What are OPEN groups doing to stop Trump?
Birds eye view of a global resistance
Looking for some inspiration in the era of Trump and the global rise of ethnonationalism?
We pulled together a collection of campaigns, tactics and efforts to resist Trump from every corner of the world.
This collection is a glimpse, but not necessarily a complete list. If you have more campaigns to add, please send them through – we will update as more efforts to resist Trump pop up around the world.
Jump to an organisation:
MoveOn
Leadnow
ActionStation
Uplift
Skiftet
Campact
38 Degrees
MoveOn
It wouldn’t be an article about what’s been happening to #Resist Trump without starting on home base. It’s tough times in the United States, but MoveOn have swiftly stepped up to the helm of the resistance – not backing down one inch under the Trump administration. Highlights have included:
- organising a 30,000 person ‘Ready to Resist: Emergency Call’
- and then a 40,000 person one just a week later – “shattering” a Guinness World Record for the most people engaged in a “single live conversation”, with the average participant staying on the line for 55 minutes
- calling for an official investigation of the President
- launching #ResistanceRecess, getting as many face-to-face meetings with elected officials during the first Congressional Recess
- planning ‘constituent town hall meetings’ if elected officials don’t organise their own
- launching powerful video after powerful video, and growing their Facebook community to almost 1.3 million people to combat the digital tactics used by Trump in the election
- helping promote and organise #ADayWithoutImmigrants events across the nation
- 730,000 MoveOn members signed a petition urging Macy’s to dump Donald Trump’s line of clothing – and then Trump threatened a lawsuit
- launched campaigns to block various nominations, including Steve Bannon, Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson and billionaire nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos
- over 375,000 MoveOn members fought Trump’s Muslim Ban online and at airport protests
- launching a SMS urgent alert list, asking people to text FIGHT to 668366 for updates
- organised local community meetings across the nation
- supported a huge number of mobilisations – the Global Women’s March, airport protests, March to Protect Immigrants and Refugees, Save Health Care rallies and so much more
- Cut through directly to Trump’s team, with Reince Priebus, Trump’s incoming chief of staff telling Fox News that “harassment from groups like MoveOn.org and the Democratic Party should stop.”
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Our Plan
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Ilya Sheyman, MoveOn.org Political Action
Date: 25 January 2017 at 10:56
Subject: Did you watch this video? (re: our plan)
To: Michael PolandHi Michael,
Did you watch the video in Anna’s email on Sunday? Click here to watch and share the video now.
(Not on Facebook? Click here to watch it on YouTube.)
The video quickly summarizes our plan to help grow a mass, accessible opposition movement—or resistance movement—to challenge the Trump Republican agenda, defend frontline communities, preserve the essential foundations of our constitutional democracy, and prepare to retake power in the 2017, 2018, and 2020 elections.
We’re already in motion. More than 25,000 people joined our emergency call on Sunday. And today, more than 10,000 MoveOn members are attending more than 200 fired-up actions at Senate offices to oppose Trump’s #SwampCabinet and his dangerous agenda. We’ll share photos and report back on these events and our next actions in the days ahead as we grow this resistance movement to meet this unprecedented moment.
And if you haven’t already, be sure to read Anna’s full email below, laying out our plan for the work ahead.
Thanks!
—Ilya and the rest of the team
Dear MoveOn member,
Saturday, we marched in hundreds of communities around the country in what appears to have been the largest set of protests in US history—a gorgeous showing of our resilience, strength, and solidarity. And then on Sunday, more than 25,000 people joined an Emergency Call together with our partners at Indivisible and the Working Families Party to discuss strategic actions to fight back against Trump’s agenda in the next few weeks. (Click here to listen to a recording of the call.)
But we also need to take the long view. Where do we go from here?
I wanted to take a moment to share our current thinking on the work we must do together in the months and years ahead—informed by what MoveOn members like you have said in surveys, email messages, and at hundreds of community meetings last weekend.
We’ve made a short video summarizing our plan; click here to watch it right now. And this email goes into much more detail.
**
Our overarching goal is clear: We must help grow a mass, accessible opposition—or resistance—movement to challenge Trump’s agenda, defend frontline communities, preserve the essential foundations of our constitutional democracy, and prepare to retake power in the 2017, 2018, and 2020 elections.
Here’s more about our key goals:
1. We must mobilize around strategic campaigns to stop Trump and the GOP’s devastating agenda.
The first big fight we’re prioritizing is the effort to protect health care for tens of millions of Americans by saving the Affordable Care Act from repeal and stopping Trump’s efforts to privatize Medicare, gut Medicaid, and defund Planned Parenthood.
What does that fight look like? Most of all, it means SHOWING UP and making our voices heard by members of Congress—showing Democrats that we expect them to stand strong and fight hard, showing Republicans that their constituents are fired up in opposition, and ensuring that the media and broader public understand that the GOP has zero mandate to take away health care from millions of Americans or increase their health care costs.
MoveOn members have already made tens of thousands of phone calls to members of Congress, organized rallies at more than 75 targeted senate offices, held planning meetings in hundreds of communities, launched a coalition to stop Representative Tom Price’s nomination for secretary of Health and Human Services, lifted the voices of members who would lose their health care, led visible, legal, and peaceful protests in Washington to help showcase broad-based opposition to Trump’s plans, and started working on a new Robert Reich video about the disastrous impact of taking health care away from tens of millions of Americans. And there’s much more to come.
But health care is just the start. This effort is a good example of what we’ll need to do going forward. Together with partner organizations, we’ll need to mobilize a visible mass movement that’s clear and convincing. As we do, we’ll need to get our message out through the mainstream media AND use our own social media channels to spread the word.
We’ll need to partner closely with other organizations and individuals as we go, so that we can be greater than the sum of our parts. For instance, the amazing organizers who led the charge on the Women’s March are promoting 10 actions that we can all take in the first 100 days of Trump’s Administration. We’ll help promote this and other collective efforts.
Along the way, we must be strategic in our actions and messages so that we’re not working from Trump’s script.
And crucially, as we campaign to stop the worst abuses, we must build and maintain momentum around an inspiring and positive vision of our future — not just say “no” to extreme policies.
We’ll lean in on the kinds of big ideas that can galvanize a mass movement. Like Medicare for all. Ending mass incarceration. Keeping carbon in the ground. An economy that invests in people and communities, not just endless growth and shareholder profits. We’ll campaign for an inspiring progressive agenda and win some real victories—starting with places where Democrats hold power, at the local and state levels.
2. We will work to protect communities that are being scapegoated by Trump’s bigoted and hateful rhetoric.
This means drawing a hard line, starting with supporting undocumented Americans and Muslims—and all communities of Americans who may be specifically targeted by Trump and the Republicans, or by surging hate crimes around the country. We will carry out legal and peaceful protests and advocacy—including at the local and state levels—and media campaigns in solidarity with and in defense of those among us who are part of so-called frontline communities. We will refuse to let anyone be scapegoated, harassed, deported, locked up, or otherwise targeted.
To that end, we partnered with the organization DRUM and a range of allies in December on a campaign that successfully called upon President Obama to end NSEERS, a Bush-era program that could have become the framework for Trump’s Muslim registry. This was a crucial victory that will slow Trump’s ability to institute such a program—and it demonstrated the impact of our collective will to fight state-sponsored Islamophobia.
We also joined with leading immigration advocates to support massive rallies before the inauguration—and to call upon mayors across the country to declare their localities “sanctuaries” for their undocumented residents. We will continue to support local and state efforts to resist escalating deportations.
We’ll need to be really clear: An attack on any one of us is an attack on us all.
(As a reminder: Click here to watch and share this short video outlining MoveOn’s plan to resist Trump and his GOP while rebuilding progressive power.)
3. We must help to preserve the essential foundations of our constitutional democracy during the next four years.
Although the Republican Party bears significant responsibility for Trump’s rise, this administration isn’t just a group of Republicans. Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, is a white supremacist. Trump’s other advisers and Cabinet nominees seem to think that they are above the laws and norms of our democracy—with their threats to the freedom of the press, attacks on ethics officials calling out corrupt behavior, and already evident efforts to politicize government agencies.
We’ll need to prevent this administration’s behaviors and actions from being normalized. That includes running campaigns that call on independent institutions—from corporations to nonprofit groups—not to legitimize or give cover to the Trump administration when they’re carrying out appalling attacks on our democracy and communities. And we’ll support those that stand up for inclusive American values.
For instance: More than 100,000 MoveOn members like you joined an effort, led by CREDO, that asked Democratic lawmakers to boycott Trump’s inauguration, resulting in more than 70 House members deciding not to attend.
This administration is not business as usual, and every institution in America has a role to play in stopping the worst possible outcomes.
By modeling a principled stand in defense of our democracy and our best values, we can inspire the same spirit of resistance in others and grow the power to push back. That includes Democratic senators and members of Congress, state government officials, mayors, university heads, bureaucrats, CEOs, and others.
4. We need to prepare to win back power in 2017, 2018, and 2020 elections.
We shouldn’t underestimate the challenge of taking back the White House in 2020. It will require that we mobilize around our key values and aspirations and create an inspiring and inclusive alternative to Trump’s right-wing nationalist agenda.
The roadmap to retaking power looks something like this:
- Wage strategic issue campaigns that, among other things:
- Model an inspiring and inclusive vision for our future.
- Help drive down Trump’s support in the general public (which is historically low even at the beginning of his term!).
- Keep millions of progressive-minded Americans engaged in the political process.
- Identify and support great leaders who embody fierce opposition to Trumpism and embrace an inspiring alternative. And we need to hold accountable Democratic leaders who fail in this regard. This includes fighting for a Democratic Party leadership that embraces an inclusive, populist, and progressive agenda and distances itself from corporations and lobbyists.
- Win races in 2017 to help demonstrate the backlash to Trump and his extreme administration. This year, there are key state-level elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and North Carolina.
- Defend key Democratic seats in Congress in 2018—a challenging year. We’ll have to defend our champions and support other Democrats who’ve been principled members of the resistance to Trump and Trumpism. And we’ll need to expand progressive power at the state level including by winning back key governorships.
- Mobilize around our key values and aspirations—with a great candidate—to win the White House in 2020.
Along the way, we will continue to track and call out the shocking levels of corruption and apparent entanglements with foreign governments in the Trump Administration. If legal experts agree that there’s a strong case for impeachment, MoveOn members may be needed to help press that case in Congress.
This plan is summarized briefly in our new video, which you can watch and share with friends and family.
***
We can’t yet know which will be the decisive fights in the coming months and years, or which exact races will be the most important for us to work on together. But we can say with some certainty that you and I will be in the middle of those fights, together. MoveOn will continue, as we always have, to respond rapidly to emerging challenges—while keeping in mind our larger progressive vision.
Despite the real threats we’re facing, I am optimistic. I’m optimistic in part because I know what we, together, are capable of achieving. During the post-9/11 years, MoveOn members helped turn back the worst excesses of the Bush era—from opposing and helping to end the Iraq War, to helping stave off the privatization of Social Security.
And, as Saturday’s marches made clear, we are the majority. As we fight for a fair economy, civil rights and liberties, health care for all Americans, and a healthy environment, we’ll be standing shoulder to shoulder with Americans from all walks of life.
While the days ahead may be among our greatest tests, we have never been stronger. I’m thrilled to share with you that in the two months since the election, the number of MoveOn members chipping in monthly to support our work DOUBLED; there are now more than 50,000 people who contribute monthly to sustain our resistance work. This allows us to organize and build our campaigns in 2017 and beyond from a position of strength.
With Trump in office, we need your sustained support more than ever before. Will you consider chipping in $5 a month?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
This is an incredibly challenging period—
unprecedented in our history. But I’ve never been more confident in the power of MoveOn’s members, our staff team, and our broader community. Our strategic priorities are ambitious—but we can achieve them.
In the months and years to come, we will be channeling, supporting, and stoking mass peaceful and legal opposition to the Trump Republican agenda, and we will be laying the groundwork to win back power. Our resistance will be broad, inclusive, and accessible. We will protect our communities from harm. We will survive the Trump era while preserving our civil liberties and constitutional democracy. We will gain ground in elections in 2017 and 2018, and we will win back the White House in 2020 through an inclusive, equitable progressive platform.
Our values will prevail through these challenging times.
MoveOn has been here for 18 years, and we’re not going anywhere. We’re only getting stronger. Some of you have been here that whole time, some of you have been part of MoveOn for just a few days. You, along with the millions of MoveOn members like you, give me hope.
Thanks for all you do.
–Anna, Ilya, and the rest of the team
P.S. Reminder: Our plan is summarized in our new video. Click here to watch it and share it with friends.
Here’s a link to watch the video on YouTube, if you’d prefer: https://act.moveon.
org/go/7703?t=15&akid=176905. 34077347.wmdFFg P.P.S. Don’t forget to listen to a recording of Sunday’s conference call.
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
- Wage strategic issue campaigns that, among other things:
-
Appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Trump
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Senator Jeff Merkley
Date: 23 February 2017 at 08:32
Subject: Add your name: Appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Trump
To: Michael PolandDear MoveOn member,
More than 50 members of Congress, including myself, are encouraging Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself and appoint a special prosecutor for the Department of Justice’s pending investigation into contact between Donald Trump’s team and Russian intelligence operatives.1
As an adviser to the Trump campaign, Sessions is too close to the situation.
Recuse yourself and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Trump team’s ties to Russia.
Did Mike Flynn break the law when he talked to the Russian ambassador? Did the Trump campaign contact Russian intelligence services? What is the relationship between Trump’s team and the Russian government? What did Stephen Bannon and Donald Trump know, and when did they know it?
The American people deserve answers to all of these questions and more.
Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
Thanks!
—Senator Jeff Merkley
Source:
1. “More Democrats call on Sessions to withdraw from Russia probe,” The Washington Post, February 17, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8445?t=5&akid=178567.34077347. gldXtq -
Investigate Trump (fundraiser)
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Jo Comerford, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Date: 18 February 2017 at 03:30
Subject: Bigger than Watergate?
To: Michael PolandDear MoveOn member,
Monday night, Donald Trump’s national security adviser was forced to resign after lying about his conversations with Russia about U.S. sanctions during Trump’s transition into office.1
Then on Tuesday, we learned that Trump’s campaign team was in repeated contact with Russian intelligence officials during his presidential campaign.2
And because we still haven’t seen Trump’s tax returns, we have no idea what kinds of conflicts of interest or financial ties he has to Russia or anyone else.
We’re demanding that Republicans in Congress do their job and launch a full and independent investigation into Trump’s potentially treasonous actions. This investigation must start immediately, and we must keep the pressure on for as long as it takes for Congress to get to the bottom of Trump’s Russia connection and expose the truth.
Will you chip in $5 to help our ongoing campaign to demand that Congress investigate and expose Trump’s ties to Russia and his other conflicts of interest?
Yes, I’ll chip in monthly to keep the pressure on.
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
Republicans are still refusing to perform their basic oversight responsibilities, but the most recent revelations may finally force them to act.
Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather is saying that the Trump team’s contact with the Russian government during the campaign could be a bigger scandal than Watergate, and he would know—he covered the Watergate scandal.3
Congressman and former Marine officer Seth Moulton has called it “the definition of treason” if Trump conspired with a foreign government to hack into the DNC to win an election.4
That’s why in recent days, Senate Republicans like John Cornyn and John McCain have called for an investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia.5 But Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are still covering for Trump, so we must keep pushing for as long as it takes.6
More than 300,000 MoveOn members have already signed a petition calling for an investigation, and on Wednesday MoveOn produced a rapid response video asking what Trump knew and when he knew it that’s already been seen hundreds of thousands of times.
Next week is the first congressional recess since Trump was sworn in, and MoveOn members will help pack town hall meetings all over the country calling on both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to do their job. We’re continuing to host organizing calls on Sunday nights and protests on Tuesdays. And we’ll keep at it for as long as it takes—even through the 2018 midterms and beyond, if that’s what’s necessary. We won’t let up until Congress really gets to the bottom of Trump’s ties to Russia—and exposes his conflicts of interest.
Can you chip in $5 a month to help keep the pressure on?
Yes, I’ll chip in to help hold Trump accountable.
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
Thanks for all you do.
—Jo, Tzyh, Ann, Manny, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “Flynn resigns amid controversy over Russia contacts,” CNN, February 13, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8322?t=6&akid=178260.34077347. dSCpJe 2. “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence,” The New York Times, February 14, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8321?t=8&akid=178260.34077347. dSCpJe 3. “Veteran US reporter Dan Rather raises Watergate spectre,” BBC News, February 15, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8323?t=10&akid=178260.34077347. dSCpJe 4. “Dem Rep: It Would Be ‘Definition Of Treason’ If WH ‘Conspiring’ With Russia,” Talking Points Memo, February 14, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8324?t=12&akid=178260. 34077347.dSCpJe 5. “Flynn contact with Russia: Republicans join calls for investigation,” BBC News, February 15, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8325?t=14&akid=178260.34077347. dSCpJe 6. “GOP leaders offer no new investigation of Flynn, will rely on ongoing Russia probes,” USA Today, February 14, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8326?t=16&akid=178260.34077347. dSCpJe Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
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Investigate Trump (video ad)
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Justin Krebs, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Date: 16 February 2017 at 13:22
Subject: Congress must investigate Trump and Russia (watch now)
To: Michael PolandDear MoveOn member,
What did the president know, and when did he know it?
That’s what we all need to ask—and what Congress must investigate—in the wake of revelations that Trump knew for weeks about Michael Flynn’s secret and likely illegal conversations with Russian officials.
Will you watch and share MoveOn’s 90-second video that lays out the timeline of the Flynn scandal and calls on Congress to launch a full and independent investigation into Trump’s entanglements with Russia?
(Not on Facebook? Click here to watch on YouTube.)
Acting Attorney General Sally Yates warned the White House that Flynn was subject to blackmail by Russia. Yet Flynn continued to receive intelligence briefings.
Every day, there are new revelations about the web of entanglements between Trump, his campaign, his administration, and Russian government officials and intelligence agencies.
Enough is enough. The American people deserve a thorough, independent, and immediate investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia.
Thanks for all you do.
—Justin K., Anne, Jo, Manny, and the rest of the team
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
-
Resistance Recess Launch + Plan Details
Dear MoveOn member,
Next week is the first congressional recess of Donald Trump’s presidency—and for many of us, it will be the first opportunity to speak directly with our members of Congress.
That’s why MoveOn, Daily Kos, Indivisible, and other groups across the progressive movement are launching a huge effort called The Resistance Recess. Together, we will make sure that members of Congress and the media hear that Americans won’t tolerate the Trump Republican agenda, including attacks on our health care.
Here’s how it will work:
- We will show up at our elected officials’ events, town halls, and other public appearances to demand answers to the questions that we, their constituents, deserve to have answered—from whether our members of Congress will pledge to protect and improve our health care (instead of stripping it from millions of Americans) to how they will stop the unconstitutional actions of the White House.
- We will make it clear to Republicans that the Trump administration’s dangerous policies are completely unacceptable—and that we won’t let these attacks on health care, our communities, and our democracy occur unanswered. If Republicans put themselves on the wrong side of history, we will hold them accountable.
- We will make it clear to Democrats that progressives demand full-on resistance to Trump’s agenda. That means fighting for an immediate, independent investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia, rejecting his Supreme Court nominee, working to overturn his racist and xenophobic attacks on immigrants, and using every available tool to block his toxic agenda that would bankrupt our nation and divide our communities for the benefit of billionaires and corporations. Although some Democrats are starting to stand up, we need all Democrats to catch up to the resistance in the streets and do their part in this unprecedented moment.
- And if lawmakers refuse to hold public events for their constituents, we will hold our own. Some lawmakers are trying to wiggle out of holding town halls or other public appearances. When that happens, we will hold “constituent town halls” to highlight to the public and the media the lawmakers who won’t even meet with their constituents.
We need you next week! But according to our records, there isn’t a Resistance Recess meeting close to you yet. Can you post an event, so we can invite other constituents in your area? Here’s how:
First, double-check to see if there’s an event near you. (It’s possible that event has just been added, or that we don’t have your full address.) Click here now to see if there’s a local Resistance Recess event targeting your member of Congress.
If you don’t see anything posted, call your representative’s and/or senators’ district and D.C. offices—and see if they are planning on holding a public town hall or office hours.
- If YES, they say that they are holding a town hall or office hours, submit the details here, and we will invite nearby MoveOn members who are constituents to join you there.
- If you discover that NO, your members of Congress are not hosting a town hall within a reasonable distance from you, you can host a constituent town hall—an event that constituents hold to have their voices heard and highlight their lawmakers’ lack of a formal town hall. A constituent town hall is a great way to get media attention and highlight that your lawmaker is avoiding constituents during the congressional recess! Here’s how to host one:
-
- Find a location—like a library, event space, or even outside a member of Congress’ district office—and pick a time and date.
- Invite your member of Congress.
- Click here to post your event on ResistanceRecess.com, and MoveOn and partner groups will invite fellow constituents.
- Put together an agenda and let the media know.
- Check out our materials page for all the guides and information you need to plan an event.
- Have an awesome event!
Since the election, we’ve seen a beautiful and powerful surge of grassroots energy. Every week, we’ve seen rallies across the country pushing back on Trump’s nominees and the Republican agenda, demanding that Democrats show spine, and defending frontline communities.
We know that our efforts are working. Democrats have begun to stand up, working to block the members of Trump’s #SwampCabinet. Republicans have started to abandon their own plans to take away health care from tens of millions of Americans. And now officials in both parties are recognizing the dangerous and potentially unconstitutional actions of Trump and his team with regards to national security.
But we need to keep the pressure on. Next week’s recess is our biggest opportunity yet to make sure that Republicans who side with Trump are held accountable and that Democrats understand that using every single tool at their disposal to block Trump’s toxic agenda is not just justified, but absolutely necessary for our democracy—and our most cherished values—to survive the Trump era.
We hope you’ll host (or attend) a Resistance Recess event. Click here to get started.
Thanks for all you do.
—Katharine, Gabriela, Manny, Victoria, and the rest of the team
P.S. This Sunday, MoveOn, Indivisible, The Working Families Party, People’s Action, and The Center for Popular Democracy will host a Ready to Resist Emergency Conference Call. Click here to RSVP for it.
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
-
Resistance Recess
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Victoria Kaplan, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Date: 22 February 2017 at 03:41
Subject: Deep trouble (for Trump and Republicans)
To: Michael PolandDear MoveOn member,
The resistance is working. The Trump White House is in “full-blown crisis” over the administration’s ties to Russia, and the Republican Congress has so far achieved zero of its legislative priorities.1
The New York Times described it this way: “Congressional Republicans, who craved unified control of the government to secure their aggressive conservative agenda, have instead found themselves on a legislative elliptical trainer, gliding toward nowhere.”2
Compare it with the first four weeks of Barack Obama’s presidency, when Democrats passed a landmark bill to stop pay discrimination, a nearly $1 trillion stimulus, and legislation to expand the children’s health insurance program.3
This week, members of Congress are home for their first recess since Trump was sworn in. So we’ve put our foot on the gas—with Resistance Recess, a weeklong series of events in partnership with 20 other resistance organizations, including Daily Kos, Indivisible, and the Women’s March, to make clear to our lawmakers and the media that we won’t tolerate the Trump Republican agenda.
There are more than 350 events planned across the country this week, including elected officials’ public events, town halls, and other public appearances—and the number of events is growing by the hour. When lawmakers refuse to host events to meet with us, we plan our own. This huge effort has already been featured on the front page of The New York Times.4
Now, we need your help to promote the events with Facebook ads, pay for conference calls with tens of thousands of MoveOn members organizing events, and produce riveting videos of lawmakers being confronted by their constituents. Will you chip in $3 to help fuel this week’s Resistance Recess?
Yes, I’ll chip in and help fuel this week’s Resistance Recess.
Remember the summer of 2009, when the Tea Party swarmed August recess town halls? This reshaped the political moment, put President Obama and the Democrats on defense, and nearly scuttled the Affordable Care Act.
This week is our moment to show up. The difference is we’re doing it earlier in a presidency than the Tea Party, and we’re not an angry minority. We’re a principled majority.
With Trump embroiled in serious scandals that threaten our national security and Republicans on the run over their signature effort to take health care away from tens of millions of Americans, we can force Congress to investigate Trump’s financial conflicts of interest and ties to the Russian government, blunt his right-wing agenda, and reclaim the political landscape.
Please, chip in $3 to help fuel this week’s Resistance Recess.
Here’s what Resistance Recess looks like:
- Hundreds of events, including massive turnout at town hall meetings. If you’ve seen footage of Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah confronted by his constituents, you know that a show of force at town hall meetings can make national news—and shift the momentum in critical fights.
- Demanding town halls—and hosting our own if members of Congress refuse to organize events. We’ve launched dozens of petitions and are earning media coverage to shame cowards in Congress who won’t meet with their constituents. And for those who still won’t meet with us, we’re hosting “empty chair” town hall meetings to draw attention to their refusal and hold them accountable.
- A clear set of demands at these events, from calling for an independent investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia and financial conflicts of interest, to defending frontline communities, to stopping Republican efforts to take away our health care. We’re bringing this message to Republicans who need to feel the pressure, as well as to Democrats who need to stand up and fight.
- A stream of videos, pictures, and social media stories that can fuel this surging resistance movement.
- A steady flood of phone calls to make sure that the phones in every lawmaker’s office are ringing off the hook.
This is a huge moment. Can you chip in $3 so we can make the most of this week’s Resistance Recess?
Thanks for all you do.
—Victoria, Corinne, Nick, Chris, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “Flynn departure erupts into a full-blown crisis for the Trump White House,” The Washington Post, February 14, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8334?t=5&akid=178468.34077347. dZhGaI 2. “G.O.P.’s Grand Visions for Congress Now Look Like a Mirage,” The New York Times, February 16, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8335?t=7&akid=178468.34077347. dZhGaI 3. Ibid.
4. “Congress Goes Home, and Constituents Fired Up Over Health Care Are Waiting,” The New York Times, February 17, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8359?t=9&akid=178468.34077347. dZhGaI Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
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Resistance Recess (teleconference promo)
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Victoria Kaplan, MoveOn.org Civic Action
Date: 19 February 2017 at 11:07
Subject: RSVP now: Resistance Recess Sunday Kickoff Call with Indivisible, #AllofUs, and more
To: Michael PolandDear MoveOn member,
Are you ready for #ResistanceRecess?
The first congressional recess of the Trump administration is underway. Your members of Congress—your representative and your two senators—have likely headed home for a week of “district work”; that is, to meet with constituents and hear from the communities they represent. This is one of our best opportunities to make our voices heard in person with our elected officials—and to show the media and broader public that the resistance has unprecedented energy and real momentum and impact.
We’ll be ready. Tomorrow, Sunday, February 19, will you join MoveOn, Indivisible, #AllofUs, and tens of thousands of people across the country on the Ready to Resist national call to kick off #ResistanceRecess?
You can also listen in and ask questions via the livestream of the call at moveon.org/readytoresist.
Then, let your friends and family know about the call by spreading the word.Click here to share info about the call on Facebook.
Click here to share info about the call on Twitter.Already, together we’re making headlines—including hitting the front page of today’s New York Times—by showing up in droves at members of Congress’s town halls and other in-person events back home.1 We’re changing the conversation, making it harder for Trump to enact his agenda, and developing the kind of progressive, community-based, visionary leadership that will restore our country.
This is the fourth call in our popular Ready to Resist series, which we launched the weekend of the historic Women’s Marches. We hoped 1,000 would join that first call; 60,000 did, breaking a Guinness World Record for the most people in a live conversation together.2 We can break that record again, but only if you join the call Sunday night and spread the word! (And if this is your first call, welcome!)
This Sunday, we’ll hear from
- Yong Jung Cho, co-founder of #AllofUs and former Campaign Coordinator with 350 Action, who’ll share stories of successful interactions with elected officials that have led to substantive commitments and action;
- Ezra Levin, co-author of the Indivisible Guide and former congressional staffer, who’ll walk us through what to expect at town hall meetings, district office visits, and other recess events, and how to make the most of the opportunity;
- Rafael Shimunov, National Creative Director with the Working Families Party, who’ll regale us with tips and ideas for making our own media;
- Jezebel Jimenez, youth leader with Make the Road New Jersey, will brief us on how we can respond as a community to Trump’s immigration sweeps; and
- Activists sharing stories from recent town hall meetings and local actions.
Will you join the Ready to Resist call this Sunday, February 19, at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT) to learn how to unite in positive, peaceful action this week?
RSVP for the call here, and then invite your family and friends.
Talk with you Sunday night!
And thanks for all you do.
—Victoria, Amy, Jayne, Jamiah, and the rest of the team
P.S. Check out resistancerecess.com to find or create events near you during #ResistanceRecess, now through February 26. And click here to RSVP for Sunday’s kickoff call, and invite your friends!
Sources:
1. “Congress Goes Home, and Constituents Fired Up Over Health Care Are Waiting,” The New York Times, February 17, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8359?t=5&akid=178318.34077347. QxrYC5 2. “Democrats, pushed by grass-root protests, unifying Trump opposition,” USA Today, February 1, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8030?t=7&akid=178318.34077347. QxrYC5 -
Robert Reich - Healthcare Info Video
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Robert Reich <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 13 February 2017 at 08:27
Subject: The real reasons why Trump wants to gut health care
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear fellow MoveOn member,
Don’t be fooled by Donald Trump’s and the GOP’s song and dance about replacing the Affordable Care Act—also known as Obamacare.
Trump and the Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare. (They’ll never be able to replace it.)
In my latest video with MoveOn, I tackle the reasons why the “party of Trump” is bound and determined to pull the plug on health care for tens of millions of Americans. Please watch it now, and then share it with your family and friends.
(Not on Facebook? You can watch it on YouTube.)
Spoiler alert. Here’s what we’re in for if Republicans take away Obamacare:
- 32 million Americans will lose their health care coverage.
- Tens of thousands of Americans will die because they won’t get the medical care they need and deserve.
- Medicare will be in far worse shape.
- The rich will only get richer.
This. Is. Lunacy.
Michael, it’s up to all of us to fight back.
Already, Republicans in Congress are feeling the heat from near-constant MoveOn member protests fighting to save the Affordable Care Act.
Thanks for all you do.
—Robert Reich
P.S. Tonight, will you join MoveOn’s next Ready to Resist Call at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT), to learn about effective actions to take in the week ahead? Listen online via a live web stream and RSVP for future calls at this page: moveon.org/readytoresist.
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RSVP for Sunday's Ready to Resist Call
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Victoria Kaplan, MoveOn.org Civic Action <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 12 February 2017 at 13:52
Subject: RSVP for Sunday’s Ready to Resist Call
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear MoveOn member,
On Wednesday, a mother of two who came to the United States as a child and lived 21 years in this country raising a family, showed up for her regular immigration check-in (as she has done for nearly 10 years), and was locked up and then deported the next day.1 Her kids will grow up without their mother. This was part of a multi-state, coordinated sweep that is terrorizing immigrant communities this week.
While this isn’t brand new under Trump, many people, alarmed by Trump’s disregard for the Constitution, are asking what we can do to help protect frontline communities and how we can continue to stand together to resist Trump’s unconstitutional and dangerous actions, from his now-paused Muslim ban, to his gutting of Wall Street regulations, to the expanded powers he gave to police in an executive order this week, and the ongoing—but slowed, thanks to your organizing—attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
This Sunday night, at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT), join MoveOn and allies for Ready to Resist: Emergency Call #3 to hear from the mayor of Minneapolis Betsy Hodges and United We Dream’s Cristina Jimenez about how cities and towns can be the frontlines of resistance to Trump, share strategies for the week ahead, and prepare for “Resistance Recess,” when we will directly address members of Congress who will be back home from D.C.
You can also stream the call live at moveon.org/readytoresist.
Then, let your friends and family know about the call by spreading the word.Click here to share info about the call on Facebook.
Click here to share info about the call on Twitter.During this call Sunday, we’ll look at how through a trio of strategies—focusing on cities, Congress, and corporations—we can weave together a successful movement that resists and wins. We’ll discuss opportunities to take peaceful and strategic action this week to make a difference and grow this movement.
I like to think of these Sunday calls as one hour of power. Here’s more about the leaders from across the resistance movement who we’ll hear from this Sunday, February 12:
- Cristina Jimenez, executive director and co-founder of United We Dream, will unpack what she’s learned from immigrant communities around the country about this latest coordinated deportation sweep—what is new and what isn’t, and what we can do about it.
- Mayor Betsy Hodges of Minneapolis, Minnesota, will discuss how cities like hers can stand up as “sanctuary cities”—and more—against deportations and be the frontlines of resistance to Trump.
- Hugh Espey, executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, one of the country’s premier trainers in “bird-dogging”—the skill of asking tough questions of elected officials in public—will lead a training in how to make the most of the upcoming February congressional recess.
- Jennifer Epps-Addison, president and co-executive director of The Center for Popular Democracy, will share how Disney employees are organizing to get Disney to stop collaborating with Trump.
- Georgia Hollister Isman, state director of Rhode Island Working Families Party, will illuminate how 1,000 people showed up at a spaghetti dinner hosted by Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, sparking a mobilization that’s stiffening the spines of Democrats to truly meet this extraordinary moment.
I’ve got to share something just remarkable with you: If you joined the first Ready to Resist call on January 22, you helped “shatter” a Guinness World Record—for the most people engaged in a “single live conversation”!2 And the truly amazing part? The average listener participates in Ready to Resist calls for 55 minutes—nearly 4 times as long as the average telephone town hall listener—which tells me that participants are finding the content valuable.
But what matters is not how many of us get on the phone together—what matters are the actions that we take together. Which is why on this Sunday’s call—and on every Sunday call—you’ll learn about specific actions to take in the upcoming week to make a difference. (Want a sneak peek of one of this week’s actions? Join or host a Valentine’s Day Let’s Make a Date rally at your members’ of Congress local office this Tuesday, February 14).
Will you join the Ready to Resist call this Sunday night, February 12, at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT) to learn how to unite in action this week?
RSVP for the call here, and then invite your family and friends.
Talk with you Sunday night.
Thanks for all you do.
—Victoria, Amy, Jayne, Jamiah, and the rest of the team
P.S. Mark your calendars for our next two Ready to Resist calls: tomorrow, Sunday, February 12, at 8 p.m. ET (7 CT/6 MT/5 PT), and the following Sunday, February 19, at the same time, when we’ll team up again with the folks who wrote the Indivisible Guide and millennial organizer Yong Jung Cho to kick off “Resistance Recess”—a pivotal week of action when members of Congress are home to meet with constituents. You can RSVP now for both calls, and you’ll receive a phone call at the start of the calls at the number you provide. We take privacy seriously and never share your phone number.
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Block Steve Bannon
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Amy Frame <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 5 February 2017 at 07:16
Subject: Steve Bannon (still time to sign the petition to Congress)
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear Michael,
It’s not too late to block Steve Bannon from sitting on the National Security Council. Just this week, we’ve seen news reports that Bannon is amassing power in the White House, helped the president decide to launch a disastrous military raid in Yemen, and has a worldview that is even more dangerous and violent than previously known.1,2,3 It’s more clear than ever that we must do everything possible to stop him now.
With the Trump Administration already banging the drums of war, Bannon’s seat at the center of America’s national security is even more troubling. Just over a year ago, Bannon said there is “no doubt” that the U.S. would soon be fighting a “major shooting war in the Middle East,” and only months ago, he declared “we’re going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years.”4
Unless we stop him, he now has the power to turn those terrifying predictions into reality. Add your name to the petition to help oust Steve Bannon from the National Security Council.
Congress can act to remove Bannon from the National Security Council—and in the past 72 hours, 69 members of Congress have signed on to Representative Stephanie Murphy’s bill that would do just that.5 Now is a moment for all members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to choose a side. Will they trust our national security to a white nationalist political operative with a reckless, apocalyptic worldview, or will they fight back?
(For more details, please see my colleague Stephen Miles’ first email, below.)
Thanks for all you do.
—Amy Frame, Win Without War
Sources:
1. “Steve Bannon Builds a New Node of Power in the White House,” The Daily Beast, January 31, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8037?t=5&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 2. “Raid in Yemen: Risky From the Start and Costly in the End,” The New York Times, February 1, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8038?t=7&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 3. “This Is How Steve Bannon Sees The Entire World,” Buzzfeed, November 15, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/7964?t=9&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 4. “Steve Bannon: ‘We’re going to war in the South China Sea … no doubt,’” The Guardian, February 1, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/8039?t=11&akid=177549. 34077347.BlXprU 5. “Rep. Stephanie Murphy Joins Unofficial Team of Women Against Trump With Anti-Bannon Bill,” Slate, February 2, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/8040?t=13&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU
Dear MoveOn member,
Steve Bannon is a dangerous right-wing extremist, and Donald Trump just gave him a seat at the most powerful table in the world.
Will you sign this petition calling on your representatives in Congress to stop this?
Donald Trump’s decision to seat right-wing white nationalist Steve Bannon on the National Security Council, while downgrading the standing of our military and intelligence leaders, is dangerous for America and the world. Congress must be a check on this dangerous politicization of our nation’s security and immediately act to keep Steve Bannon off the National Security Council.
The National Security Council (NSC) is a group of the president’s most senior military, diplomatic, and intelligence advisors, or at least it’s supposed to be. Under a directive issued on Saturday by Donald Trump, Steve Bannon—the “alt-right” white-nationalist chief strategist to the president—has been appointed to the inner circle of the NSC, while the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence have been relegated to attend NSC meetings on an as-needed basis.1
This unprecedented move politicizes our national security far beyond what George W. Bush and Karl Rove did, and it opens the door to even more disastrous efforts like the Iraq War and the Patriot Act—or much worse.2
Thankfully, Congress has the power to stop this. Congress created the National Security Council and as recently as last year passed legislation regulating it. Right now, members of Congress are drafting legislation to keep Steve Bannon off the National Security Council and protect the independence of our national security from Donald Trump’s political meddling.
This isn’t just about sending a message. Bannon is reportedly the driving force behind the extreme, un-American executive orders Trump has issued in his first week in office.3 In fact, according to CNN, Bannon personally spearheaded Trump’s order banning all immigrants and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., and slamming America’s door to all refugees indefinitely.4
Congress must immediately undo this politicization of America’s national security.
Bannon represents the worst of the Trump administration’s hardliners.5 He has made a career out of facilitating the rise of white nationalism, argued that being perceived as evil is a source of political power, has been praised by the KKK and neo-Nazis, and more.6,7,8,9 All signs suggest that Bannon believes deeply in the so-called clash of civilizations and that the United States needs to be made into a hub for a new kind of right-wing populism centering on white identity politics.10 We cannot let this vision be the beating heart of our nation’s national security policy.
We know that this is terrifying. But the amazing mobilization of our movement over the past 10 days shows that we have the power to stop this. Millions of us have taken to the streets: from the unprecedented Women’s March to the actions across the country at airports that helped reunite families torn apart by Trump’s Muslim ban. Now it’s time to keep the architect of Donald Trump’s hateful and dangerous agenda away from America’s national security.
Take two minutes to make sure your members of Congress hear loudly and clearly that they must act.
Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
Thanks!
—Stephen Miles, Win Without War
Sources:
1. “A few things to know about Steve Bannon’s ascension to the National Security Council,” Miami Herald, January 31, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7967?t=19&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 2. “The danger of Steve Bannon on the National Security Council,” The Washington Post, January 29, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/7924?t=21&akid=177549. 34077347.BlXprU 3. “Steve Bannon Is Making Sure There’s No White House Paper Trail, Says Intel Source,” Foreign Policy, January 30, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7959?t=23&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 4. “Inside the confusion of the Trump executive order and travel ban,” CNN, January 30, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7932?t=25&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 5. “Donald Trump taps hardliners for national security team,” CNN, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7965?t=27&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 6. “After Naming White Nationalist as Top Aide, Trump Installs Him On the National Security Council,” Global Progressive Hub, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7961?t=29&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 7. “‘Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That’s power’: Steve Bannon speaks out for first time since being named Donald Trump’s top White House adviser,” Salon, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7962?t=31&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 8. “After Naming White Nationalist as Top Aide, Trump Installs Him On the National Security Council,” Global Progressive Hub, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7961?t=33&akid=177549.34077347. BlXprU 9. “Stephen Bannon and Breitbart News, in Their Words,” The New York Times, November 14, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/7963?t=35&akid=177549. 34077347.BlXprU 10. “This Is How Steve Bannon Sees The Entire World,” BuzzFeed, November 15, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/7964?t=37&akid=177549. 34077347.BlXprU -
Block Betty DeVos
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Natalia Abrams <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 3 February 2017 at 03:57
Subject: Add your name: Block the appointment of Betsy DeVos
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear MoveOn member,
The pressure to stop Trump’s billionaire nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, from being confirmed is working. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, just announced that they will oppose DeVos’ confirmation.1
That means that we’re just ONE senator short—and that DeVos could be the first Trump nominee to be rejected by the Senate. But we need to keep up the pressure now more than ever to sway one more Republican and to hold the position of all of the senators who have announced opposition to DeVos. Will you sign and share this petition asking your senator to vote NO on Betsy DeVos? Click here.
Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, has no experience in public education, supports privatizing education, and has no stated opinion on America’s student debt crisis. Demand that the Senate vote no on Betsy DeVos for secretary of education.
Betsy DeVos—Donald Trump’s out-of-touch billionaire pick for secretary of education—is far more interested in dismantling our schools than in investing in them, and in demonizing teachers rather than treating them as allies in educating our children.
And, during her confirmation vote on January 17, DeVos horrifically suggested that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—which guarantees students with disabilities access to a free and appropriate education—should not be federally enforceable.2
But the good news is that there is a growing movement to oppose her nomination, and we now have a little more time to publicize just how dangerous she is.
DeVos’ nomination continues a concerning pattern of Trump choosing wealthy, unqualified individuals for high-level positions in the federal government. Her track record speaks for itself:
- She has zero experience in public education. Almost all previous education secretaries had career experience in the field of education where they learned the skills necessary to improve schools in our communities. Betsy DeVos has none.3
- She has made no mention of the student debt crisis. She is doesn’t know how everyday people are impacted by student loan debt and continues to ignore the trillion dollar problem. In fact, “little is known about her views on federal higher education policy,” and she has little to no experience working with families who struggle to afford the rising cost of college.4,5
- She made her career advocating for taxpayer dollars to be taken away from resource-starved public schools. In fact, she wants to funnel your money into the pockets of private and for-profit education companies through voucher systems and charter schools.6
Her attacks on public schools and support for privatized education disproportionately impacts people of color and LGBTQ students, meaning less equal opportunities for ALL students nationwide.
If you support public education, investing in our local schools, and ending America’s student debt crisis, DEMAND that the Senate vote no on Betsy DeVos for education secretary.
Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.Thanks!
—Natalia Abrams, Student Debt Crisis
Sources:
1. “Second Republican senator to vote against DeVos,” The Hill, February 1, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7998?t=6&akid=177405.34077347. DKWPkX 2. “DeVos says she will protect students with disabilities, but advocates aren’t convinced,” The Washington Post, January 26, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/7852?t=8&akid=177405.34077347. DKWPkX 3. “Trump picks billionaire Betsy DeVos, school voucher advocate, as education secretary,” The Washington Post, November 23, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/6995?t=10&akid=177405. 34077347.DKWPkX 4. “What Donald Trump’s pick for education secretary could mean for student debt,” MarketWatch, November 23, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/6996?t=12&akid=177405.34077347. DKWPkX 5. “Trump Picks Betsy DeVos as education secretary,” Inside Higher Ed, November 23, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/6998?t=14&akid=177405. 34077347.DKWPkX 6. “Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Pick, Has Steered Money From Public Schools,” The New York Times, November 23, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/6997?t=16&akid=177405.34077347. DKWPkX You’re receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.
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Muslim Ban Petition
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Linda Sarsour <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 29 January 2017 at 07:36
Subject: Reject Trump’s Muslim ban (sign the petition)
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear fellow MoveOn member,
Donald Trump just signed an executive order banning immigration from at least seven majority-Muslim countries and freezing our refugee program for at least 120 days.1
Targeting people based on their religion is wrong and unconstitutional. Shutting the doors on some of the most vulnerable people in the world—refugees seeking safety—shows a moral bankruptcy that is shocking even for Donald Trump. We demand that you go on record and resoundingly reject Trump’s Muslim ban.
While the Trump administration has backpedaled on his call for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States”—realizing the weakness of his mandate and the unpopularity of his policies—it’s clear that these orders are driven by a deep-seated, almost maniacal anti-Muslim hate that has captured Trump and his Cabinet.
And his call to block Syrian refugees—some of the most vulnerable people in the world—is shockingly morally bankrupt, even for someone like Trump.
We reject targeting of anyone based on their religion or where they come from, and we call on members of Congress to go on the record and reject Trump’s Muslim ban.
Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
Thanks!
—Linda Sarsour, MPowerChange
Source:
1. “Trump Bars Refugees and Citizens of 7 Muslim Countries,” The New York Times, January 27, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/7873?t=5&akid=177125.34077347. xk71To 
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Michael Poland on January 28th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
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Airport Protest Promo
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Milan de Vries, MoveOn.org Civic Action <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 29 January 2017 at 17:52
Subject: [Happening now] Airport protests spreading nationwide!
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear MoveOn member,
On Friday, Donald Trump tried to block Muslims and refugees from coming to this country. On Saturday, America fought back. And it’s massive.
Thousands gathered at JFK airport in New York, demanding the release of refugees and others detained after Trump’s orders. They sang, they chanted, they showed up with love and with might. Have a look at the Facebook Live stream from our friends at Working Families Party—it was a sight to behold:
Then, just hours ago, a federal judge in New York issued a stay on Trump’s ban for refugees and visa holders currently stranded at airports.1 That’s a huge first step, but it doesn’t yet undo the ban. Meanwhile, what started in New York is spreading.
Thousands have gathered at airports in Boston, in San Francisco, in Denver, and in upwards of 34 other cities demanding that America uphold our core values, welcome refugees, and say “no” to any religious test on immigration to this country. Many protests are happening right now. Some will continue throughout the weekend, or even longer.
Check out this volunteer-generated, fast-growing list of airports and community spaces where protests and vigils are happening.
http://act.moveon.org/go/7899?
t=3&akid=177156.34077347. GyPZL7 (The site isn’t hosted by MoveOn, and these events are being propelled by a range of individuals and groups—this is a moment of massive grassroots movement activity. Please note: details of these events are changing rapidly as individuals and organizations hustle to respond. As you make your plans, please check the site regularly for updates.)
People who’ve shared stories about the airport protests today have reported big, diverse, and peaceful crowds. In some airports, groups of lawyers have been among the crowd—waiting to speak to refugees and visa holders who’ve been denied access to counsel. Members of Congress from Representative John Lewis to Senator Elizabeth Warren, local city officials, and other prominent leaders have joined the airport protests in many cities.
If you can join a peaceful protest in your area, you’ll help show the Trump Administration, the country, and the world that Americans will resist hate and will resist Islamophobia and will instead unite in the face of injustice.
Some of the protest organizers will have signs to share, but some may not—so feel free to make a sign to hold, or you can print one of MoveOn’s signs to bring with you. Just click here.
Some protests are growing so large that vendors at the airports are running out of food and water, so if you’re able to join, consider bringing supplies such as bottled water, granola bars, and other nonperishable snacks to share.
These are anguishing times, but the love and the energy on display at airports across the country are our best hope for preserving our American values. Because this is what resistance looks like. We’re not done marching.
Thanks for all you do.
—Milan, Jo, Iram, Anna, and the rest of the team
Source:
1. “A Federal Judge Just Issued a Stay Against Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim Ban,'” Mother Jones, January 28, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7900?t=6&akid=177156.34077347. GyPZL7 
Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump’s agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation’s pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Michael Poland on January 29th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
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Community Meeting to Resist Trump near you
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Gabriela Andrade, MoveOn.org Civic Action <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 11 January 2017 at 05:07
Subject: Sunday: Community Meeting to Resist Trump near you
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear MoveOn member,
Ten days from now, Donald Trump will be inaugurated president, and Republicans will have control of the federal government. The attacks on the American people have already started—with quick moves to repeal Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood, and dissolve the the Office of Congressional Ethics.
This moment is about more than politics. It’s about decisions that will affect all of our lives and the consequences we will have to face if we don’t resist this agenda with all our strength.
This coming Sunday, all across the country, MoveOn members and our key allies are hosting community meetings to talk about what resistance looks like on the local level and to make a plan for how we’ll keep our communities safe, defend our democracy, and resist the new administration every step of the way.
And there’s a meeting near you!
Will you join the resistance and attend a Community Meeting to Resist Trump in New York this Sunday?
Yes, sign me up to attend a Community Meeting to Resist Trump near me on Sunday, January 15.
We’re partnering with the Working Families Party, People’s Action, and United We Dream to coordinate these gatherings where we will do more than just talk. We’ll form local working groups and plan concrete actions we can take over the next few weeks and months to build our power, defend our values, and resist.
People of all ages and backgrounds are rising up to organize over 450 community meetings in more than 40 states. Here’s one that is happening near you:
COMMUNITY MEETING TO RESIST TRUMP
SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2:00 PM
KATHRYN MARKEL FINE ARTS
NEW YORK, NY
CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET THE DETAILS.We know that when we organize, we win.
Michael, will you attend a Community Meeting to Resist Trump this Sunday to make sure your community is prepared to resist?
Click here now to RSVP to attend a community meeting near you on Sunday, January 15.
Thanks for all you do.
—Gabriela, Brian, Alex, Victoria, and the rest of the team
P.S. As we prepare for the inauguration, it’s a busy weekend! Please attend all of the events you can this weekend:
March to Protect Immigrants and Refugees, Saturday, January 14. Click here to see if there’s a march happening near you.
Our First Stand: Save Health Care Rally, Sunday, January 15. Click here to see if there’s a rally near you.
Community Meeting to Resist Trump, Sunday, January 15 in New York. Click here to RSVP.

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Host a Community Meeting
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Gabriela Andrade, MoveOn.org Civic Action <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: 23 December 2016 at 09:00
Subject: Host a Community Meeting to Resist Trump?
To: Michael Poland <michael@commonslibrary.org>Dear MoveOn member,
Donald Trump is already moving a disastrous agenda into place that could jeopardize every bit of progress we’ve made together over the last 8 years. He’s put forth frightening cabinet nominations. He has obvious and dangerous conflicts of interest. He has all but declared war on American democracy—with threats to take away millions of people’s healthcare, register and track every Muslim living in the U.S., implement a national stop-and-frisk policy to legally harass Black people, and deport millions of immigrants, who are not only critical to the economy, but who have families and other deep ties to this country.
No one really knows what will happen after January 20, but we do know that we have to be prepared to form a strong, united line of resistance in order to protect the communities most affected by Trump’s agenda, fight against policies that will benefit billionaires and bankrupt the rest of us, hold on to progressive victories—such as Obamacare—and defend our democracy.
We’re organizing Community Meetings to Resist Trump on Sunday, January 15—just days before the inauguration—to bring our communities together and talk about what resistance looks like for us at the local level. Will you join us? It could be in your living room, in a library or community center. We’ll give you everything you need to pull together a successful meeting.
I’m in. Sign me up to host a meeting in my community on Sunday, January 15.
Earlier this week, thousands of MoveOn members and allies gathered at congressional district offices in a beautiful demonstration of our people power to tell our Republican members of Congress: “don’t take away our health care!” We shared stories about how we rely on Obamacare, Medicaid, and Medicare; we attracted loads of media coverage; and we demonstrated, in no uncertain terms, that we’re energized and ready to fight back when our values come under attack.
And that’s not the last that Congress will hear from us. We are partnering with People’s Action to organize community meetings in living rooms and community centers across the country where we’ll plan our next days of action and sketch a plan of how we’ll keep out communities safe, defend our values, and resist the new administration—including by organizing opposition to Trump’s dangerous cabinet appointments.
We’ll provide everything you need for a successful meeting—a host guide, checklist, sample agenda, and more—and we’ll be with you every step of the way, coaching, answering questions, and helping to recruit fellow MoveOn members to attend your event.
All you need to sign up to host now is a venue (could be your living room!) and a desire to create change.
Click here to sign up to host a Community Meeting to Resist Trump on Sunday, January 15.
Thanks for all you do.
—Gabriela, Ben O., Ann, Maria, and the rest of the team.
LeadNow
Across the border, Leadnow has been are working overtime to make sure their members can help where Americans cannot – particularly on creating a sanctuary where refugees can go after being rejected by the US.
Just moments after the Muslim Ban was announced, Leadnow began a campaign to reform asylum law to accept those rejected from States.
Over 40,000 people took action online, and 1,146 people made 37.8 hours worth of phone calls to their MPs. A growing chorus of lawyers, academics and activists called on the government to rescind the “Safe Third Country Agreement” – an outdated law that keeps Canada’s borders closed to asylum seekers entering Canada via the US
In early February, Leadnow sent the pledge used in the U.S. Women’s March out to their members, promoting their ‘Unity Principles’, a powerful collection of guiding principles and demands for achieving women’s rights and gender justice.
The topic of Trump has also been a major focus on their you.leadnow.ca decentralised petition community, with a huge spike in petitions being started on the platform targeting Trump – many have attracted tens of thousands of supporters.
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Excerpt from Leadnow email: You've been busy!
Massive petition to support asylum seekers fleeing Trump’s America
Just days after Trump announced plans to deport thousands of asylum seekers from the US, we teamed up with NOII-Toronto to launch a campaign calling on Trudeau to welcome asylum seekers fleeing Trump’s America. It’s been our biggest petition in more than a year, with over 40,000 of you signing on.
To keep up the pressure, 1146 of you called your MP, for a total of 37.8 hours of calls!
A growing chorus of lawyers, academics and activists are calling on the government to rescind the “Safe Third Country Agreement” — an outdated law that keeps Canada’s borders closed to asylum seekers entering Canada via the US. Click here to add your name to the petition.
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Thank you for taking the pledge!
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Leadnow.ca <leadnow@leadnow.ca>
Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2017 at 8:48 PM
Subject: Thank you for taking the pledge!
To: theopennetwork.aggregate@gmail.comDear OPEN,
Thanks for taking the pledge to read the Women’s March on Washington’s Unity Principles! They are a powerful collection of guiding principles and demands for achieving women’s rights and gender justice.
The more people read these principles, the better we can understand each other and the struggles we face as women. This is the only way we can move forward as a movement committed to gender justice – for all women – and inoculate us against the divisive, hate-filled politics of people of Trump and Kellie Leitch.
Will you help spread the word by sharing the pledge and the principles?
Link to pass on: http://www.leadnow.ca/pledge-
to-read-wmw-unity-principles/ Click here to share on Facebook
Click here to share on Twitter
You can also share the campaign by forwarding the email below.
Thank you!
The Leadnow.ca team
—————————–
—- Dear friend,
I just pledged to read the Women’s March on Washington’s Unity Principles. They are a powerful collection of guiding principles and demands for achieving women’s rights and gender justice.
So many of us are now wondering what to do with all the amazing energy generated over the weekend. There’s a lot we can and must do to carry this work forward — but reading the Unity Principles is an important first step.
The more people read these principles, the better we can understand each other and the struggles we face as women. Understanding why and how women’s rights intersects with racial justice, disability rights, economic rights, and the most vulnerable among us is critical to the strength and success of the women’s liberation movement – in the US, Canada or around the world.
It will also help inoculate us against the divisive, hate-filled politics of people of Trump and Kellie Leitch.
Can you take a moment to sign the pledge and read the Unity Principles? You can do both here: http://www.leadnow.ca/
pledge-to-read-wmw-unity- principles/ Thank you!
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Urgent: help refugees fleeing Trump's America
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: <ben@the-open.net>
Date: Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 5:20 AM
Subject: Fwd: Urgent: help refugees fleeing Trump’s America
To: claiborne.payne@gmail.comDear Ben,
Over the weekend Donald Trump started implementing his Muslim ban, barring immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, blocking all refugee admissions for 120 days, and placing an outright ban on all Syrian refugees. This is on top of his plans to hunt down and deport asylum seekers in the US. [1-2]
Prime Minister Trudeau responded on Twitter saying that those fleeing persecution are welcome in Canada, no matter their faith. [1] While we welcome Trudeau’s comments as an important first step, but now more than ever we need those words to become action.
The first step: rescind the “Safe Third Country Agreement”, an outdated law that prevents most asylum seekers entering Canada from the US. With thousands at risk of being deported back to unsafe countries under Trump, these people deserve another option – seeking protection in Canada.
We sent you this e-mail below last week, asking you to sign the petition calling on Trudeau to welcome those fleeing violence and deportation under Trump by rescinding “Safe Third Country Agreement”.
Almost 30, 0000 people have already signed, and we need to keep up the momentum. The more people who sign, the more pressure it puts on Trudeau to respond to this urgent crisis with concrete action. Click here to sign the petition.
Canada can help. We need Prime Minister Trudeau to act, and to act fast.
Sign the petition here: https://you.leadnow.ca/
petitions/tell-trudeau- welcome-those-fleeing- violence-and-deportation- under-trump?source=LN&bucket= LN We’re in this together,
Rachel, Katelynn, and Brittany on behalf of the Leadnow.ca team
Sources
[1] Trump bars refugees and citizens from 7 muslim majority countries. (New York Times), https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/ trump-syrian-refugees.html?hp& action=click&pgtype=Homepage& clickSource=story-heading& module=a-lede-package-region& region=top-news&WT.nav=top- news [2]Trump moves ahead with wall, puts stamp on U.S. immigration, security policy (Reuters), http://www.reuters.
com/article/us-usa-trump- immigration-idUSKBN1591HP?il=0 [3]In Canada, Justin Trudeau Says Refugees Are Welcome (New York Times), , https://www.nytimes.com/
2017/01/28/world/canada/ justin-trudeau-trump-refugee- ban.html?_r=0 ——————————
——Original message———————– ——————— News just broke that Trump’s about to launch a major effort to hunt down and deport thousands of asylum seekers in the US. Many fled to the US to escape violence, and they could be persecuted or killed if they’re sent back to their countries of origin. [1] But we have a plan to help them.
Shockingly, if people currently seeking asylum in the US showed up at the Canadian border to escape deportation to an unsafe country — we would turn them away. Canada doesn’t accept any asylum seekers via the US, because of an outdated law called the “Safe Third Country Agreement”. It requires refugees to seek asylum in the first “safe” country they arrive in. Trump’s America is anything but safe. [2]
The group “No-One is Illegal” just started a campaign on our petition site, calling on the Trudeau government to repeal the “Safe Third Country Agreement” before Trump starts deporting people back to countries where they risk persecution or even murder.
The Safe Third Country Agreement is the reason refugees put their lives at risk by trying to sneak across the US-Canada border rather than going through official channels.[3]
Like Seidu Mohammed, who almost died crossing into Manitoba this past Christmas Eve. He and another asylum seeker — fleeing Ghana in 2015 only to be detained for a year in the US — trekked through the snow for seven hours in –18 C temperatures.[4]
The only reason they survived was because a truck driver eventually pulled over — but Seidu will lose all of his fingers, a toe and possibly his arms.
If the Safe Third Country Agreement is scrapped, people like Seidu wouldn’t be risking their lives trudging through snowy fields in sub-zero temperatures trying to find safety. They’d be able to present themselves right at the border.
Thousands of people are caught between the double nightmare of Trump’s America and deportation back to countries where they risk being persecuted or even killed. They should have a third option — seeking protection in Canada.
Many of us are outraged by the horror unfolding in Trump’s America – his order to build US-Mexican border wall, the impending ban on Muslim immigration, and mass deportations — and we’re looking for ways to do something about it. Now, we have a unique opportunity to help some of the most vulnerable people like Seidu find safety.[7]
Trudeau recently said that “We have a proud history of opening our arms—and our borders—to those most in need, and we look forward to welcoming many more migrants and refugees in the coming years. We will continue to lead with warm hearts and open minds.” [6]
Parliament resumes just next week. If enough of us take speak out today, we can get Trudeau to act on these shared values, and make scrapping the “Safe Third Country Agreement” its first order of business.
Sign the petition now: https://you.leadnow.ca/
petitions/tell-trudeau- welcome-those-fleeing- violence-and-deportation- under-trump?source=LN&bucket= LN With hope and respect,
Brittany, Jolan, and Katelynn on behalf of the entire Leadnow.ca team
Sources:
[1] Trump moves ahead with wall, puts stamp on U.S. immigration, security policy (Reuters). http://www.reuters.com/
article/us-usa-trump- immigration-idUSKBN1591HP?il=0 [2] New numbers show spike in asylum seekers crossing from U.S. to Manitoba (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
manitoba/refugees-manitoba- emerson-crossing-1.3926754 [3-4] Frostbitten refugee will lose fingers, toe after 7-hour trek to cross U.S.-Canada border (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/
canada/manitoba/refugees- frostbite-manitoba-1.3930146 [5-6] Trump moves ahead with wall, puts stamp on U.S. immigration, security policy (Reuters). http://www.reuters.com/
article/us-usa-trump- immigration-idUSKBN1591HP?il=0 [7] Prime Minister announces significant support following UN meeting on refugees and migrants (Government of Canada). http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/
09/19/prime-minister- announces-significant-support- following-meeting-refugees- and-migrants -
Trump won't like this
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Brittany Smith – Leadnow.ca <leadnow@leadnow.ca>
Date: Fri, Jan 27, 2017 at 2:58 AM
Subject: Trump won’t like this
To: ben@the-open.netDear Ben,
News just broke that Trump’s about to launch a major effort to hunt down and deport thousands of asylum seekers in the US. Many fled to the US to escape violence, and they could be persecuted or killed if they’re sent back to their countries of origin. [1] But we have a plan to help them.
Shockingly, if people currently seeking asylum in the US showed up at the Canadian border to escape deportation to an unsafe country — we would turn them away. Canada doesn’t accept any asylum seekers via the US, because of an outdated law called the “Safe Third Country Agreement”. It requires refugees to seek asylum in the first “safe” country they arrive in. Trump’s America is anything but safe. [2]
The group “No-One is Illegal” just started a campaign on our petition site, calling on the Trudeau government to repeal the “Safe Third Country Agreement” before Trump starts deporting people back to countries where they risk persecution or even murder.
The Safe Third Country Agreement is the reason refugees put their lives at risk by trying to sneak across the US-Canada border rather than going through official channels.[3]
Like Seidu Mohammed, who almost died crossing into Manitoba this past Christmas Eve. He and another asylum seeker — fleeing Ghana in 2015 only to be detained for a year in the US — trekked through the snow for seven hours in –18 C temperatures.[4]
The only reason they survived was because a truck driver eventually pulled over — but Seidu will lose all of his fingers, a toe and possibly his arms.
If the Safe Third Country Agreement is scrapped, people like Seidu wouldn’t be risking their lives trudging through snowy fields in sub-zero temperatures trying to find safety. They’d be able to present themselves right at the border.
Thousands of people are caught between the double nightmare of Trump’s America and deportation back to countries where they risk being persecuted or even killed. They should have a third option — seeking protection in Canada.
Many of us are outraged by the horror unfolding in Trump’s America – his order to build US-Mexican border wall, the impending ban on Muslim immigration, and mass deportations — and we’re looking for ways to do something about it. Now, we have a unique opportunity to help some of the most vulnerable people like Seidu find safety.[7]
Trudeau recently said that “We have a proud history of opening our arms—and our borders—to those most in need, and we look forward to welcoming many more migrants and refugees in the coming years. We will continue to lead with warm hearts and open minds.” [6]
Parliament resumes just next week. If enough of us take speak out today, we can get Trudeau to act on these shared values, and make scrapping the “Safe Third Country Agreement” its first order of business.
Sign the petition now: https://you.leadnow.ca/pe
titions/tell-trudeau-welcome-t hose-fleeing-violence-and-depo rtation-under-trump?source=LN& bucket=LN With hope and respect,
Brittany, Jolan, and Katelynn on behalf of the entire Leadnow.ca team
Sources:
[1] Trump moves ahead with wall, puts stamp on U.S. immigration, security policy (Reuters). http://www.reuters.com/article
/us-usa-trump-immigration-idUS KBN1591HP?il=0 [2] New numbers show spike in asylum seekers crossing from U.S. to Manitoba (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
manitoba/refugees-manitoba-eme rson-crossing-1.3926754 [3-4] Frostbitten refugee will lose fingers, toe after 7-hour trek to cross U.S.-Canada border (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/
canada/manitoba/refugees-frost bite-manitoba-1.3930146 [5-6] Trump moves ahead with wall, puts stamp on U.S. immigration, security policy (Reuters). http://www.reuters.com/article
/us-usa-trump-immigration-idUS KBN1591HP?il=0 [7] Prime Minister announces significant support following UN meeting on refugees and migrants (Government of Canada). http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/
09/19/prime-minister-announces -significant-support-following -meeting-refugees-and-migrants -
Keystone XL
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: <ben@the-open.net>
Date: Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 7:19 AM
Subject: Fwd: Keystone XL
To: claiborne.payne@gmail.comDear Ben,
Donald Trump just approved the Keystone XL tarsands pipeline — overturning Obama’s 2015 rejection. The massive pipeline would threaten dozens of rivers with oil spills, and make it virtually impossible for Canada to meet our climate targets. [1-2]
Today, Trump warned that he plans to “renegotiate the terms” of the project — and the media is already reporting that this could mean higher costs for Canada. [3]
Unbelievably, the Liberal government is giving Trump’s plan the thumbs-up, without any additional review of the changes to the project that Trump may negotiate. That gives Trump a blank cheque to change the project terms without our approval. [4]
What’s worse, Keystone XL has never faced a serious review in Canada. Harper rubber-stamped the pipeline after a sham process that didn’t even consider climate change. A project this massive needs a careful and thorough review — especially now that Trump is pushing for changes to the project that could make Keystone even worse for Canada.
Keystone XL is far from a done deal. The pipeline requires approval from the state of Nebraska, where opposition is unprecedented. Meanwhile, landowners along the pipeline route who refuse to leave their land are expected to bring their fight to the courts this fall. [5]
Here at home, the Liberal government has so far been supportive of Keystone XL, but a massive outcry now could force them to reconsider.
During the election campaign, the Liberals spoke out time and time again against Harper’s sham pipeline review process. Now, they’re claiming that flawed process is sufficient for Keystone XL — and they’re not even planning to reassess the decision if Trump negotiates major changes to the project.
Thanks for all you do,
Jolan and Katelynn, on behalf of the entire Leadnow.ca teamSources:
[1] Trump signs Keystone order, wants terms renegotiated (Globe and Mail). http://www.theglobeandmail.
com/report-on-business/ industry-news/energy-and- resources/trump-sign-order-to- approve-keystone-xl-pipeline/ article33714341/ [2] Oil sands must remain largely unexploited to meet climate target, study finds (Globe and Mail). http://www.theglobeandmail.
com/news/national/study-backs- argument-keystone-would- contribute-to-climate-change/ article22335591/ [3-4] See 1 above
[5] Trump signs executive orders to advance Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipelines (CNBC). http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/
24/trump-to-advance-keystone- dakota-pipelines-with- executive-order-on-tuesday- nbc.html -
Trump-style politics in Canada?
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: <ben@the-open.net>
Date: Wed, Nov 16, 2016 at 8:19 AM
Subject: Fwd: Trump-style politics in Canada?
To: claiborne.payne@gmail.com
Dear Ben,
Here’s our take on Trump: he’s a dangerous fraud who is going to betray the people who voted for him, while stoking racism and hurting minorities. Do you agree? Disagree? And what do you think we should do about a powerful politician who wants to bring his tactics to Canada?
Civil rights groups in the US are reporting a surge in racist acts since Trump’s election – graffiti, vandalism, street harassment and intimidation inspired by Trump’s race-baiting tactics.[1]
We’ve seen this story before: cynical politicians position themselves as outsiders to tap into people’s legitimate economic insecurity and then point the finger at elites and minorities.
You can already see that Trump’s being insincere about taking on elites. He’s appointed the head of the establishment Republicans to be his chief of staff in Washington.[2] But while Trump won’t really take on elites, he will do real harm to minority groups.
Unfortunately, these ugly trends don’t stop at the border. Earlier today a man was filmed saying “Go Trump!” while hurling racist insults at another man on a Toronto streetcar, and a woman who runs a Jewish prayer centre in Ottawa woke up to find a swastika spray-painted on the front door of her home. [3-4]
It’s going to get worse: Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch is promising to use the same race-baiting tactics that defined Trump’s campaign. Now, Leitch is pulling ahead in the Conservative leadership race.[5]
In the last week we’ve received hundreds of emails from Leadnow members sharing their feelings about the election. Many of you are feeling sadness, anger, rage, frustration, and fear, and we want you to know you’re not alone.
The Brexit vote in the UK, and now Trump’s election, both call on us to take a long, hard look at the institutions that are clearly failing so many people. Around the world, people have had enough of the status quo. When we look, we can see a real hunger for change in the face of uncaring elites. But we can also see loud voices stoking racism for crass political gain.
We need to come together, and decide what’s next. Time and again, we’ve seen that US politics influences the political debate here in Canada — and we’re seeing it again now, with Kellie Leitch’s Trump-style race-baiting in the Conservative leadership contest.
We’re in this together,
Jolan, Britt, Jamie, Matthew and Amara on behalf of the entire Leadnow.ca team[1] Racist incidents are up since Donal Trumps election (Time). http://time.com/4569129/
racist-anti-semitic-incidents- donald-trump/ [2] Donal Trump picks Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff and Stephen Bannon and Strategiest (New York Times). http://www.nytimes.com/2016/
11/14/us/politics/reince- priebus-chief-of-staff-donald- trump.html [3] Ottawa woman wakes up to find anti-Semetic graffiti spray-painted on her home (CBC). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
ottawa/rabbi-ottawa-racist- graffiti-1.3851350 [4] Video shows man hurling racist insults, threats on Toronto streetcar (CBC). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/
toronto/toronto-streetcar- incident-1.3851108 [5] “Throwing out the elites”: Why Donald Trump’s victory could upend the Conservative leadership race (National Post). http://news.nationalpost.com/
news/canada/canadian-politics/ trumps-message-of-throwing- out-the-elites-needs-to-be- delivered-in-canada-says- kellie-leitch -
Trump
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: <ben@the-open.net>
Date: Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 6:19 AM
Subject: Fwd: Trump
To: claiborne.payne@gmail.comDear Ben,
Donald Trump was elected President of the Unites States of America last night.
It’s hard to find the words to express how many of us are feeling today: sadness, anger, rage, frustration, fear.
Fear about what Trump’s election means for the world. Fear for our friends down south – especially the minority communities whose dignity, rights, and safety are threatened the most. Fear about the worst parts of Trump’s politics getting a mandate from the most powerful country in the world.
If you’re feeling that way too, you’re not alone.
The Brexit vote and Trump’s election both call on us to take a long, hard look at the institutions that are failing so many people. When we look, we can see a hunger for change in the face of uncaring elites. We can also see loud voices stoking racism for crass political gain.
These same currents are getting stronger in Canada. This morning one of the most high profile Conservative leadership contenders sent an email congratulating Trump and committing to “bring his message to Canada.”1 We’ll talk about that more in the coming days.
For now, the point is that politics is changing around the world, but Trump’s politics aren’t the change that most of us hope for. He will keep doing what he always does: lie constantly, attack entire communities, and break important promises.
There is another kind of politics that is growing around the world: a politics that sees the crises we face, and places its faith in the collective action of many people, not the strong arm tactics of one man.
Trump’s election means new fears and new uncertainties that can only be countered by reaching out, digging deep, and finding new hope.
Today we feel hope when we think about you – all of the times members of the Leadnow community have shown up together, dreamed together, and fought together to turn our shared values into a lived reality for families and communities from coast to coast to coast.
We don’t need to have all the answers today. Today is a day to process how we’re feeling, and find people to connect with. In the next few days we’ll reach out with next steps to counter the worst parts of Trumps politics before they get stronger in Canada.
As one of our American friends has said: “We are going to fight. We are going to get through this, come what may. Today we despair, tomorrow we organize.”
With hope and respect,
Brittany, on behalf of the Leadnow.ca teamSources:
- Kellie Leitch latches on to trump’s victory, http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/kellie-leitch-latches-on-to-trump-victory/
ActionStation
ActionStation have been targeting Citibank’s New Zealand branch, demanding that the multinational bank pull their investment out of ‘Trump’s Pipeline’ – the Dakota Access Pipeline. Check out the video of ActionStation members putting the 2000+ messages people posted online into envelopes which were then physically posted to the bank: https://www.facebook.
An ActionStation member, Kate, also launched a petition on OurActionStation, their decentralised petition platform, to “Bring refugees rejected by the US to NZ”, which has already gained thousands of signatures.
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Email: Let's get busy
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: <ben@the-open.net>
Date: Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 2:19 AM
Subject: Fwd: Let’s get busy
To: claiborne.payne@gmail.comDear Ben, This email is a bit different to the ones we usually send you. There’s no action for you to take, for one thing. It’s also longer than usual, because this is a moment to be thoughtful, not reactive, a time to dig beneath the simplifications that can too easily polarise us. So make a cup of tea, and another for someone nearby, and read on.
I’m writing today because Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States.
Some of us may think Trump’s victory will send a much needed message to the political establishment that everyday people are fed up with politics, and an economy, that seems designed only to serve the elite.
Many of us, though, feel only sadness, fear and uncertainty about a future in which a man who has campaigned on messages of fear, hatred and exclusion will be President of one of the most powerful countries in the world.
In an increasingly politically, economically and socially polarised world, I feel a deep sense of privilege and responsibility to be writing to this ActionStation community – a broad and diverse group of fair-minded Kiwis who want to get things done, who act together to protect the best of what makes New Zealand wonderful, and to shape an even brighter future for all of us.
It’s our shared values, plus a willingness to act, that makes someone an ‘ActionStation kind of person’. Not your age, income, postcode, party politics or ethnic background.
There are so few places left in our world where people come together to agree and act on the values we share, rather than letting ourselves be pulled apart by the labels applied to us.
So today I’m writing to ask that we double down on our commitment to be that kind of community. A place where we won’t – and don’t – always agree all the time, but where we share core values of fairness and a commitment to the common good.
That matters more than ever because Trump is just the highest profile crest in a global wave. He and others like him across the world are shining a light on a deep unhappiness people feel about the way things are and they way they are headed.
Around the globe, mainstream parties on the left and the right have tied themselves up with a global corporate elite while life gets harder for everyone else. The strain on the working and middle class is unbearable and is tearing society in half as people look for someone to blame.
Trump, UKIP, the National Front and others are offering a way out by returning to a racist past when we were more isolated, homogeneous and violent.
It won’t put bread on the table but at least you can take solace in the fact that your skin colour and religion is the right one, and if you’re a man your gender is the right one, and you won’t have to watch anyone different fight for the same crumbs.
On the other hand, all over the world the parties of the the left, who were supposed to serve everyday people, are bending to serve a cosmopolitan elite. It’s not explicitly racist or sexist as long as everyone of every race and gender puts aside their rights in order to generate profit for the giant corporates and sign on the dotted line of the TPPA to ensure it.
So we, ordinary people dedicated to the common good, too often end up as political orphans. We believe in defending the rights of our workers, friends and neighbours over the profit of global corporations, and we believe in strengthening the power of democracy to protect those interests.
But we also believe that all humans deserve this protection equally. We believe in shedding the dark racism and patriarchy of the past and creating an inclusive, peaceful, fair society in which we neither discriminate nor exploit, but rather include and uplift.
If we feel the political establishment has abandoned us, we must hold our own ground. We must cling to these values and champion them in every forum, every election, every public debate and at every dining room table in New Zealand. As we head into our own election, in 2017, doing this together matters more than ever.
Here in New Zealand, we haven’t gone as far down this path of polarisation, and of political despair, as in other countries, and we have the opportunity to avoid going any further.
Because of our small size as a country, we remain more connected to each other as people, despite political differences. This has made us less susceptible to the deep polarisation that is tearing the US apart. But we can’t take this for granted, we need to choose to stay connected – to our shared values and to each other.
We cannot wait for political heroes to save us, nor succumb to despair in the face of political villains. Now, more than ever before, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
That’s why ‘people power’ isn’t just a nice slogan at ActionStation: it is ActionStation. It’s why we’re here and how we get things done.
In the next few weeks, you’ll be hearing from us asking for your input into plans for ActionStation for 2017. What I hope more than anything else this morning is that you’ll open those emails when you get them, click those links and have your say on what we do together next year.
Because if we are to make the most of this incredible, diverse ActionStation community in order to preserve the best of what we have in New Zealand, it’s time to get busy!
Thank you,
Marianne
Uplift
The Irish Prime Minister (or Taoiseach) has been insisting on visiting Trump at the Whitehouse on March 18th (St Patricks Day). Parallel events are being organised in Ireland and in New York, but Uplift embers have voted to put pressure on the PM to cancel the meeting, and not travel in their name.
Now, over 38,000 people have taken action in the “Shamrock for Trump: Not in my name” campaign gaining attention in The Sun, The Irish Times and even in major US magazines. The plan now is to create a people-powered statement i.e. a crowdsourced declaration of what we stand for as a country and a message to Trump.
Uplift also called for shutting down the US pre-clearance points on Irish soil as long as they’re operating under the immigration ban, and they asked their members to share on social media if they agreed that Dublin & Shannon airports should not be used to enforce Trump’s ban on Muslims.
Skiftet
Skiftet is currently planning a similar campaign to ActionStation over ‘Trump’s Pipeline’, targeting Swedish Banks involved in the Dakota Access Pipeline.
They also called for Swedish ambassadors to be recalled while the immigration ban was in effect. Skiftet, delivering their demands directly to the US embassy with quite a blunt and creative message.
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Campact
Campact have launched a campaign to get the Bavarian State Bank (BayernLB) to pull out of ‘Trump’s Pipeline’ – the petition has already reached over 295,000 supporters and growing.
“The protests against Trump’s radical politics are the largest movement of recent US history. If together we succeed to achieve quick results, we will give our American friends enormous tailwind – and could slow Trump’s momentum. Give now to stop his pipeline!” [translated]
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The Bavarian State Bank is helping Trump - let's stop them
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Anne Leonhardt <leonhardt@campact.de>
Date: Thu, Feb 2, 2017 at 2:59 PM
Subject: [Campact] Urgent! The Bavarian State Bank is helping Trump – let’s stop it!
To: newsletter@list.campact.deCampaign startet: 31.01.2017
Link to participate: https://www.campact.de/trumps–pipeline/appell/teilnehmen/
Signatures until now: 257.000
———————–
Stop Trump’s Pipeline!US-President Trump stops climate protection and reverses the ban to build a huge oil pipeline. But we can stop him: The Bavarian State Bank is one of the project’s largest financial contributors. They need to bring the cash flow to a halt! In a few days we will hand over our appeal to the bank – if we reach 100,000 signatures.
Click here and sign the petition
Dear XX,
Only recently in office, Trump is already initiating proceedings to end climate protection. Last week, he cleared the way for a mega-pipeline that Barack Obama had put on halt due to massive protests from environmental movements [1]. Daily, 80 Million litres of oil from thousands of fracking sites will be pumped through the “Dakota Access Pipeline”. This project alone would create more climate-wrecking gas than 30 coal power stations [2]. Trump himself was involved with the company that is building the pipeline [3].
We are shocked and powerless against the radical policies of the new US-president. But in this case we can actually help our American friends: The Bavarian State Bank wants to support the construction of this XXL-pipeline with 120 Million Dollars and is one of the most contributing creditors [4]. Working hand in hand with Trump against climate protection holds a threat to the bank’s reputation.
In two weeks the Bavarian State Bank will decide whether they will hold on to their investment plans for Trump’s pipeline. In only a few days, we will hand over our petition in Munich – if we can reach 100.00 signatures.
Sign our petition to the Bavarian State Bank now
The resistance against the Pipeline has become one of the biggest environmental movements of recent history: In Dakota, thousands of environmental activists are fighting alongside the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The “black snake” is meant to go through their sacred sites. It will also run through Lake Oahe – a central water reservoir of the Missouri river. Leaks in the pipeline would contaminate the water that 17 Million people rely on [5].
The movement gained a huge success when Barack Obama stopped the construction of the pipeline. Now Donald Trump has ordered that the project goes ahead [6]. In his opinion, climate change is a “Chinese invention” to slow down the US economy [7]. Now is the time for the environmental movement to organise worldwide resistance against the attack on climate protection.
Trump wants to create precedents in his first 100 days in office. But last weekend our friends in the US celebrated a small success against his radical agenda: After protested by thousands of people and an express verdict, he had to suspend part of the entry ban against Muslims and refugees. Now we have the chance that together with the US-American environmental movement we can stop Trump’s favourite project.
A few creditors are considering backing away from the Dakota-pipeline – the large Norwegian Bank DNB already has [8]. The Bavarian State Bank is currently assessing if an exit is possible. If they decide to exit the project, a domino effect with all creditors is possible. We have the chance to cut off the cash flow for theTrump-pipeline. Please join us!
Sign the petition here
Best wishes,
Linda Neddermann, Campaigner
Christop Bautz, Campact-DirectorPS. Even if we don’t succeed in pushing the Bavarian State Bank towards exiting the project or to stop the pipeline, resistance is crucial. It will show every German business what they have to expect if they actively work on implementing Trump’s radical agenda.
Click here and sign the petition
[1] „Trump lässt zwei Pipeline-Projekte fortsetzen“, Tagesschau, 24.01.17
[2] „The Dakota Access Pipeline will lock-in the emissions of 30 coal plants“, Oil Change International, 12.09.16
[3] „Trump dumped his stock in the Dakota Access pipeline owner over the summer“, Washington Post, 23.11.16
[4] „Ein Indianerstamm legt sich mit der Bayern LB an“, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 01.12.16
[5] „Dakota Access Pipeline: Gefährlich und ohne Respekt“, Telepolis, 27.11.16
[6] „Trump will umstrittene Pipelines weiterbauen lassen“, Deutschlandfunk, 24.01.17
[7] „Chinas große Chance“, Zeit Online, 29.12.2016
[8] „Largest Bank in Norway Sells Its Assets in Dakota Access Pipeline“, EcoWatch, 18.11.2016
38 Degrees
In late January, 38 Degrees launched a solidarity fundraiser, raising funds for the ACLU and other US organisations from the other side of the planet. In an email to their members they say:
“Many of us are scared about what’s happening in America, and it’s easy to feel powerless. But this our chance to stand up against tyranny, discrimination and injustice. It’s a chance to be on the right side of history. None of us could take Trump to court by ourselves. But together, we can get behind the world’s best lawyers who are challenging his decisions – and we can win.”
Thousands from across the UK have chipped into this campaign.
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ACLU solidarity fundraiser
Donald Trump is trying to ban Muslims from entering America. Over the weekend, his new rules meant people who have the right to live in America were pulled off planes and stopped from entering the country they live in, simply because of where they were born.
But not even Trump is above the law, and his plan has been forced to a halt thanks to a crack team of lawyers. It’s an embarrassing defeat for Trump on his first week on the job – but it’s only temporary.
There are huge legal battles ahead. If they go the right way, they could stop families from being torn apart, and stop the worst of Trump’s plans. There are lawyers with the talent and knowledge to win, but they’re going to need money. That’s where we come in.
Please can you chip in now to help fund top lawyers to defeat Trump? Donating takes two minutes, even if you’re on your phone:
This weekend shocked the world. People were held for hours in airports, people were trapped in limbo in other countries, and parents were separated from their children. All because of where they were born, or their religion. In response, lawyers rushed to airports and offered their services for free – often using the floor as their temporary office.
One of the organisations behind Trump’s first defeat is the American Civil Liberties Union. They’re experts in protecting the rights of ordinary people. Their track record includes taking on the KKK, exposing torture and standing up for freedom of speech. It was the ACLU who persuaded a judge to block Trump’s ban late on Saturday night.
Many of us are scared about what’s happening in America, and it’s easy to feel powerless. But this our chance to stand up against tyranny, discrimination and injustice. It’s a chance to be on the right side of history. None of us could take Trump to court by ourselves. But together, we can get behind the world’s best lawyers who are challenging his decisions – and we can win.
Where Will the Money Go?
The 38 Degrees staff team will identify organisations – including the ACLU – who have strong plans for fighting Trump’s dangerous plans, and who are in need of more funds to do it. Then, the staff team will run background checks to make sure that they have fair and honest financial procedures, so we know the money will be used well. Please will you chip in? https://link.38degrees.org.uk/donate-to-stop-trump
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