One hundred days in, we know two things:
1: We are making a difference.
Thanks to our calls and postcards and visits, the ACA is still the law of the land. Investigations into possible Russian interference are proceeding, if slowly. Jeff Sessions and Devin Nunes have recused themselves from these investigations, and Mike Flynn lasted but a few weeks in the DJT administration. Paying attention and making noise matters.
Around the country: New Jersey activists are working with state legislators to blunt some of the effects of cuts to environmental and other protections. Montanans of all stripes came together to protest a bill that soon-to-retire Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz has been pushing for years, one that would have privatized millions of acres of federal land. The result? Chaffetz dropped the bill. Progressives in Ohio are rebuilding from the ground up. There are statewide efforts in Ohio to address gerrymandering*. Here in Cincinnati, many of you are working on community issues, school boards and other local races.
2: We have to keep going. Approximately 40% of Americans think DJT is doing a dandy job and we have to remember why.
GO- Monday, May 1 4-6p: Town Hall Meeting with State Rep Tom Brinkman Anderson Branch Library meeting room, 7450 State Rd, Cincinnati 45230 Find your rep!
- Tuesday, May 2 6:30a-7p: City of Cincinnati Mayoral Primary VOTE!
- The House is scheduled to vote on AHCA again on Monday May 1. Among other things, this bill would give states the ability to eliminate the ACA Essential Benefits and raise premiums for people with preexisting health conditions.
- Tax “reform:” Tell your MoCs to vote “no” on any tax bill that doesn’t include real reform, but increases our deficit and favors people who are already doing fine.
- Brad Wenstrup: 513-474-7777, 7954 Beechmont Ave, Suite 200, 45255
- Steve Chabot: 513-684-2723, Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., Suite 3003, 45202
- Rob Portman: 513-684-3265, 312 Walnut Street, Suite 3075, 45202
- Sherrod Brown: 513-684-1021, 425 Walnut Street, Suite 2310, 45202
You can always find more call suggestions at 5calls.org Or check out a new organization that targets companies that stand to profit from the DJT agenda. And of course…
This past Saturday an Op Ed in the NY times, “How the left learned to hate like the right,” left Janet and me scratching our heads. Really? The notion of people fueled with hate doesn’t compute with us. Maybe we’re stuck in polite flyover country, but most of the resisters we hear from are more in tune with the words of Jon Ossoff (the D who is running for the Georgia House seat formerly held by now HSS Sec. Tom Price). He believes those who voted for him in the recent primary want “common-sense leadership that’s focused less on the kind of gridlock and palace intrigue that people are tired of in Washington and more on getting things done.”
About Gerrymandering: We attended the League of Women Voters Speakers Bureau event to learn about Ohio’s proposed Congressional Redistricting Reform Constitutional Amendment. As background, in 2015 Ohio overwhelmingly voted to reform gerrymandering of state legislative districts by establishing a bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission. The new proposal would extend the reform effort to our Congressional districts. It is extremely complicated. We, along with some at the meeting are concerned that it’s not a great fix because the proposed commission will not be independent and the party in power will continue to have many ways to stall. On the other hand, this is an extension of something both Rs and Ds have already approved and many believe it is the best way to move forward. It will take a huge effort to get the required number of valid signatures (November, 2018 ballot most likely). If this is your passion, think about signing up to collect signatures.