This is an email for those willing to take several actions each week. The intent is to stay focused on actions that will make a difference, and an effort we can sustain over the long haul. 

Actions for weeks 1 & 2 were based on suggestions for The Indivisible Guide (best practices for making Congress listen). While IG actions are included, this week’s email offers additional options.

Calls to Senators

Tuesday 2/7: Vote no on Betsy DeVos, (grossly unqualified, no record of supporting public schools). Portman already announced his support, but call anyhow!

Rest of the week: No on Jeff Sessions for AG (appalling record on Civil Rights, long-standing anti-immigration record)

No on Tom Price for HSS (zealously opposes ACA, questionable ethics) 

No on Scott Pruitt for EPA (regularly sues the EPA, regularly favors private profit over public good)

No on Steve Mnuchin for Treasury (failed to disclose million of $$ in assets)

When you call, state your zip code, and that you don’t need a reply. Make it short and polite. The staffer who answers is merely logging your opinion into a database.

Supreme Court: IG wants us to call Senators about opposing Neil Gorsuch. I will not be making these calls. I know many disagree, but I’ve heard from more of you in the “two wrongs don’t make a right” and “save the effort for the next appointee, who may not be as widely respected as Gorsuch.”

Steve Bannon: Ask Senators to co-sponsor S.291, to modify requirements for membership in the NSC.

Ask your Rep. to co-sponsor H.R.804, to prevent political appointees from serving on NSC.

The Indivisible Guide folks want us to ask our Senators to withhold consent on everything until the Muslim / Refugee ban is lifted. I will not be making these calls either. I don’t know if withholding consent is a good or bad strategy. What I do know: so far, the Dems are failing to link withholding consent to the ban. As a result, headlines across the spectrum read “Democratic Obstruction” — without a link to the WHY. In my opinion the effort is for naught if the headline is merely obstruction.  

Rob Portman:  513-684-3265 or other Portman offices.

Sherrod Brown: 513-684-1021

Brad Wenstrup: 513-474-7777

Steve Chabot: 513-684-2723

  • Personal Actions: Take a stand against fake news. On my Facebook feed, I see fake and distorted “news” from friends across the spectrum. Sites like Addicting Info on the left are nearly as bad as Breitbart and InfoWars on the right. Fake news hurts our cause. Read the entire article before you post or share. Determine if is it fact- or opinion-based. Not sure? Verify on snopespolitifact of any number of other excellent sources.
  • On the horizon:
  • Gerrymandering — this happens at the state level. Don’t waste time calling Reps. Wenstrup or Chabot.  
  • Finding candidates to run for office.
  • Events: Several of you asked me about local events and meetings. So far, I haven’t found anything close to one-stop info. This morning, the Indivisible folks announced an action resource component to their site but it doesn’t look to be functional yet. Right now I belong to 4 or 5 Facebook groups, each offering a dizzying array of actions and events. Still working on this. 
  • Monday February 6:Noon rally at Portman’s Cincinnati office, 312 Walnut Street — stop Portman’s vote for Betsy DeVos
  • 5:00p rally on Hyde Park Square — stop Portman’s vote for Betsy DeVos
  • Are we making a difference? Lisa Murkowski, R-Alsaka, says she was swayed to vote against DeVos by calls to her office.
  • The Indivisible strategy is based on what worked for the Tea Party in 2009-10. There are key differences between then and now. I hope and expect the Indivisible Guide folks will adapt as needed.
  • Please forward to others, and contact me if you’d like to be removed.