Quote of the Week:“There are other kinds of resistance that mean making your own life and your own mind an independent republic in which the pursuit of truth, human rights, kindness and empathy, the preservation of history and memory, of being an example of someone living by values other than the values – if they deserve such a term – of the cruelty, greed, and dishonesty of Donald Trump and the circle around him. This does not overthrow the regime, but it does mean being someone who has not been conquered by it, and it invites others who have not been or who can throw off the shackles to join you.” “Authoritarians like Trump love fear, defeatism, surrender. Do not give them what they want.” The Guardian, Nov. 9, 2024 Federal Actions:Did Your MoC Show Up for Transgender Military Families?  Photo Source: Wikimedia The National Defense Authorization Act, which enacts the first federal anti-LGBTQ+ law in over a decade and targets the trans kids of military service members with bans on coverage of their gender affirming care, just passed with 81 Democratic votes. This bill and the votes of several Democrats are seen as a severe betrayal of transgender constituents. Now, passed by the House, it is expected that this policy will severely disrupt the lives of transgender service members by jeopardizing their access to care and stripping transgender family members of vital healthcare coverage. From the state of Washington
Action: Take this TAN action and Contact your Democratic member of Congress to give them a piece of your mind about their vote on the NDAA. Suggested Script for those who voted YEA: I am profoundly disappointed by your Yea vote on the NDAA bill with an amendment taking care away from trans youth enrolled in TriCare. Your vote enacts the first federal anti-LGBTQ+ law in over a decade and actively targets transgender servicemembers and transgender children of military families by limiting their access to gender-affirming healthcare. Eliminating this care forces transgender servicemembers into the cruel situation of having to choose between accessing health care and serving our country. This was your first opportunity to resist the Republican Party's anti-trans campaign and you shirked it. I had expected, based on previous statements you have made, that you would protect the LGBTQ community and demonstrate your commitment to honor and support the sacrifice of all of our servicemembers. You failed on both scores. Please demonstrate your integrity and backbone; do not obey in advance. Tell Sen. Maria Cantwell to Delay the Expansion of Fracking Photo Source: Stop Fracking! Author: greensefa From our friends at Indivisible Eastside The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering six new terminals or terminal expansions for exporting liquified natural gas (LNG). These proposed terminals – five on the Gulf Coast and one in Georgia – would have roughly the same impact on the climate as a thousand coal-fired power plants. They are a carbon nuclear bomb. The Department of Energy can TODAY declare that these projects constitute a massive threat to the US and the planet, and DENY the projects’ permits. This would make it MUCH harder for the Trump administration to resurrect these terminals. If DOE takes no action, Trump can fast track these projects on day one. Democratic leadership has a key role to play. Sen. Cantwell sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, which oversees the Department of Energy. Please contact her TODAY and ask her to hold the Biden administration accountable to fighting the climate crisis by insisting that DOE deny LNG export permits. Action:: Take this TAN action to Tell Senator Cantwell to delay the expansion of fracking Sample Script: Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY]. I am contacting you to ask that you fight the proposed development of six new terminals for exporting LNG. If the DOE denies the projects’ permits it will be MUCH harder for the Trump administration to resurrect these terminals. These new facilities constitute a massive threat to the US and the planet. Please use your position on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee to lobby against the expansion of these facilities. It might be the final chance for this administration to make a difference before the new administration begins to tear down climate protections. Thank you. President Biden: Make Equal Rights the 28th Amendment Now  Photo Source: Pax Ahimsa Gethen via Wikimedia From Our Friends at Americans of Conscience Checklist Background: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was designed to guarantee women and people of other genders equal rights under the law. Although it was passed by Congress in 1972 and ratified by the required 38 states, its status is uncertain due to an unconstitutional ratification deadline, Congressional failure, and legal debates. President Biden has expressed ERA support, but only he can instruct the U.S. Archivist to certify and publish the amendment into the U.S. Constitution. It is uncertain whether he will act, but we believe that if there is a chance, we must speak up together. Action: Call: 202-456-1111 or Email Script: My name is [YOUR NAME] from [YOUR CITY AND STATE]. I am joining with millions of Americans urging you to make the Equal Rights Amendment the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. At a time when extremists are eroding women’s equality and LGBTQ rights, the ERA would affirm that everybody is equal under the law. Please leave a legacy of equality and justice for future generations: instruct the U.S. Archivist to certify and publish the ERA today. WA State Actions: Join Take Action Network (TAN)  The Legislative Session will be starting January 13, 2025. Join the Take Action Network (TAN) so you can influence your lawmakers! TAN is a free email subscription database created by and for Washington progressives that enables users to take actions on legislative bills, and to hear from trusted organizations about issues you care about throughout the year with the speed and ease of one-click bill pay. Why is signing up for TAN so important right now? Washington is one of only 17 states in our nation which elected a progressive Governor and AG, and voted in a majority Democratic state legislature. This gives us the opportunity to help pass laws in 2025 that will protect people, policies, and progress in Washington state, and shine a beacon of hope across the nation. Get a quick start on making the Take Action Network (TAN) by attending an informative, fun, one-hour seminar on Zoom will get you using TAN immediately. Action: Learn more and sign up for a session. Choose one of these training dates. Tell Our Legislators: No Cuts to Protect the Super-Rich From our friends at WILA Washington State legislators are meeting in Olympia right now to discuss the huge budget shortfall that’s threatening education, housing, health care, and other critical public services. We must tell lawmakers to NOT make drastic budget cuts that will harm working families across our state when thousands of mega-millionaires and billionaires could make up the shortfall by paying their share in taxes. Send a letter to your legislators now telling them to rebalance our tax code! Action: Take this TAN action to tell your state legislators not to cut education, health care, and housing Have You Scheduled These Events? Come to the Action Cafe! Every Monday at noon the Action Cafe provides a virtual space where OI members meet, make new friends, and take actions together. Every Cafe comes with a side order of live music and a heapin’ helpin’ of good cheer! Cafe patrons receive an email on Sunday with a sneak-peek at what we'll do at the cafe the next day. On Monday morning, Chef Lisa will send you a pdf "Menu" with links to the actions we'll take together at the Cafe. Action: Register HERE. We will send you a Zoom link and tomorrow morning Chef Lisa will send your "menu." Your Work Pays Off: Judges Say NO to Proposed Kroger-Albertson Merger
You might remember that back in September we asked you to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking them to block the proposed Kroger-Albertson merger. This week's King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson ruled that a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons would eliminate sufficient competition and violate Washington antitrust laws. Judge Ferguson’s ruling came out in parallel to a U.S. District Court ruling that held the same finding. The second case was filed by the Federal Trade Commission. U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson found the merger would weaken competition for U.S. consumers and would violate antitrust laws. Our work in lobbying the Federal Trade Commission contributed to the defeat of this merger, which would surely have brought lower wages and safety standards, as well as higher costs for consumers. Three cheers to all OI members who took part in this CTA! Comments are closed.
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