The Power of Many - Minnesota: June 2017

Friday, June 30, 2017

Friday 6/30 Call to Action

Friday
1. Yes. The terrible GOP healthcare bill is still as stinky as ever. As we learn more about it, the cruelness of it is apparent.
As the CBO continues to study the BCRA, it has found that cuts to Medicaid become even more severe by 2036. The cuts will go up to 35%!!
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52859

The GOP Senate has been very calculating about the cuts that will happen with their new bill. The effects that will truly hurt their base will not occur until after the 2018 mid-term elections. Many of the worst occur after the 2020 presidential elections. This is very sneaky. NPR provides an excellent timeline of the cuts. Read here: http://www.npr.org/…/how-the-senate-gop-health-care-bill-co…

2. The Election Integrity Commission Wants Your Personal Information
The vice chairman of Trump’s commission on election integrity, Kris Kobach, has sent out a letter to all 50 states requesting information about you. This includes your name, birthday, voting history, and the last four digits of your social security number.
This attempt to capture our information comes as a result of an executive order signed by Trump last May and is supposed to “promote fair and honest federal elections.” This EO is in response to Trump’s unproven claims that millions of undocumented Americans voted in the presidential election last fall. The commission is chaired by VP Pence along with Kobach who is the Secretary of State in Kansas. (Secretary Kobach has a long history of disenfranchising voters in his own state and concurs with Trump that millions of people voted illegally).
I get the feeling that the information they garner will not be used to ensure honest federal elections. Instead it will be used to suppress voters.

Or here: http://time.com/…/trump-voter-fraud-commission-personal-da…/

Or here: https://twitter.com/_cingraham/status/880483686289817600
This roundup of information is concerning and we need to encourage Governor Dayton and MN Secretary of State Steve Simon to refuse to comply.
Secretary Simon: (651) 296-2803
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/

3. With all of the hullabaloo over Trump’s gross tweets, do not forget to read about this: GOP Operative Sought Clinton Emails From Hackers, Implied a Connection to Flynn
https://www.wsj.com/…/gop-operative-sought-clinton-emails-f…

Franken-202-224-5641
Klobuchar-202-224-3244
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/

Out and About

Recent protests sparks a nationwide Rise Up 5K Run/Walk on July 1. Net proceeds go to Planned Parenthood and other women's rights charities. JOIN US TODAY! RISE UP. RUN. BE HEARD. http://riseup5k.org/

Sunday, July 16 2:30-3:45 pm
ATTC Learn & Take Action (July): Redistricting and Census
Edina Morningside Community Church
4201 Morningside Rd, Edina, Minnesota 55416
https://www.facebook.com/events/113427335929393/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%224%22%2C%22feed_story_type%22%3A%22308%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D

Thu, July 27, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
How to Talk with Loved Ones and Friends Across the Political Chasm
Brookdale Library
6125 Shingle Creek Parkway
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-talk-with-loved-ones-an…

Rebecca Black - Friday

This is the one and only official version of Rebecca Black's "Friday" music video. KEEP UP WITH ME: http://instagram.com/msrebeccablack http://twitter.com/ms...

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Thursday, June 29, 2017

Thursday 6/29 Call to Action

Thursday
The GOP Healthcare bill is not dead. Things are happening behind the scenes to get this bill pushed through. This pause is allowing Senator Mitch McConnell to make deals with the few Republicans who oppose it. He will use money and favors as incentive to get the hesitant senators to sign on. Check out this article from ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/…/is-trump-administration-visa-p…

The Departments of Labor and Homeland Security are allowing more guest-worker visas to go to businesses in Maine and Alaska. In an era of “buy and hire American” this is very interesting since the senators of these two states will be instrumental in passing the GOP healthcare bill.

In Senator McConnell’s home state of Kentucky, nearly 1 in 3 people (!!) receive healthcare through medicaid. Few states benefit more from Medicaid and other government programs than Kentucky. Yet, McConnell and other GOP legislators win handily in Kentucky elections. There is a frustrating disconnect going on in that state. McConnell has banked his career on that. Read more here: https://mobile.nytimes.com/…/mcconnell-kentucky-health-care…

The gist of the matter is that Republicans REALLY want to stick it to Obama(care) and pass some legislation of their own. It this motivation so great that they are willing to overlook the content of the bill? Maybe. The opposition must be greater than the GOP’s need to win.
https://www.vox.com/…/158819…/senate-obamacare-repeal-future

Once again, those of us with awesome Senators (Thanks, Klobuchar and Franken) feel stuck. What can we do with all this motivation to help?

Here are some ideas.

*The Senate Finance Office is tallying calls from people who want a public hearing of the GOP healthcare bill. Give it a try! 202-224-4515

* Check this out: Nine ways to stop TrumpCare from a Blue State: https://docs.google.com/…/19kqrh5SFq3N_L1b9-8dd…/mobilebasic

*Word on the street is that the GOP may considering (gasp!) compromising with Democrats in the Senate to fix the ACA. What? Okay! Let’s do that! Give Sens. Klobuchar and Franken a call and see if they believe that is an actual possibility. https://www.nytimes.com/…/as-affordable-care-act-repeal-tee…

*Finally, if you have a GOP Representative do not let them off the hook. Just yesterday, Representative Jason Lewis was on social media (and Fox News) touting the benefits of this terrible healthcare bill. Don’t let Lewis, Paulsen or Emmer get away with this nonsense. Give them a call!

Out and About

Thursday, June 29 6:15-8:30
Mayoral Candidate Forum on Climate Resilience & Energy Access
Open Book
1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
https://www.facebook.com/events/1681412545497458/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (Official Music Video)

Why dont you ask him if hes going to stay? Why dont you ask him if hes going away? Why dont you tell me whats going on? Why dont you tell me whos on the phon...

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Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Wednesday 6/28 Call to Action

Wednesday
1. Senate Healthcare Act
Here I am again, amazed at the power of many. Yesterday, because of the persistence of regular people, Senator Mitch McConnell had to postpone the vote on his terrible healthcare bill because he didn’t have the numbers to pass it. Take a moment to revel in how wonderful that is! Take only a moment, because we are nowhere near the end of this story. This is merely half-time. Sen. McConnell is surely going to be doing some arm twisting and finagling to get this through before the August recess. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back. Take a breather and get ready to fight harder next week.
Here are some things to think about to get you ready:
Here is a list, from Andy Slavitt, explaining what the Senate healthcare bill will do. This will be a great reference for all those letters to your local papers you plan to write.

https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/879729776159735809
Do you need a pep talk? Check out this video about Mike and his mother Karen. They will inspire you to fight harder. This interview is long but extraordinary.
https://vimeo.com/222963114

2. Russia
Now that there’s a pause in the healthcare battle let’s get back to Russia. From Rogan’s List:
The Senate's Russian sanctions bill (S.722) has stalled due to a procedural snafu http://time.com/4831779/house-russia-iran-sanctions-bill/
The Senate can now either tweak its bill, introduce a new one, or the House can introduce identical legislation to ensure there is no further delay. Let's call our MoC to let them know that we support sanctions against Russia. We can also call the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the committee which would help forward the legislation, and tell them that we support legislation which would impose sanctions against Russia
https://5calls.org/issue/recgJ9hzeJ68f1unI

While the Russia investigation has been appointed a special counsel, we still do not have an independent commission. While the special counsel is beneficial in seeking criminal charges, the independent commission does not have to answer to the DOJ, and would be able to make public even non-criminal actions. Let's call our MoC and let them know that we have not forgotten about the need for an independent commission. Let's also make sure that our Representatives have signed the discharge petition for the Protecting Our Democracy Act (H.R. 356)
https://5calls.org/issue/recywt9vEUNwAsZOo

3. MPR Interview with Jeronimo Yanez Juror
If you have the time, check out this interview with one of the jurors from the Jeronimo Yanez trial. I have to admit, I wanted to prejudge this man for his not guilty vote. But the juror is thoughtful and well spoken. His conclusion from the trial is that the problem lies with the laws. Things will not change until the laws are changed. It’s a valid point. Check it out here:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/…/06/23/74-seconds-yanez-juror

Here’s another article from Teen Vogue that talks about why police officers are not held accountable for their actions. http://www.teenvogue.com/…/why-police-officers-arent-held-a…
The takeaway for me was that we will need to change this problem from the bottom up. We cannot rely on the federal government to help us. Just another reason to run for a local government position. We need to be the people who change this country and make it better!

4. Take Back Your State
I participated in a learning session for a new organization called Take Back Your State. This is a great tool to use to help better communicate with your state government officials. What a great resource! It’s not to late to join too. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/events/434294313613264/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Out and About

Corey Hart - Never Surrender Official Video

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Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Tuesday 6/27 Call to Action

Tuesday
Well hello resisters. I hope you are managing to keep your head up and your outlook sunny. You are a vital part of the success of this endeavor.

1. AHCA (aka) BCRA (aka) Dumpster Fire
The American Health Care Act, now known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act is still a threat and thanks to the CBO report that came out, we now have concrete evidence of how very bad it is for millions of Americans.

What are the takeaways from the CBO report?

*Billions of dollars will be saved mostly due to reductions in Medicaid. The reductions could have been larger if the BCRA didn’t repeal ACA’s taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

*The BCRA will increase the amount of uninsured Americans by 22 MILLION by 2026. These uninsured will represent the oldest, poorest, and most fragile among us. Because this bill drops the mandate (which requires everyone to have insurance, thus spreading out the cost of healthcare over a number of people), healthy people may drop insurance. Those that need insurance will be forced to pay more (even more than what they pay with ACA) for coverage.

* 15 MILLION fewer people will be covered by Medicaid. Medicaid is a vital resource for many elderly adults and children. Want an example of what kind of people use Medicaid? Read this blog post here: http://snips-snails-puppydogtales.blogspot.com/…/dear-vp-pe…

* Premiums will eventually drop for the young and healthy, but only because the sickest among us will be priced out of the system. Deductibles will increase.

The CBO report makes the BCRA look bad, which is why the GOP Senate was trying to push this bill through behind closed doors. It will only take three Republican “no’s” to squash this bill. This is not as easy as this sounds, however. Pressure from constituents must be greater than the pressure these legislators feel from their own party members and the groups that finance them. Read more here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/will-the-gops-awful-heal…/…

What can we do here in Minnesota? Be vocal in your support of our awesome senators Klobuchar and Franken. Do you have relatives or friends in Wisconsin? Encourage them to put pressure on Sen. Ron Johnson. Write those letters to the editor of your local paper. Tweet your support for the ACA.

2. HR 1215 Protecting Access to Care Act
This call to action was a suggestion from a TPOM member. Please continue to offer your suggestions. This group is a powerhouse of knowledge and ideas. I love it so much!
HR 1215 will make is more difficult for Americans who receive healthcare through federal programs, subsidies, or tax programs to seek compensation for medical malpractice or defective medical products. Read more about it here: https://www.countable.us/…/hr1215-115-protecting-access-to-…
Here is a link to the bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1215

If this bill moves you, call your representative and urge him/her to vote no on HR 1215.

3. Mayors Leading the Charge Against Climate Change
Yesterday, the United States Conference of Mayors created a set of resolutions to urge the federal government to rejoin the Paris climate agreement and to increase their own city’s efforts to combat climate change. While America’s withdrawal from the PCA was heartbreaking, it is great to see local government take charge. Want to learn more about it? Read this: https://www.nytimes.com/…/…/mayors-trump-climate-change.html The mayor of Burnsville is quoted in the article which I think is pretty neat! Want to know that the resolutions are? Here you go:http://legacy.usmayors.org/…/85th_Co…/proposedcommittee.asp…

There are a handful of Minnesota cities who have joined in. Is your city included? Look here: http://www.climate-mayors.org/
If your city is not included, give your mayor a call and encourage him/her to join. If your city is lucky enough to be part of the club, give your mayor a call and thank him/her!

Out and About

Tuesday, June 27 12 -1 pm
ResistTrumpTuesdays: Protect our Healthcare, Withhold Consent
Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office
1200 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
https://www.facebook.com/events/102547383677370/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Tuesday, June 27 7-9 pm
What is Take Back Your State? - Join us for an online event
Online Event (you can do this from home!!)
https://www.facebook.com/events/434294313613264/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot (HD w/ Lyrics)

Haven't seen too many videos with a good quality version of this song, so I thought I'd put together a…

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Sunday, June 25, 2017

Monday 6/26 Call to Action

Monday 6/26 Call to Action

I am off to Durham, New Hampshire this (Sunday) evening, a state I have never visited. Here's a quick list. I'm going to do my best to call when I get time.

1. Top has to be the ACHA. Oppose it, demand public hearings, and ask senators how they are going to get public hearings. This proposal also reduces funding for Planned Parenthood

2. The Washington post has a long expose on Obama's reaction to Russian election hacking.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/national-security/obama-putin-election-hacking/

3. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is taking more steps to give industry an increased say in EPA decisions. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/06/epa_isn_t_renewing_any_of_its_scientific_counseling_boards_contracts.html

4. If you've got some extra cash sitting around, you can help with the court case to fight partisan gerrymandering! https://www.crowdpac.com/campaigns/207023/this-is-our-chance-to-make-gerrymandering-unconstitutional

Franken-202-224-5641
Klobuchar-202-224-3244
House of Representative switchboard: (202) 224-3121
MN Legislators: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legislators
Resistbot: https://resistbot.io/
Governor Dayton- https://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/

Out and About

Monday, June 26 6-8 pm
An Evening with Ken Martin and Progressive Activists
Dakota County Library
1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, Minnesota 55123
https://www.facebook.com/events/1896672923884152/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Tuesday, June 27 12 -1 pm
ResistTrumpTuesdays: Protect our Healthcare, Withhold Consent
Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office
1200 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
https://www.facebook.com/events/102547383677370/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Tuesday, June 27 7-9 pm
What is Take Back Your State? - Join us for an online event
Online Event (you can do this from home!!)
https://www.facebook.com/events/434294313613264/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Thursday, June 29 6:15-8:30
Mayoral Candidate Forum on Climate Resilience & Energy Access
Open Book
1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
https://www.facebook.com/events/1681412545497458/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Recent protests sparks a nationwide Rise Up 5K Run/Walk on July 1. Net proceeds go to Planned Parenthood and other women's rights charities. JOIN US TODAY! RISE UP. RUN. BE HEARD. http://riseup5k.org/

Friday, June 23, 2017

Friday 6/23 Call to Action

Friday
Well, the Senate health care bill is out. I will let Senator Al Franken explain it to you.
“After weeks spent in secret, behind closed doors, Senate Republicans have finally released their health care plan. As expected, the bill does not address the real health care issues that people are facing and would be a disaster for the economic stability and livelihood of Minnesota families. This is nothing more than a thinly disguised attempt to gift billions of dollars in tax breaks to the very richest few Americans by dismantling our health care system, fundamentally destroying Medicaid as we know it, and making life harder and more expensive for millions and millions of Americans.
Like its sibling in the House of Representatives, this is a horrible plan born of a dangerously partisan bill-making process. And now Senate Republicans want to pull one over on the American people by forcing a vote as quickly as possible—without meaningful debate, public input, or committee oversight. I will fight this plan with every ounce of strength that I have, because the livelihoods of Minnesotans are at stake. I believe we need to be directing our efforts towards working in a bipartisan way to address the actual problems that exist in our health care system, like the lack of competition in the insurance exchanges and skyrocketing prescription drug costs. We should be working to improve people’s lives, not make them more difficult.”

Want a good overview of the new health care bill? Read this:https://www.vox.com/…/senate-plan-better-care-reconciliatio…

If you have time, check out these clips from The Rachel Maddow Show. Rachel is fired up! She says “freakin” about 100 times. I think the voice in her head was probably saying a different “F” word.
http://www.msnbc.com/…/sen-murphy-now-is-the-time-to-be-hea… via @msnbc

Senator Murphy reminds us that NOW is the time to speak up against this terrible bill. http://www.msnbc.com/…/sen-murphy-now-is-the-time-to-be-hea… via @msnbc

What can we do to make noise? Our Senators are obviously against this bill as well so we can continue to call and thank them and encourage them to push back.

We can protest in public. There is an impromptu picket today in Eagan at the corner of Pilot Knob and Yankee Doodle Roads (starting at noon). This is Jason Lewis’ district. If you need to make some noise I encourage you to attend.

Next Tuesday, 6/27, Minndivisible has invited you to meet them in front of Sen. Klobuchar’s office at noon. If you know of any other protests let me know and I will edit them in here.

Now is the time to write those letters to the editor of your local paper. Don’t let this bill pass without some bad press for our elected officials.

Now is the time to call our Republican representatives and remind that we have not forgotten that they started this.

Here are some tidbits from The Rogan’s list. I really like this site! She’s a retired librarian so you know she’s smart.

The morning of the Alexandria shooting, the House was preparing to hold a hearing on a bill that would in part make it easier to buy gun silencers. They're trying to sneak this in with an unrelated bill. (http://www.politico.com/…/gun-silencer-restrictions-house-j…) This would threaten public safety and make it harder for law enforcement to do their jobs. Let's join Gabby Giffords and Americans for Responsible Solutions and send a message to our members of Congress that we want them doing more to keep us safe from gun violence, not less: http://action.americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/…/share-…

Identifying questionable, unreliable sources while we are online is difficult for all of us. Fortunately, the Self Agency LLC has developed a little gem called BS Detector, that we can use with our Chrome or Mozilla-based browsers to show us just what sources might be just that. It’s a freebie, but priceless! Check it out here: http://bsdetector.tech/

Several groups, including MoveOn.org and Indivisible, are supporting an initiative ... to celebrate the achievements of the Resistance thus far. Call it self-care, call it community building, call it networking, or whatever you like, but it's time to kick off this "Summer of Resistance" with a cookout! Check for a get-together near you, or start your own event, here: https://act.moveon.org/event/cookouts/search/

Out and About

Sat-Sun June 24-25
2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival
Loring Park
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403, 55404
https://www.facebook.com/events/712402268933911/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2223%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D

Monday, June 26 6-8 pm
An Evening with Ken Martin and Progressive Activists
Dakota County Library
1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, Minnesota 55123
https://www.facebook.com/events/1896672923884152/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Check out this event with Sen. Al Franken this Saturday.
https://medicaid.publicrep.org/feature/minnesota/

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Thursday 6/22 Call to Action

Thursday
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The Power of Many represents the best people in our community. Thanks to all of you who stepped up with great ideas for yesterday’s call to action. It makes a person feel good to have such support!

1. AHCA
According to Senator Mitch McConnell, the GOP is set to release a “discussion draft” of the AHCA today. Up until now, the bill has been shrouded in mystery for Democratic senators, everyday people, and even many Republican senators. Sens. McCain, and Lee have publicly complained about the lack of transparency. Read about it here:http://www.npr.org/…/heres-what-we-know-about-the-senate-go… Or here:http://www.chicagotribune.com/…/ct-gop-trump-senate-health-…

The Senate is planning on voting on this bill next week, probably Thursday (!!!). I know you are probably sick and tired of talking about the AHCA but we have got to be that squeaky wheel and continue to resist. Our senators, Klobuchar and Franken have been fighting the good fight against this so far. Let’s continue to call them, thank them for their efforts, and encourage them to keep pushing against this bill.
From the Rogan’s List, here are some points to stress:

1) We demand hearings with expert testimony and careful consideration
2) We demand that all members of the Senate, not just an all-male working group, and including Democrats, are allowed to participate in debate and offer amendments
3) We demand that any legislation provide equal or better access to affordable, comprehensive health care as the ACA
4) We demand that certain parts of the ACA be continued, including Medicaid, pre-existing conditions, and no increased premiums for older people
5) We demand open hearings.

Check this out https://www.ouramendments.org
Remember last week when we talked about the Senate Democrats using the “vote-a-rama” tactic to slow down progress in the Senate? (Here’s a review: https://www.ouramendments.org) Indivisible Group has created a way for you to generate an amendment for our senators to use! I think this is pretty cool. All you need to do is enter your information and any comments you have about healthcare. It will be sent to Sens. Klobuchar and Franken to use on the Senate floor.

Finally, check out this article from Vox. Three journalists interviewed eight Republicans and asked them about healthcare. Specifically, “What problems do you think this bill will solve?” and “ How do you think it will solve them?” Check out their answers here: https://www.vox.com/…/republicans-health-care-bill-questions

Are you like me? Motivated to resist and eager to learn but stuck at home? Here is a townhall you can attend from the comfort of your couch! Thanks to the Rogan’s list for this idea.

MomsRising will be hosting their next telephone townhall tomorrow, Thursday, June 22nd at 9pm ET. http://bit.ly/2rMnvUc The townhall will focus on the mechanisms we have in place to hold sitting presidents accountable, including impeachment, special counsels, and independent commissions. Let's RSVP and take advantage of this great learning opportunity.

Out and About

Thursday, June 22 3pm
Public Hearing: $15 for
Minneapolis City Hall
400 S 4th St, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
https://www.facebook.com/events/437075546660706/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A4%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&source=4&action_history=null

Willie Nelson - Just Breathe

Willie Nelson's official music video for 'Just Breathe'. Click to listen to Willie Nelson on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/WNSpot?IQid=WNJB As featured on Hero...

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