Quote of the Week:“Human rights transcend politics. If we abandon the defense of human rights, then politics is reduced to petty battles over personal power. The object of politics is to ensure the dignity, liberty, and safety of the people.” Robert Hubble, Today’s Edition Newsletter, April 18, 2025 Legislative Actions:The Key to Statewide Activism is Using TAN! If you're new to Take Action Network (TAN):
Sign in PRO/Support Tell your reps not to cave to big business DEADLINE: Apr 27 • 12:00pm Tell your WA state representatives and senators to fund schools, healthcare, and social services instead of continuing tax breaks for the wealthiest. Support HB 1163 - Permit to Purchase Saves Lives (House: Concur Senate Amendments) DEADLINE: Apr 27 • 11:00pm Get this bill to make Washington a state that requires a permit to purchase firearms to the Governor's desk! Federal Actions:Fight Trump’s Tariff Power Grab Photo by Jason Mavrommatis on Unsplash Background:
Congress has the power to act through a fast-track vote to end the emergency declaration, forcing every member to go on record. Even if Trump vetoes it, the vote builds pressure and accountability. House Republicans are already trying to block these efforts, but a discharge petition could bypass leadership roadblocks. A long-term fix, the Cantwell-Grassley Trade Review Act, is promising—but it won’t stop the current crisis. Congress must act now. Action 1: Call Representative Strickland and ask her to lead the fight to stop Trump’s Emergency Tariff power grab.
Script for Representative Strickland: I am a constituent from [name, your city, and zip code] urging Representative Strickland to take immediate action to stop Donald Trump’s authoritarian tariff power grab and protect democracy. Trump is abusing emergency powers to unilaterally impose devastating tariffs on nearly every major U.S. trading partner—and it’s causing economic chaos. Congress must step up. Please use a discharge petition to force a vote to block Trump’s tariffs. Use EVERY TOOL—floor speeches, social media, field hearings, and public appearances—to expose this abuse of power. I’m a voter and I have your back on this. Action 2: Call Senators Murray and Cantwell and ask them to force the vote and end Trump‘s bogus emergency. Contact WA Senators
Script for Senators Murray and Cantwell: As a constituent from [name, your city, and zip code], I urge the Senator to immediately use her platform on the Senate floor and in the media to call out Donald Trump’s abuse of power by filing a privileged resolution to end his April 2 national emergency. These tariffs are not legitimate economic policy—they’re extortion, designed to cause pain and demand loyalty. Even if we can’t override a veto, forcing a vote puts every Senator on record, sparks public debate, and slows Trump’s authoritarian takeover of trade policy. Additional Script for Senator Cantwell: Thank you for co-sponsoring the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025, which reestablishes limits on the president’s ability to impose tariffs without the approval of Congress.a Ask Our AG to Investigate Trump’s Financial Market Manipulation Photo by Kanchanara on Unsplash From OI’s Rapid Response Federal Watchdog Team Background:
Two days after sending financial markets into freefall with his “Liberation Day” tariffs, Trump posted on Truth Social, “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY” – a clear signal to buy while stocks were low. Billionaires, many of them his allies, eagerly did so. Hours later, Trump announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs (except those on China), triggering a market surge that netted his wealthy friends an estimated $304 billion, with Elon Musk alone hauling in a cool $36 billion on his Tesla stock. Did Trump manipulate the markets or share insider information? Under normal circumstances, the SEC and Justice Department would investigate, but both are now under Trump’s control. Instead, a group of Democratic senators urged the National Association of Attorneys General to probe whether Trump broke state laws by crashing and then boosting the market for personal and political gain. Action: State attorneys general have a responsibility to ensure consumers that fraud, corruption, falsified records, insider trading or other illegal manipulation do not affect our financial markets. Please ask Attorney General Nick Brown to join his counterparts in other states to uncover any financial market misconduct by Trump that violates Washington law. Contact AG Brown: AG Contact Form Script: I am asking Attorney General Brown to investigate possible violations of state laws concerning consumer protection, fraud, falsified records, and other illegal conduct. Trump must be held accountable and prosecuted if he has broken any state law related to tariffs and market manipulation. Bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia Home NOW Photo by Luke Zhang on Unsplash Adapted from Jessica Craven’s Chop Wood, Carry Water, and Rogan’s List, both from April 15, 2025 by OI’s Rapid Response Federal Watchdog Team. Background:
Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s imprisonment in El Salvador, bought and paid for by the Trump administration, is a shocking act of tyranny. Defying court orders, Trump is enabling indefinite detention without due process, hinting that U.S. citizens could be next. This erodes fundamental rights and threatens the Constitution itself. Congress must act now – block funding, halt business as usual, and demand Kilmar’s release. Senator Chris Van Hollen is leading by example by visiting El Salvador; others should follow. Local and state leaders must also step up to defend our rights. We must pressure our elected officials at every level – silence is complicity. We must demand immediate action. This is not just a crisis. It’s a constitutional emergency. Action: Send this message to your senators and representative. Members of Congress (MOCs)
Script: I’m deeply alarmed that the Trump administration is ignoring the Supreme Court’s order to bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home. If the government can ignore courts for Abrego Garcia, they can potentially do it to any of us. We are in a constitutional crisis. What is the Senator/Congressmember doing about it? EVERY DEMOCRAT should be speaking loudly about this travesty of justice. OR do the above action at Take Action Network Phone Bank And if you want to do more, consider signing up for a phone bank on Tuesday, April 22 from 3-5 pm PDT to call fellow MoveOn members, inviting them to contact their representatives and demand they bring Kilmar home to his family and stand against Trump’s power abuses. Sign up here. Speak Up for Worker Safety Brought to you by OI’s Union and Workers’ Justice Team The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was gutted last week by DOGE/Musk, with more than a thousand workers losing their jobs in Washington and in other states. NIOSH does job safety research utilized in the USA and worldwide. Its research for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) made possible the regulations that protect us from asbestos, cotton dust, lead, bloodborne pathogens, silica, and coal dust. It researches workers’ exposure to heat and wildfire smoke, workplace violence, back injuries and other chronic diseases, and state-of-the-art technologies to keep workers safe. NIOSH also approves respirators and combats fraud from imported counterfeit products. Its research has saved hundreds of thousands of workers’ lives. Action: Speak up for worker safety by calling your MoCs with a simple, clear message. Contact WA MoCs
Script: My name is [NAME]. I am from [CITY, ZIP]. Stop the cuts to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and reinstate the workers. This agency does job safety research utilized in the USA and worldwide and we can’t afford this massive gutting of another important agency. ___________________ Share Your Stories: Our Senators are Listening Senators Murray and Cantwell continue to want to hear from Washingtonians directly harmed by the current administration’s cruel and chaotic actions. Action: Please Tell Your Story Here WA State Actions:Tell the Governor: Fair Taxes, Not Cuts to Services! Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash From Balance Our Tax Code via Indivisible Eastside: Washington’s legislature is wrapping up its 2025 session this week – which means the budget battle is the only thing going. We are in a pivotal moment with the Legislature weighing a funded budget over massive cuts to services. Given the state of play, labor leaders believe the Legislature’s proposed budget is the most viable. Action: Call or email your state representatives and senator ASAP:
Script: I’m a constituent at [your address] and I’m writing in support of the legislature’s state budget proposal. Cuts to the budget would deprive families of meals from food banks, keep teachers underpaid, and slash healthcare. We don’t need cuts, we need a more progressive tax code. Thurston County’s Annual Hunger-Relief Fundraiser These Local Community Agencies Have Long Supported the Hungry Food prices are going up for all of us. Many federal employees are unexpectedly and traumatically losing their jobs. They are us. How many of us will be needing the food bank to supplement our dwindling food budgets in the upcoming years as more and more of the safety net disappears? These two organizations (which include many of you as volunteers) have been doing their best to supply the needs of the food insecure for many years. This year, more than ever, and it looks like for many years to come, much will depend on these two area agencies: All donations are split between the two agencies. Their goal is $40,000 but I think, given the current painful reduction in every agency that takes care of people, we need to do better than $40,000. Please donate what you can, and maybe a little bit more. We may be using these agencies in the not too distant future. After the Donation, The Walk Join members of the community as they gather together and walk for this benefit. You have been coming out to rallies, here’s another way of being present, in-person to support food insecure members of our community. Walk Details:
Have You Scheduled These Events?Indigenous People’s Rally: All Are Welcome When: Tuesday, April 22, 12:00pm to 3:00pm Where: WA State Capitol, Tivoli Fountain Organized by: WA50501, The People’s Rebellion; Led by Indigenous Leadership Permitted: By Capitol Campus Department of Enterprise Service ___________________ International Workers Day is May 1st, and the Thurston Lewis Mason Central Labor Council is celebrating with TWO events!
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