Wednesday 1/23

Trump Shutdown-Call your members of Congress today!
https://indivisible.org/…/trumps-latest-temper-tantrum-and-…

The Trump/GOP shutdown drags on with no end in sight. Federal workers are feeling the pinch as they head towards their second missed paycheck. The FBI has reported that the negative effects of the shutdown pose a real national security risk. https://www.msnbc.com/…/why-a-prolonged-government-shutdown… Members of the Coast Guard have been deployed despite the fact that they are not receiving a paycheck. https://www.pbs.org/…/coast-guard-deploys-around-the-world-… There are rumors that this shutdown could go on indefinitely.

Are you frustrated and disheartened? Me too. Today let’s channel that and participate in Indivisible’s National Call-in Day. Call your members of Congress and tell them it’s time to play hardball and get these federal employees back to work with no Trump border wall.

Check out this page from Indivisible for more on the National Call-in. It includes scripts to help guide your calls. https://indivisible.org/…/trumps-latest-temper-tantrum-and-…

Don’t be fooled by Trump’s phony compromise from Monday. It’s full of bad things including massive asylum restrictions.
Read more about that here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/trumps-phony-compromise-…/…

Need some hard facts about why a border wall is a bad idea? Check out this post full of nuggets to help you argue effectively. https://www.facebook.com/DanielJamesHolloway/posts/10157014538474743

In response to this month-long partial shutdown, Senator Mark Warner has introduced the Stop STUPIDITY Act, the “Stop Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage in the Coming Years Act”, a bill designed to keep all parts of the federal government running in the event on another government shutdown, with the exception of the legislative and executive branches. I am sure it won’t pass to become law, but let’s give Sen. Warner some credit for a good idea and an awesome title. https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/2bafc150-1e82-11e9-8e21-59…

Stu Lourey wins Minnesota Senate District 11 DFL primary
Stu Lourey won the DFL primary and is now headed to the special election against GOP Jason Rarick on February 5th. The election is necessary to replace MN Senate Senator Tony Lourey (Stu’s dad), who was chosen by Governor Walz as Human Services commissioner. Stu Lourey has worked as an aide to Sens. Al Franken and Tina Smith and he comes from a family of public servants. His grandmother was former Senator Beck Lourey.
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/…/4560761-stu-lourey-wins…

Here are the results of the primary:https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/Re…/StateSenate/118…

Republicans have a two-seat edge in the Senate pending the election. Check out Stu Lourey’s campaign page. https://www.stulourey.com/

Use those skills you honed this past summer/fall and help Stu get elected. The DFL has organized phone and text banking if you would like to help out. https://www.facebook.com/events/790402844670094/

You could also join the SD-11 squad here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/275269826488015/

Supreme Court Revives Transgender Ban for Military Service
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the Trump administration’s request to allow it to bar most transgender people from serving in the military while cases challenging the policy make their way to the court. A terrible example of how elections have consequences. This is not the end of this story but I can imagine there are many soldiers feeling pretty hopeless right now.
https://www.nytimes.com/…/transgender-ban-military-supreme-…

Consider donating to the Indigenous People’s Movement: https://indigenouspeoplesmovement.com/donate/…

Here’s a nice video that explains how tax brackets work. https://www.youtube.com/watch…

Check out Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s schedule for the House of Representatives https://www.majorityleader.gov/floor-res…/the-weekly-leader…

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