Action Items: Week of 1-30

Please note that some of these actions need to be done today or tomorrow.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door! (Some restrictions apply.)

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order banning anyone from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days.  This affects both visa holders and permanent residents of the United States; it also theoretically bans dual citizens from returning home to the US.  It also puts refugee processing on hold worldwide for three months and Syrian refugee processing on hold indefinitely.  People inbound on planes were detained at airports as protests coalesced around the nation; a New York federal judge issued a temporary stay in response to the ACLU but response from officials has been uneven.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/us/politics/donald-trump-rush-immigration-order-chaos.html?_r=0

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/jan/29/trumps-immigration-ban-4-key-questions-answered/

1. Call Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham and John McCain released a statement condemning the immigration ban.  Call Graham's offices and thank him for standing up for American values.

Senator Lindsey Graham
DC Office: (202) 224-5972
Midlands Office: (803) 933-0112

"Hi, I'm ______ and I'm Senator Graham's constituent from ______.  I'm calling to applaud the senator for taking a stand against inhumane, un-American immigration policy that makes the world more dangerous, not safer, for America.  I'm also calling on him to ask that he continue to stand up for American values and protect refugees, immigrants, and American citizens by fighting this immigration ban and any future similar action."

http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=587F2A2D-8A47-48F7-9045-CF30F0A77889

2, Attend a protest

Unfortunately, we don't have an international airport locally.  South Carolina Welcomes Refugees and the Refugee Task Force of the Carolina Peace Resource Center are holding a protest at the State House on Tuesday, January 31 from 5-7.  It will face the traffic on Gervais and they're asking for no signs with profanity or specific anti-Trump focus. Please consider attending and making your voice heard.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1842671892679550/

3. Donate to the ACLU

The ACLU  has been fighting Trump's authoritarianism since day one; Saturday they won a stay on deportations from the immigration ban in federal court.  That kind of fight takes money and plenty of it.  Please consider sending the ACLU a few dollars this week so they can continue to fight the good fight.

https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/president-trumps-first-week-aclu-hands-him-first-stinging-rebuke?redirect=blog/president-trumps-first-week-aclu-hands-him-first-stinging-rebuke

https://action.aclu.org/donate-aclu?ms=web_horiz_nav_hp

Call Tim Scott - we haven't forgotten Betsey DeVos is still unqualified

I highly encourage you to read the article linked below from the Post and Courier if you ever wondered what Tim Scott thinks about his constituents who disagree with him.  (Spoiler:  not much.)  He's dismissing calls for being from out of state and for reading from scripts.  He's dismissing calls from educators as a union ploy.  Frankly, he's dismissing calls because he doesn't like them.  I know immigration is the hot ticket this week, but don't forget that the vote on DeVos is tomorrow and call Tim Scott and remind him who he works for.  (Then call him about immigration later this week.)  Do remember that while DeVos gives him money, we can choose whether or not to give him votes.

Senator Tim Scott
DC Office: (202) 224-6121
Midlands Office: (803) 771-6112

Since Senator Scott thinks anybody reading from a script can't possibly have real concerns, as always feel free to write your own.

"Hi, I'm ______ and I'm Senator Scott's constituent from ______.  I was quite distressed to read in the Post and Courier that Senator Scott is so dismissive of the concerns of his constituents.  I believe Betsey DeVos is unqualified to be Secretary of Education; she has no experience in public school or higher education.  I also believe that anybody who has received as much money from a cabinet nominee as Senator Scott has should recuse himself from these hearings."

http://www.postandcourier.com/politics/palmetto-politics-tim-scott-faces-onslaught-of-opposition-for-supporting/article_7827a1da-e24b-11e6-8b3c-2bb0f98c4b61.html

Attend our meeting and bring a friend

We're having a meeting!  This Sunday, February 5 at 2 PM at the Hyatt Park Recreation Center, come and bring a friend.  We'll be discussing congressional office visits and a rally we hope to put on later this month.

Promote healthcare deadline (URGENT)

Days ahead of the ACA signup deadline, Trump pulled all the ads for it.  Somehow this seems to have flown a little under the radar; millions in TV and radio ads have been pulled, so some people may not be aware that they only have a few days left to sign up for the ACA (or that the ACA still exists, for that matter.)  Mailings are also not going out.  Use your networks; post to social media, call people you know who may need a reminder, do whatever you can to do what the administration won't.

The deadline to enroll is January 31, which is tomorrow.  If people need help, they can sign up for an appointment here (http://www.signupsc.org/get-help/).  Walk-in appointments are also available from 9-9 on January 31 at Richland Library Main.  Here is some information about what to bring to an appointment:  http://www.richlandlibrary.com/affordable-care-act-deadline-enrollment-event-0


http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/27/news/economy/obamacare-ads-trump/