Action Alert

Apr 27

Before the rest of the ALERT, I want to say a few words about the (thankfully, intercepted) attack at the White House Correspondents Dinner. As Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible states, "Anybody even a little acquainted with Indivisible knows we believe political violence is a threat to democracy, full stop. This is a core belief."

On Sunday night, Trump told 60 Minutes, “The reason you have people like that is you have people doing No Kings.” This is obviously false, although toning down the rhetoric on both sides would be helpful.

The fact that the Administration is using the old political saying of "Never let a good crisis go to waste" is no reason to stop pointing out the disregard of our laws/Constitution, misplaced priorities, slighting/insulting traditional allies, and the hardships being endured by everyday Americans.

Now for some...

Good news

Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman, who was shot NINE TIMES on the same night Melissa & John Hortman were killed by a supporter of the current president last June, is back at work in the Minnesota legislature after a nine-month recuperation. “Let's rise above the noise," he told the chamber, "and let us govern with humility, and let us prove through our actions, not just words, that democracy is stronger than fear."
The Craftivism get-together last Saturday was very fun. Thanks, Jamie and Tom!
In Colorado, District Attorney Sean Murray charged a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer with assaulting a 57-year-old woman protesting in Durango.
For the first time, U.S. officials have leveled criminal charges against someone over prediction market wagers.
A federal appeals court ruled that Trump’s declaration of an ‘invasion’ at the U.S.-Mexico border was illegal, effectively clearing the way to reopen the United States to migrants seeking asylum.
Seventy-three former U.S. admirals, generals and service secretaries have submitted a legal filing in defense of Sen. Mark Kelly, who has battled the Trump administration for months over his video about disobeying illegal orders.
Virginia just adopted a new law that forbids sheriffs and local police from contracting with ICE if ICE doesn't say it'll follow state laws & agree to let its agents be prosecuted.
On April 21, more than 100 former astronauts released an open letter stating that its members “believe deeply in the principles that have propelled our nation for 250 years,” such as the rule of law, checks and balances and the peaceful transition of power.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed the “Right to Contraception” act, a bill that had been vetoed twice during the previous administration, which prevents new laws restricting Virginians from using FDA-approved methods of contraception.
An Egyptian family of six believed to be the longest detained at the Dilley Detention Center [10 months] were released following rulings this week by two Texas federal judges. They were almost immediately seized again for deportation, but a judge has halted that, too. They have now been released a second time!
The Senate dealt a major blow to the SAVE America Act by rejecting an attempt to attach the anti-voting bill to a must-pass budget package.
A Michigan court tossed a Republican lawsuit seeking to strip voting rights from certain U.S. citizens living abroad. A federal court approved a settlement requiring Virginia to stop removing voters from its rolls within 90 days of federal elections.
Trump has nominated a vocal proponent of vaccines to become the director of the CDC.
A federal judge struck down Trump administration regulations that sought to weaken the Endangered Species Act.
A judge ruled that the Trump Administration violated the First Amendment when it pressured Facebook and Apple to remove ICE-tracking groups and apps.
A state court ruled that Pennsylvania’s Constitution grants the fundamental right to reproductive autonomy, in a long running challenge to the commonwealth’s ban on Medicaid subsidies for abortion.

Things you can do right now

Oppose Section 702 of FISA, which has been extended to April 30

Section 702 allows for wiretapping and data collection from foreign nationals on US soil—including information shared with or by American citizens—without a warrant or court order. Contact your member of Congress with 5calls and demand they vote NO on this bill.

May Day actions

On May 1, communities across the nation are saying "Workers Over Billionaires" and no work, no school, and no shopping. Not everyone will be able to skip a day's pay (or classes), and some spending might be unavoidable, but stretch your comfort zone a little and do what you can.

Indivisible is demonstrating on the Sauk Bridge from 4–6 pm on Friday. Sign up:

Sign Ideas:

Workers Over Billionaires
Fight Lies, Not Wars
Children Don't Belong In Prisons
Fund Healthcare, Not Billionaire Tax Cuts
SNAP Keeps Kids Healthy
I Prefer The Pope

Reject the deportation and detention agenda

The Administration is planning to use the massive ICE funding to establish deportation/detention warehouses, in one case on a severely contaminated site. Let your member of Congress know you do not support this. Grassroots action has stopped several of these facilities.

Take action

Oppose the current version of the farm bill

The House is attempting to pass H.R. 7567, their first full reauthorization of the Farm Bill since 2018. This bill contains several harmful provisions:

blocking USDA funding of solar panels for farmers (as energy prices skyrocket)
Shielding manufacturers of cancer-causing pesticides and chemicals like glyphosate from consumer lawsuits
And it does nothing to reverse the SNAP cuts.

Use 5calls to let Washington know how you feel.