcoming Vote Forward letter writing events, both in person and virtual. Let’s sign up!
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