Paul Krugman for the Holidays

Open an adult beverage, pull up a quiet chair, open this link to the December 14 issue of Vox and experience Ezra Klein’s “An orgy of serious policy discussion” with Paul Krugman. The Nobel Prize-winning economist on deficits, net neutrality, tax reform, single-payer, a UBI, and much more. You need this. Read more here .

(after you read the Paul Krugman article, have another because you’re not gonna believe this)

7 “Naughty” Words Echo George Orwell’s Ministry of Truth

Washington Post reports that the Trump administration told multiple agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) not to use certain phrases in official documents. Officials who asked that their names and agencies remain anonymous, told The Washington Post that they had been given a list of "forbidden" words similar to the one given to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A second HHS agency was told not to use the phrases “entitlement,” “diversity” and “vulnerable," in documents. It was also told to use "ObamaCare" as opposed to the "Affordable Care Act" and to refer to "marketplaces," where people purchase health insurance, as "exchanges." The Post's new report builds on its Friday report that the CDC had been told it could no longer use the phrases "evidence-based” and “science-based" in documents being prepared for the 2019 budget. The list of “forbidden” words and phrases given to policy analysts at the CDC also included “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender” and “fetus.” The "Ministry of Truth" was predicted in George Orwell's novel 1984 to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for propaganda effect. The Hill reports that similar banned words exist at the State Department.   Read more here.

Your Adult Beverage is Consumed. Do you toke up before reading more? Read this first.

Jeff Sessions May Be Free to Unleash Feds on Marijuana

Political reports that Rohrabacher-Farr, a little-known and even less discussed amendment that protects state-legal medical marijuana programs from federal interference, is close to expiring. If the government shuts down at the expiration of the current continuous resolution on December 22, or if negotiations in an upcoming appropriations conference committee fail to insert it in the final draft of the spending bill—entirely possible given House Republicans’ hostility to marijuana—Sessions would be free to unleash federal drug agents on a drug, which according to federal drug law, is considered the equal of heroin and LSD. With the legislative barrier gone, there would be plenty of ways for Sessions to make life difficult for marijuana businesses without creating dramatic footage of SWAT raids for the nightly news. The Department of Justice would quietly send letters to landlords who rented to legal marijuana businesses to threaten them with asset forfeiture. People would be forgiven for thinking that state-legal medical marijuana was a settled issue, but in fact it is hanging by a thread, and Congress is poised to hand Jeff Sessions the scissors. Read more here.

Sunday January 14, Film & Discussion: The Great White Hoax

This film about Donald Trump and The Politics of Race and Class in America Featuring Tim Wise” is a film about Donald Trump’s charged rhetoric about African-Americans, Latinos, and Muslims fits within a longstanding historical pattern, offering a stunning survey of how racism and racial scapegoating have shaped American politics for centuries. After the film, join a community conversation and safely talk and learn about race and racism. This bimonthly discussion series is moderated by La’Ron Williams, racial justice educator, peace activist, and professional storyteller. Location: Ypsilanti District Library (YDL), 5577 Whittaker Road Questions? 734-482-4110 x1377. 2 p.m.

Monday, January 15, The World Premiere of the Film: "Me, The Other"

The film documents a diverse group of students living in Washtenaw County in Southeast Michigan. Through their struggles, we find ourselves in each of them. To learn more about the film and to view the trailer click here or picture below . Tickets and the showing time are available at: http://www.michtheater.org/show/me-the-other-2/. Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

Sunday, January 21, "Let People Vote!"

Find out how and why Michigan lags behind nearly every other state in the union when it comes to providing full and fair access to the ballot. Sharon Dolente, Voting Rights Strategist for the Michigan ACLU, will explain the potential for voting rights to serve as a uniting issue in our state and around the country. Finally, she will discuss how we all can get involved in the Let People Vote campaign. Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr, Ann Arbor, 48108. 3 p.m.

Monday January 29, Constituent hour with State Rep. Donna Lasinski (District 52)

Saline Senior Center 7190 N. Maple Road, 9-10 a.m.

Things to do now

Replace and Repeal is the next step to fighting the Trump Tax Scam

And it’s simple: We must hold Republicans who voted for this bill accountable and replace them in Congress. Then, we must repeal the scam. Check out our new resource here. Here’s where we start:

Things to Read, Watch or Listen to

Trump risks losing what’s left of his populist street cred with GOP tax bill

It is a much-needed win for Trump and the GOP, who would have looked ineffective if he couldn’t get this done, but it may still turn out to be a Pyrrhic victory. Here are several ways that this bill could backfire: It does not truly simplify the code –  Washington Post

The Best Parts of a Dreadful Tax Bill

The Republican tax bill will soon be law. But the fight over it is just beginning. Democrats will campaign against it and hope to repeal much of it. And no matter which party is in charge, Congress and the White House will have to revisit tax policy in coming years, because this bill is full of gimmicky expiration dates.  New York Times

The tax bill is a giant permission slip for shipping profits overseas

Far and away the biggest complaint that Americans have with the tax system, poll after poll finds, is that big corporations don’t pay their fair share. So it’s more than a little startling that the tax bill Republicans are about to pass would not only slash the corporate tax rate across the board but also add a big incentive for companies to stash money overseas.   Vox.com

Things to do now

Get your Attorney General to Appeal the Net Neutrality Ruling

The Federal Communications Commission has voted to repeal net neutrality, despite overwhelming public support for the regulation, which requires internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast to distribute internet access fairly and equally to everyone. Vox reports that efforts to prevent implementation of the decision will be in the form of lawsuits from tech companies, internet activists, and think tanks — starting with a protective filing by internet activists that will appeal the FCC’s vote to prevent the repeal from immediately taking effect.

Mere hours after the FCC vote, the Attorney General of the state of New York announced a multi-state appeal of the ruling, to which a number of other states quickly signed on. The exact number of states participating in the appeal will grow over the coming weeks — technically after a suit is announced, the states (as well as any latecomers to any other lawsuits filed) will have 60 days to join in before the suit closes. What You Can Do: Call Michigan Attorney General Bill Schutte ___________need number ____and ask him to join the multi-state lawsuit. Read more here.

The American Library Association needs your help on Net Neutrality

The FCC vote is not the final word on this vital issue. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) gives Congress the ability and authority to nullify the FCC's actions. Congress can and should vote to restore net neutrality and protect the free and open internet. For more information, contact them at 1-800-941-8478

Call and email your members of Congress today and ask them to use a Resolution of Disapproval under the CRA to repeal the recent FCC action and restore the 2015 Open Internet Order protections. Send an email or use this link to text.

Things to do now

Volunteer to  address the needs of detainees deprived of due process

Despite their creation of the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI),  a project proving pro bono representation to detained immigrants, the arrests by   Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have increased so dramatically this year (up by 40%,) the scope of the problem—the thousands imprisoned, awaiting deportation proceedings without due process— overwhelms SPLC and its SIFI and they are calling for volunteers. Interested parties should access this link.

Things to Read, Watch or Listen to

Raids targeting women and children, done “without warrants, consent or probable cause” lead to lawsuits

Lisa Graybill, deputy legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, described Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  agents as “prey[ing] upon vulnerable families using fear and lies to improperly enter homes—without cause—and detain people who were legally present in the U.S.” For details on the SPLC legal action, click here. Newsweek

Donald Trump trashes immigrants--all immigrants!

He denigrates them repeatedly, legal and illegal, thereby exciting his base. With Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), and reportedly his policy adviser Stephen Miller, he’s pushed the RAISE Act — a bill that would slash legal immigration. For more details on his anti-immigration stance, click here . Vox.com

Trump Immigration Policies are Economically Devastating the Midwest

The Washington Post reports on the impact of the administration’s immigration policies. With examples and facts, they show what has largely been missing from the headlines, outrage and debate and offer a deeper understanding of the economic impact of Trump’s immigration approach and how the Midwest will be adversely affected by these policies. In fact, Trump’s policies have already begun destroying one of the few — and arguably the most powerful — sources of new population, innovation, business start-ups and jobs Michigan: immigrants. Over the past two decades, immigrants started 1 in 4 high-tech firms in Michigan despite making up only 6 percent of the population. These firms generated $608 million in business income and employed another 150,000 Michiganders. Read more here.

Things to Read, Watch or Listen to

Trump’s Nominee to Head EPA Chemical Division Withdraws

In the face of mounting opposition, Michael L. Dourson, a longtime researcher whose studies often bolstered safety claims by manufacturers of pesticides, flame retardants and other products under federal scrutiny as possible public health hazards, withdrew his name after Democrat and Republican senators said they could not support him. Dourson had been working as an adviser to the agency while awaiting confirmation and a trail of emails showed a close ongoing relationship with manufacturers. Read more here.

Things to do now

Oppose your state’s voter ID laws

Write your Secretary of State or state-level elections official ( look up).

Write: Your state-level legislator ( look up).

Script: Dear [name], I’m a resident of [town] and oppose our state’s voter ID law. Many citizens don’t have the time or money to get birth certificates and other paperwork, nor transportation to get an ID. The burden of gasoline, paperwork fees, and time off from work is essentially a poll tax on poorer Americans. Voting is a pillar of democracy. I want you to empower more people to vote through automatic registration, and stop making hard working citizens jump through unnecessary hoops.

Things to Read, Watch or Listen to

Doug Jones won, despite voter suppression .

Read how - Southern Poverty Law Center

Check Out this Amazing work

Mike Thompson, a cartoonist for the Detroit Free Press, has reimagined Michigan's Congressional districts as monsters – and it's an inspired transformation.

Things to do now

States will begin losing health care coverage in January

Millions of children – including 120,000 in Michigan alone - and their families will be negatively impacted by the loss of CHIP. While there is bipartisan support in Congress for the re-authorization, our legislators have not yet figured out how to do it!

Call: Your Members of Congress ( look up ).

Script: Hi. I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask [name] to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. It’s had 19 years of bipartisan support . The delay in authorizing its funding now puts the health of 9 million kids at risk . Please assure CHIP is re-authorized!

Things to Read, Watch or Listen to

Advocate for our youngest, most vulnerable citizens’ health NOW!

By Friday (Dec 22) Congress will be considering ways to keep the government running! Funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP officially expired on Sept 30, and Congress has not yet re-authorized it!! CHIP provides health insurance coverage for almost 9 million children whose families have too much income to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford the cost of insurance.

What if Congress fails to renew CHIP?

116,000 low-income children, young adults and pregnant women i will lose insurance coverage in Michigan. For more information, click here .  

The federal government has given Michigan permission to use $119 million of CHIP funds to detecting and removing lead paint, pipes and service lines from homes in Flint and elsewhere in Michigan, over the next five years. If CHIP ends, that effort will be greatly reduced. For details about this potential disaster, click here. http://www.bridgemi.com/children-families/flint-lead-pipe-replacement-could-be-jeopardized-chip-stalemate .

Things to do now

Keep a Michigan embryo or fetus from being considered a person

The Michigan House Republicans passed the Personhood bill, which allows the unborn to be counted as victims of a crime, thereby enabling them to convict pregnant women of crimes against their unborn babies and undermining a woman’s reproductive rights.

Please contact Governor Snyder at: (517) 335-7858 and ask him to veto it. Sample script: Hello, my name is _____ and I’m calling to urge Governor Snyder to veto the Personhood Bill or HB 4500. This bill undermines women’s reproductive rights. And it allows for unjust criminalization of women even in circumstances beyond their control. The Personhood Bill could allow a woman to be harshly punished if she has a miscarriage or even when she herself loses a pregnancy because of domestic abuse. Please stand up for women’s rights and protect women from inappropriately harsh criminalization. Please veto the Personhood Bill.

Things to Read, Watch and Listen to

A.C.L.U. Goes to Court for 2 Undocumented Teens Seeking Abortions

In a related case, the ACLU filed a class-action lawsuit to stop them from interfering with unaccompanied minors’ right to abortions. For more information on what Brigitte Amirii, the ACLU lawyer, has called the Trump’s Administration’s “relentless . . . cruelty, blocking abortion access for the most marginalized people in our country,” click here . New York Times

Things to Read, Watch and Listen to

White House Withdraws Judicial Nominations of Talley and Mateer  

Slate reports that Senator Grassley informed the Trump administration that these two nominees were not going anywhere. Evidence of unfitness included Talley’s blogs with racist comments and his failure to disclose that he was married to Ann Donaldson, chief of staff to the White House counsel. Mateer had stated that transgender children were part of Satan’s Plan and that same sex marriage was debauchery.  Read more here.

Things to do now

Attend a MI-Resistance calling party

Contact [email protected] for more information, or click here for times, locations and to register.

Things to Read, Watch and Listen to

Another One Bites the Dust 

Most recently Matthew Petersen withdrew his name for consideration for a position as U.S. District Judge in the District of Columbia after his Congressional hearing went viral as he was unable to answer a Republican senator’s basic questions about trial court practice.  Two other Trump nominees withdrew on unrelated issues earlier.  Read all about it and watch the Peterson clip via the New York Times.  

3 More Judicial Nominees Continue to Lack Commitment to Rule of Law

Advocacy groups have identified pending nominations of three candidates: Damien Schiff to the Court of Federal Claims, Matthew Kacsmaryk to the Northern District of Texas, and Charles Goodwin to the Western District of Oklahoma as problematic.  Schiff’s jurisdiction to the specialty court of Federal Claims would include nationwide jurisdiction over claims against the government. Read more at the links here. Script: Dear Sen. [name], I’m a constituent writing to express my opposition to several lifetime judicial appointments: Damien Schiff and Matthew Kacsmaryk for their well-documented histories of opposing women’s health, equality for LGBTQ citizens, and marriage equality, and Charles Goodwin for his ABA rating of “not qualified,” which identifies him as biased and unfit to serve. Thank you for voting against these nominees to support basic civil rights. Name, town, ZIP

Congratulations to the 7,000 Voters Not Politicians volunteers!

They have completed the signature gathering process for the 2018 Redistricting Ballot Proposal (aka. Anti-Gerrymander) by collecting nearly 450,000 names well ahead of schedule. The volunteers are taking a Winter breather from their work as the petitions get certified. The next step will take place during Spring, Summer and Fall months when volunteers will provide clear and concise info (door to door, word of mouth, social media and carrier pigeons if necessary) about the Redistricting Proposal on the Nov. 2018 ballot and encourage all to vote YES. Their success shows what can be done if we do the work!

Many, many more women than ever are running for congress  

So far there are 354 female House candidates (291 Democrats and 63 Republicans) and 38 female Senate candidates (25 Democrats and 13 Republicans) registered so far. It’s important to contextualize this: There are four times as many women challenging House incumbents this time compared to the same period in 2015, and 10 times the number of women challenging Senators compared to 2012 and 2014. Gosh, wonder what prompted all this. The New York Times

Protectors of Equality in Government (PEG) has endorsed 12 organizations. A short description of and a link to each organization can be found on the new PEG Website.

Please check out the list and choose those of interest to you for action. For more information regarding Protectors of Equality in Government, go to

www.equalityingov.org

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