Actions for Week of October 24, 2021
Buckle Up, This Week is Packed! Scroll down to see why!
Tuesday, October 26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SUPPORTING THE FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT
5:30 – 6:30 PM
The “Freedom to Vote Act” is at a critical point. These "Letter to the Editor" Zoom Workshops to help folks start a dialogue about this critical bill in their communities by submittiVOTEg an LTE to their local papers!
Common Cause has created a tool that you can use to look up your local papers and send multiple papers a 300-word "Letter to the Editor" (LTE) through one click.
OR
PHONE BANK TO VIRGINIA
6 PM
Special guest: Delegate Danica Roem
We are at serious risk of losing the governor's race and the state legislature, so it's urgent that everyone finds a phone bank to join this week to GOTV in Virginia. Good news: There are lots! Here are some:
Join the VA Dems for a Zoom-based phone banks with special guests!.They will go through the day’s script, any important updates, and socialize before hitting the phones!
If Tuesday doesn't work for you, check the link for more days and other special guests.
OR
TEXT BANK TO VA
Red2Blue will be texting for Kelly Fowler, Debra Gardner, and the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee through this coming week. Sign up on the Slack texting channel at the link.
Any time
CALL CHUCK SCHUMER. TELL HIM VOTING RIGHTS CAN'T WAIT
Republicans have *again* blocked to even debate voting rights legislation, this time on the Freedom to Vote Act (Joe Manchin's version of the For the People Act, written to appease Republicans…). We are out of time. Demand the Senate abolish the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Chuck Schumer's office:
DC: (202) 224-6542
NYC: (212) 486-4430
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SCHUMER SIT DOWN
Our state leaders had a meeting with Senator Schumer over the weekend. Here’s a digest from Sarah Reeske of what happened (and what we need to do):
**Note: this is a bit lengthy: actions at the end!**
The Freedom to Vote Act was unsurprisingly blocked by Republicans. Now that it should be clear to Manchin that there is no bipartisan support for his bill, it's time to ramp up the pressure. Good messaging from NY looks like “we have to go it alone. The time to act is now.”
On reconciliation, 48 Senators support $3.5T agenda. Truth be told, it’s unclear as to what the 10/31 deadline they have set for themselves is actually for: is it just to have all the negotiating done between the WH, Congressional leadership, and committee chairs, or to actually have the bill written and voted on?
Remember that the Progressives in the House did a stellar job of holding together and not giving Pelosi the votes she needed to pass BIF. Progressives want to vote yes on BIF only AFTER the reconciliation bill is passed by the Senate. This leverage is helping keep Manchin at the table.
Housing--Schumer is pushing for $80B for public housing and $150B for housing overall. $40B for New York and NYCHA. He wants us to make sure our House rep knows this and pushes for it.
Climate--The three components he wants to see in reconciliation regarding climate are: reducing carbon emissions; clean grid; and, cutting subsidies. We brought up how we really need the Clean Electricity Performance Program in the final bill. He said he’s open to any option that helps us reach the 80% emissions reduction goal, but he didn't sound overly committed to that program. Good thing to call his office about!
He also wanted us to have our rep support the Climate Conservation Corps at $30 billion. Naturally, the TX reps are trying to keep fossil fuel subsidies forever.
Healthcare--Schumer wants to see the following in the bill: ability for Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and thus lowering them; prohibit price gauging; and, cap out of pocket expenses for drugs. He does support including dental, hearing, and vision in Medicare as well as extending healthcare to low income people. Group leaders raised the point of lowering the age of Medicare to 60 as well as addressing the “donut” when it comes to age and coverage.
Immigration--They are still working on this and it was great to hear that Schumer’s listening to the progressive immigration organizations and working in concert with them.
We need better messaging too and for the general public to better see how hard he is working on all of these issues.
ACTIONS
Call Senator Schumer’s office and (pick one you like best):
*Thank him for supporting the Civilian Climate Corps, and ask him to support President Biden’s climate agenda which means including the Clean Electricity Performance Program in the reconciliation bill.
*Thank him for supporting lowering drug prices, and remind him we need to deliver a healthcare win for the people in 2021. Tell him to do everything he can to get all 50 Democrats on board with this.
*Thank him for supporting NYCHA and public housing, and fighting for $150 billion in the reconciliation bill. We also want to see him support a Green New Deal for public housing.
*Thank him for keeping the campaign finance part in the Freedom to Vote Act, and now we have to pass it. Tell him you support changing the rules to get this done.
Chuck Schumer's office:
DC: (202) 224-6542
NYC: (212) 486-4430
Call Carolyn Maloney and tell her to:
*Support $150 billion for housing in reconciliation
*Support $30 billion the Civilian Climate Corps
*Support ending fossil fuels subsidies and talk to the Texas Democrats who are holding out on this issue.
*Support lowering drug prices in reconciliation
*Don’t vote for BIF until the Senate has passed reconciliation
Carolyn Maloney's office:
DC: (202) 225·7944
NY: (212) 860-0606
VOTE!
Thanks to Kim Moscaritolo for this excellent ballot summary and voting suggestions, which I have reprinted with her permission.
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Early voting began yesterday, and in addition to voting on all City offices, voters will be asked to weigh in on 5 ballot proposals.
First, the tl;dr: I recommend voting YES on all 5 ballot proposals. I will elaborate on my reasoning for each one, but I believe that on the whole, each of these proposals will be a net positive for our state.
Ballot proposal #1 is by far the most complicated proposal, so I will address it last.
Ballot Proposal 2 - VOTE YES
Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment
This amendment would establish the right of each person to clean air and water and a healthful environment. While some groups (mostly oil and gas companies) have argued that the amendment is too vague and could lead to costly and unnecessary litigation, I believe that this amendment will give New Yorkers a constitutional basis on which to challenge environmentally harmful actions. I am voting yes.
Ballot Proposals 3 & 4 - VOTE YES!
Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement & Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting
These two proposals are no-brainers as far as I’m concerned. Currently the state legislature cannot enact no-excuse absentee voting, nor allow same day voter registration because of constitutional barriers. This amendment would simply eliminate those barriers and allow the legislature to enact these measures if they so choose. I am enthusiastically voting yes on both proposals.
Ballot Proposal 5 - VOTE YES
Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court
The proposed amendment would increase the New York City Civil Court’s jurisdiction by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current jurisdictional limit of $25,000. This change simply allows more cases to be heard in civil court, taking some of the load off of the state supreme court. I am voting yes.
Ballot Proposal 1 - VOTE YES
Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process
This is a long one. The proposed constitutional amendment would freeze the number of state senators at 63, amend the process for the counting of the state’s population, delete certain provisions that violate the United States Constitution, repeal and amend certain requirements for the appointment of the co-executive directors of the redistricting commission and amend the manner of drawing district lines for congressional and state legislative offices.
I am supportive of this amendment because in addition to codifying the end of prison gerrymandering and ensuring that ALL New Yorkers are counted for the purposes of drawing districts, it also simplifies the redistricting process and provides more time for the public and the legislature to examine proposed maps. While I’m agnostic on some portions of the proposal, on the whole I believe these changes are for the better, and so I will be voting yes.
Early Voting
Make sure to take advantage of Early Voting, beginning this Saturday, October 23rd! You can find your Early Voting site HERE. And of course you can still vote on Tuesday, November 2nd.
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FUN
Tools for war find whales
Tools meant to detect nuclear weapons discover a pod of blue whales
Play with your food! Or, er transform it into art
Master carver creates art with avocados
Logbooks of pyramid builders found
We now know some of their names.
A different kind of morning rush
Make way for geese!
