Action 92 – keep your eye on the ball
Background: In The Contrarian this morning Jennifer Rubin writes: “We must keep our eye on the ball: namely, an extreme, well-organized reactionary machine insulated from accountability by (1) right-wing media, (2) political cowardice, and (3) government intimidation.” OK. We can buy that. Now what do we do? Here are some ideas for this week.
This Wednesday if you are available at 4 pm, join https://mobilize.us/s/C5RBfO Tip: sign on early, say 3:45-ish.
This Thursday at 7 PM join the Hancock County Democrats monthly meeting. Signup here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/2qVT-xagR9OD7Zcb8bLhSA#/registration The Democratic Party is only as courageous and effective as we make it.
(1) right-wing media If you haven’t already, sign up for news alternatives to main stream media such as Jessica Craven, Joyce Vance, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Hubbell, Paul Krugman, Media and Democracy Project, the 5 calls app, The New Republic. There are many out there. Importantly, share your best sources with your friends, especially those who still rely only on main stream media like the NY Times or rightwing sources.
(2) political cowardice
Call Susan Collins. (202) 224-2532 (DC office). She needs to know that voting for the SAVE Act could kill her chances for re-election. Ask her to try a thought experiment. Try to register to vote as Susan Daffron, and consider the hassle of trying to prove her identity within a few days, assuming she was impoverished, living in a rural part of the state, working two jobs, and only found out November 1 about the new documentation required.
Call your state legislators, Republican as well as Democrat. Don’t they agree that the Trump administration has gone off the rails? What are they, specifically, doing about it? You may be surprised that some Republicans will share points of agreement. To paraphrase one of them (I won’t tell you who) “I don’t approve of billionaires running everything – it’s not why I signed up.” What do they think about the illegal deportation of Mr. Garcia to a foreign concentration camp, and Trump’s intent to expand that gulag, eliminating due process protections? What if the victim was their beloved family member? By now you know how to contact your representatives in Augusta, right?
Call Jared Golden and loudly criticize his SAVE vote. (202) 224-3121 (DC office). He is just plain wrong, and unbelievably stubborn. We need to challenge him, in such a way that CD2 doesn’t elect Paul LePage (who is contemplating running against him). Please share your suggestions for a worthy Democratic challenger.
(3) government intimidation If the Supreme Court and the Supine Congress allow the deportation of Mr. Garcia to stand, it becomes likely that Trump will round up some of his vocal critics, brand them as criminals, and send them to El Salvador without possibility of return. This policy works to the advantage of both Trump and Bukele: both are eager to keep their citizens too frightened to resist. But to combat intimidation, the resistance must continue. There is safety as well as strength in numbers. Join an April 19 protest. Remember learning about the “shot heard ‘round the world”? April 19, 1775 is the date that the American Revolution started! You can criticize the history of the United States, but please “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good”. Stand up for our Constitution, and show up, flying US flags! In Hancock County protests will be in Belfast, Ellsworth, Blue Hill, and Bucksport. (Elsewhere in Maine in Rockland, Bangor, Farmington, Lewiston, Auburn, Portland, Bridgton, Biddeford, Wells, Waterville, and York. Please let us know if you know of others.)
Extra Credit:
Ø Please view this Substack video post from Jessica Craven. Lots of ideas here:
https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/live-with-jessica-craven?utm_source=podcast-email&publication_id=362618&post_id=161344611&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_content=watch_now_button&r=2ycvh&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Ø https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_camp