Daily Yopp! 5.17.17 In Your Guts, You Know He's Nuts

Please excuse me for missing a Yopp! yesterday. I've been a little busy reading and watching the latest news updates. Good lord!! Try not to crack under the stress. We're breaking down like fractions.

I'm gonna defer to my friend Kate Schatz of Solidarity Sundays who came up with a pithy action post on Tuesday. You remember Tuesday, right? We were so young and naive back then...

"Last night I had a nightmare that my home was being invaded on all sides. The front porch was covered with mean-looking men who were peeking in the windows and trying to open the door. I kept locking the locks and they just laughed. I ran to the back door and found the stairwell and backyard filled with drunk frat boys—they weren't fun-drunk, though. They were malicious and reckless and zombie-like, and also intent on coming in the house, stumbling and vomiting as they went. I tried everything I could to make them go away—I yelled, I locked doors, I screamed, I called the police, I tried to push them away. Nothing worked. I managed to escape, ran through some yards, hopped over a wall, and found myself in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I walked and walked but couldn't find my block, my address. None of the homes looked familiar. When I finally managed to find my house—it had burned. The men had set a fire. Everything was destroyed. 

I woke up from this dream at 3am and couldn't go back to sleep. My mind was racing—I knew exactly what it was about. No dream-interpretation book needed, no Jungian Google search. My house was America, and it was being destroyed. I laid awake in the dark, my 4-year old son sleeping sweetly next to me, and reckoned with how truly freaked out I really am.

HOW IS THIS MAN STILL PRESIDENT, AND WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET HIM OUT?"

#ACTION This is what *I'm* sending to my MoCs today. I'm also going to send it as a letter to the editor of several local papers. If you're in a similarly freaked out placed, I encourage you to also communicate your raw emotions. There are, of course, good polite scripts, like this one: 

"Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from _______.I'm calling to express my serious concerns about Trump discussing highly classified intelligence with the Russians, jeopardizing our national security and relationship with crucial allies. Congress must step up now to protect the safety of our nation and immediately establish an independent investigation into Trump's ties to Russia." 

and this one: 

"Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from ____.I'm calling to express my serious concerns about Trump's recent actions interfering in the Russian investigation and the constitutional crisis we are now facing. These problems must be immediately addressed, and I urge Senator ______ to withhold unanimous consent and hold no votes or confirmations on the Senate floor until an independent investigation is established." 

But today, I am freaked out and anxious and repulsed by the complicit politicians who are "troubled" (it's the new "thoughts and prayers") by this unbelievable onslaught of incompetence (at best) and malicious criminal corruption. It is all SO EXHAUSTING AND MIND-BOGGLING but we CANNOT LET THAT STOP US FROM MAKING NOISE.

PLEASE! KEEP! MAKING! NOISE!

Ok. Gonna send my angry dream emails, take some deep breaths, and take my kid to the park. Wearing my 'Not My President' shirt, of course. 

 #RESIST!

So big picture with this Yopp! KEEP MAKING NOISE! I call/email my MoCs every day and encourage them to keep resisting. If your MoCs are idiots still supporting Trump, then be sure to call and remind them that they are on the wrong side of history.

If that wasn't fun enough, check out What the F*ck Just Happened Today?! It's basically an ongoing log of the latest craziness coming from the White House.

Yours in Solidarity!

Daily Yopp! 5.15.17 Remind Senators to Vote NO on ACA Repeal

This is a very quick one with not a lot of background to read through because you already know it.

The second attempt by the GOP to repeal the ACA heads to the Senate today. I'm sure you've already called your senators to let them know that you are against this. Be sure to call, email, or Resistbot them today.

If your senators are Democrats, let them know that they must hold the line and outlast their opposition. If your senators are Republicans, make it clear that it is political suicide for them to vote yes on this bill or any kind of revision. Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight.

To the phones (or computers).

Daily Yopp! 5.12.17 - Write an Impeachment Memorial

The Impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives with a formal resolution initiated by a member of the House. As such, there is little we average citizens can do to get the process going.

Or is there?

According to the folks at Impeach for Peace, there may be a way for We the People to have some sway in this matter:

"The rules of the House of Representatives empower individual citizens to initiate the process. The relevant part of the rules is a section called the Jefferson's Manual. It is the section that speaks to the ways impeachment can be initiated. It has been ratified by each congress (including the current one), and has been updated continuously through the history of our democracy. The section covering impeachment lists the acceptable ways for bringing impeachment motions to the floor of the House. 

Before the House Judiciary Committee can put together the Articles of Impeachment (a set of charges against a public official), someone must initiate the impeachment process. Most often, this occurs when members of the House pass a resolution. Another method outlined in the manual, however, is for individual citizens to submit a memorial/petition for impeachment."

Today's Yopp! is to write a Memorial for Impeachment and send it to Congress.

To be frank, this is a longshot. But even as a longshot, this gives a little more legitimacy to our epistolary protests. Technically, the Memorial is a formal document that the member of the House are obligated to respond to per the official rules of the House of Representatives. That doesn't mean that they have to initiate the Articles of Impeachment, but it does mean that they can't just toss the letter in the trash. Also, the letter can be sent to ANY member of the House, including (and especially) the Speaker of the House (see rules below).

Step 1: Copy and paste the text of the sample letter below into the word processor of your choice. Add your name and make other changes as you see fit, and then print as many copies as you plan to send out. (see below)

Step 2: Send signed copies the letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and your own representative.

Step 3: Share this Yopp! The more that send a Memorial, the better.

Extra Credit Steps: Send signed copies to as many other representatives as your time and budget allow. Hand deliver copies to their local offices or directly to DC if you can. Send copies of your letter to your local newspaper editor.


SAMPLE LETTER

To the House of Representatives of the United States: 

The petition of [Your Name], a citizen of [Your State], and of the United States, respectfully showeth that in accordance with Jefferson's Manual section LIII, 603; impeachment may be set in motion by charges submitted by a memorial, which is usually referred to a committee for examination. This memorial sets forth that, Donald J. Trump has abused his power as President of the United States of America by:

• Committing an act of war without first getting congressional approval. Trump ordered the bombing of a Syrian airbase on April 6, 2017 without first following his constitutional duty to get approval from congress. 

• Obstructing justice by removing Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations James Comey from office in order to prevent further investigations into matters pertaining to the 2016 presidential election campaign and possible collusion with agents of a foreign nation.

• Signing an executive order on January 31, 2017 that imposes a selective ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries as well as establishing preferential treatment for refugees seeking asylum who are identified with "minority religions" in their country of origin (these would tend to be Christians). According to the Supreme Court, "the clearest command of the Establishment Clause is that one religious denomination cannot be officially preferred over another." Trump told Christian Broadcast News that his executive order was intended to give priority to "Christians" seeking asylum over "Muslims," thus violating the Establishment Clause. We also have clear evidence as to his intent prior to signing the executive order, as Trump has made numerous statements indicating his intent including his stated desire to implement a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslim immigration.

• Failing to divest himself of financial conflicts-of-interest before taking office, as evidenced by his children (as opposed to a blind trust) being in control of his businesses. As a result, Trump's businesses are profiting from his position as president, in violation of the Emoluments Clause of Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution.

Having thus submitted to your honorable body the aforementioned offence(s), observe that it appears that one or both of the following charges to be true:

• That the said Donald J. Trump has, in their capacity as President of the United States of America, been guilty of usurping a power which the laws of the land did not give them.
• That said Donald J. Trump has exercised their power, usurped or legitimate, to the detriment of every citizen of the United States.

Wherefore, and inasmuch as the said Donald J. Trump has violated the most sacred and undoubted rights of the inhabitants of these United States, your petitioner asks that the conduct and proceedings in this behalf, of said Donald J. Trump, may be inquired into by your honorable body, and such decision made thereon as to your wisdom and justice shall seem proper. Such consideration to include the appointment of managers to conduct the impeachment trial in the Senate, and to inform the Senate of these facts by resolution (Manual Sec. 607; Deschler Ch 14 Sec. 9) for trial and removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States;

I have the honor to be your obedient servant.

Your Name

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW REGARDING IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES

"The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors."

RULES ABOUT PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

Petitions, memorials, and other papers addressed to the House may be presented by the Speaker as well as by a Member [of Congress] (IV, 3312). Petitions from the country at large are presented by the Speaker in the manner prescribed by the rule (III, 2030; IV, 3318; VII, 1025). A Member [of Congress] may present a petition from the people of a State other than his own (IV, 3315, 3316). The House itself may refer one portion of a petition to one committee and another portion to another committee (IV, 3359, 3360), but ordinarily the reference of a petition does not come before the House itself. A committee may receive a petition only through the House (IV, 4557).

Daily Yopp! 5.11.17 Ask Your City to Impeach Trump

I was eight years old when the Watergate scandal erupted, and I have very distinct memories of that time...albeit from a child's perspective. Things got particularly crazy in the summer of 1974. I have two distinct memories from that summer. First, my mom was so obsessed with the Congressional hearings that she'd taken over the TV and I couldn't watch my afternoon cartoons. (Boo, Nixon!!) Second, we spent a lot of time with our friends at their pool while our moms would slather themselves with Ban de Soleil, bake in the hot sun, and listen to the hearing on their transistor radio. We kids would be splashing in the pool, and every so often one of us would cannonball into the pool while yelling, "Impeach Nixon!" It being the glorious 70s, we were all wearing our super cool stars and stripes Speedo swimsuits a la Mark Spitz. Good times!

On August 8, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned and I was able to resume my media diet of Bugs Bunny cartoons and Green Acres reruns.

Representative Karen Bass recently tweeted, "To the young people wondering what it was like under Nixon -- This is it. You're living it." Well, I was only eight, but I can assure you that it definitely feels similar. I can almost see the headlines.

According to the U.S. Constitution: "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors."

There's not a lot in the Constitution about that process, but in the four times that the Articles of Impeachment have been brought against an acting President, they have been initiated by the House of Representatives (charges) and investigated by the Senate (trial). Only two presidents have actually been fully impeached by the House and both were acquitted by the Senate (Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton). Suffice to say, our nation does not have a lot of experience with these matters, and given that both house of Congress are controlled by the GOP, it's unlikely that they will be rushing to start this process.

But there is a movement afoot to put some pressure on the House. Several cities have passed resolutions demanding that impeachment proceedings start. Here are some articles with details.

Common Dreams article about Cambridge, MA and several other cities

Article about Richmond, CA resolution

Newsweek article about possible impeachment over Comey scandal

Common Dreams article

Thoughtco article about the impeachment process

Today's Yopp! Send an email or letter to your city council asking them to draft a resolution demanding that the House initiate the impeachment process. For extra credit, write a letter to the editor asking the same.

As cities join this movement, there will be more and more pressure on the House to take action. We'll talk more about this impeachment thing later. For now, contact your local city council member.

Yours in Solidarity!

Daily Yopp! 5.10.17 - URGENT: Call for a Special Prosecutor

Hey y'all! HUGE HUGE HUGE news about FBI Director Comey. And it is critical that we make our voices heard.

In case you haven't heard, out of the blue and just before Comey was set to testify to a Senate subcommittee about the Michael Flynn investigation, Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. The White House claims that he was fired due to his handling of the Hillary Clinton email server scandal.

Yeah, right...

Senator Chuck Schumer (NY-D) joins many other members of Congress in calling for an independent investigation. "If [Deputy Attorney General Rod] Rosenstein does not appoint an independent special prosecutor, every American will rightly suspect that the decision to fire Comey was part of a cover up.”

Read more here: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/politics-government/article149605184.html#storylink=cpy

We're talking scandal at or beyond the level of Watergate. In the meantime, staffers at all the Congressional offices that I've called are telling me that the call volume has reduced. Look, y'all...when you got skin in the game, you stay in the game. But you don't get a win unless you play in the game.

We need to get back on the phones and make some noise. If you haven't called recently, you need to make sure your voice is heard.

Please call all three of your members of Congress and tell them that you expect both the House and the Senate to conduct hearings on the Flynn/Russia scandal as well as Trump's firing of Comey.

Then sign this ACLU petition demanding that Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente appoint a special prosecutor to investigate possible perjury by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and potential Russian interference in the 2016 race. No one is above the law in America, no matter their political connections.

Washington DC is in an uproar about this, but We the People need to make sure they know we are very much paying attention.

*********************

Here's what Dan Rather has to say about the Comey scandal:

Future generations may mark today as one of the truly dark days in American history, a history that may soon take an even more ominous turn. 

President Trump's sudden firing of FBI Director James Comey is a matter that should deeply concern every American, regardless of party, partisan politics or ideological leanings. 

The independence of our law enforcement is at the bedrock of our democracy. That independance, already grievously shaken under the brief tenure of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, is now shattered by uncertainty. 

The firing of an FBI Director is always a very serious matter in normal times. But these times aren't normal. Far from it. The Bureau is engaged in one of the most important and perilous investigations of this or any other presidency—the investigation of connections between the Trump election campaign and the Russian government. 

The questions mount and the shadow grows darker. What were those connections? What did Mr. Trump know about them and when did he know it? How can the President explain the serious allegations against his former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn? And what is President Trump hiding in this regard? It’s imperative that the nation—We The People—get answers to those questions. It will take time, but the process must start now. 

A politicized FBI is the last thing we need as we struggle through the maze of lies, concealment and ever-deepening mysteries. The last time a President fired prosecutors who were investigating him was Richard Nixon during the widespread criminal conspiracy known for short as “Watergate.” We all know how that turned out. In real ways, this potential scandal and cover up are much graver. We are talking about the very security of the United States and the sanctity of our republic. 

Thomas Paine famously wrote in 1776: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." 

I see this as having the potential for a similar reflection point in our American story. If there is a cover up, if our nation is at the risk that has certainly been more than suggested, it is incumbent upon everyone who claims to love this nation to demand answers. 

We need a special prosecutor. We need an independent investigation. There is, obviously, much we don’t know about what has just happened, why it happened and why now. Just as obviously there is much more, so much more that we need know. We need to damn the lies and expose the truth.

Here's the text of the letter that Trump had delivered to Comey just as he was about to speak to FBI agents in Los Angeles prior to a recruiting event:

THE WHITE HOUSE 

Washington 

May 9, 2017 

Dear Director Comey, 

I have received the attached letters from the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States recommending your dismissal as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I have accepted their recommendation and you are hereby terminated and removed from office, effective immediately. 

While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the Bureau. 

It is essential that we find new leadership for the FBI that restores public trust and confidence in its vital law enforcement mission. 

I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, 

Donald J. Trump

Daily Yopp! 5.9.17 Demand an Explanation

On Monday, I had a nice chat with a staffer in my representative's office about how to read and understand H.R. 1628 or the American Health Care Act of 2017. I'll be frank. It's too many damn pages for any man to understand. She directed me to a few resources (see yesterday's Yopp!), but I've still yet to find a clear explanation and analysis of the 132 page bill. Apparently I'm not alone. Constituents of Representative John Faso's district (NY-19) have gotten so frustrated trying to get and explanation of the bill from Congressman Faso that they've begun petitioning the representative from the neighboring district, Congressman Patrick Maloney (NY-18) for help. He has kindly offered to hold a town hall in their district to help decipher H.R. 1628.

There's your Yopp! We're going to ask our representatives to explain this bill. The Yopp! has two parts. The first step is the most important, but if your representative voted Yes on H.R. 1628, then it's critical to start putting pressure on them to explain their vote, which is the point of Step 2.

Step 1: Call your Representative and ask them to hold or sponsor a town hall or public event or a least post some resources online over the next week that explains H.R. 1628, how it may impact their district, and why they voted how they did. If the staffer gives a reasonable answer, then thank them. If they waffle or have no information, ask them to get back to you when they can answer your questions and let them know that you'll be contacting representatives from neighboring districts to see if they can help.

Step 2: Contact representatives from neighboring districts and ask the same. This involves a bit more work, but it will pay off in the long run. Here's a nifty map that will help you identify the other districts. 

Let me show you how it works for me. I live in CA-13. This district is bordered by CA-14, CA-12, CA-11, and CA-15. So here's my plan:

1. Call my representative, Barbara Lee, and ask her to hold an event explaining H.R. 1628.

Assuming she is not planning an event or an explanation at this time, I will then call the representatives below and ask them to help explain the bill.

• CA-14  Jackie Speier 
• CA-12  Nancy Pelosi 
• CA-11  Mark DeSaulnier 
• CA-15  Eric Swalwell

Now in my case, all of these folks voted against H.R. 1628 and came out strongly against it, but if your representative voted for it, this is a good way to put some additional pressure on them. I have a list of all the members of both houses, so if you need to know who might be neighboring congressperson for you, just send an email to krisbradburn@gmail.com and I'll get back to you. Be sure to let me know your district and/or Representative.

Yours in Solidarity!

(Hamilton fans! The lyric is in there. Trust me.)

Daily Yopp! 5.8.17 - Make Some Noise!

By now you've no doubt heard about the House passing a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act that is being described as "disastrous" and "craven". I can only guess that they figured we were all done protesting and they could start doing whatever they wanted. We need to make some noise today to remind our representatives that we ARE still paying attention and that we still expect them to do the right thing even when we aren't camped outside their offices with picket signs.

Sheesh...you'd think that thing called a "election" we do every two years would help the representatives know what to do, but I guess not. Today's Yopp! is focused on letting our representatives know how disappointed we are that the House passed H.R. 1628 last Thursday. There is an ad campaign starting this week that is targeting twenty-four House members in particular, but we need to let ALL of them know how we feel.

Step 1: Find out how your representative voted on H.R. 1628. All Democrats voted NO as did a handful of Republicans. Before you make any calls, be sure you know how they voted.

Step 2: Do a little research and find out at least one way that you personally (or someone you care about) would be impacted were this bill to pass. I've put some of them at the bottom of this Yopp! There are significant losses for those who are on Medicaid, over 50, low-income, OR have pre-existing conditions. Just find one thing that affects you. (Oh...and in the interest of full disclosure and fair and balanced reporting, if your annual income is over $1 million, this bill should save you about $50,000 in taxes, so that's something...)

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with Desiree in Rep. Barbara Lee's office. She directed me to a couple of websites that can help with the research:

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Washington Post: Winners and Losers from the GOP's Healthcare Bill

Step 3: Work up a little quaver to your voice and call your representative. Let them know how you will be affected and then either thank them for voting know or tell them how disappointed you are that they voted yes. On the other hand, if you are one of those millionaires that will get a tax break, be sure to tell them how thrilled you are that you will be paying even less of your share.

If you're not outraged yet, then just watch Representative Labrador of Idaho tell his constituents that, "Nobody dies because they don't have access to health care." In the meantime, stay alive 'til this horror show is past. We're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast.

**********************************

From Gov Track Insider:

If you’re on Medicaid…

• The ACA expanded Medicaid eligibility in 32 states that opted in to it. The AHCA would reverse the eligibility expansion beginning in 2020(anyone enrolled by then would remain enrolled), and it would reduce federal support for Medicaid with caps on coverage.

• The ACA expanded required benefits under Medicaid, such as mental health and addiction services, which would no longer be required. 

If you’re covered through your employer…

• Fines would be eliminated for large employers that don’t provide health plans.

• Small-business tax credits would end in 2020. 

If you’re on an individual plan…

• The ACA limited what health insurance providers could charge in premiums. Under the AHCA, those limits would be adjusted so that younger people might see lower premiums and older people much higher premiums. UPDATE — See the May 4 update at the top of the article.

• The ACA’s complex cost-sharing provisions that lowered costs for some low-income Americans would be eliminated.

• The ACA’s awkward bronze/silver/platinum levels would go away. 

Other changes…

• A long list of taxes created by the ACA to pay for its subsidies would be eliminated, but some new taxes will be added, such as a new tax on the value of health insurance provided by an employer.

• Parts of last year’s last-minute bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act would be defunded. 

“Defunding” Planned Parenthood 

The AHCA would also prohibit federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood, mostly through Medicaid, for one year.
This would pause federal reimbursements for Planned Parenthood’s reproductive health, maternal health, and child health services — but not its abortion services because federal funds are already prohibited from being used for abortion.
What’s the bottom line?
How the AHCA would affect you depends on your income, how you get your health insurance, and what kinds of health care you need.

• For older, low-income Americans with health insurance from the individual market: Premiums could increase by $3,600 for a 55-year-old earning $25,000 a year and $8,400 for a 64-year-old earning $15,000 a year. [AARP]

• For low-income Americans covered by Medicaid, the federal cap on support would likely lead to fewer benefits and higher out-of-pocket costs. [AARP] 5–18 million individuals are predicted to lose Medicaid coverage entirely. [NYTimes]

• If you are covered through your employer, your employer would be allowed to stop providing coverage — and that’s made more likely because tax credits and the tax advantage for employer-provided coverage would be eliminated. But experts are split on whether the AHCA will affect employer coverage — and even whether the ACA ever had any effect on employer coverage to begin with. [NYTimes]

• Americans with income around $40,000-$75,000 who purchase an individual plan may be better off because the ACA’s subsidies for low-income Americans would be spread out to income up to $75,000. [USA Today] (Unless premiums go up too.) If your income is below that, some of your subsidies are now going to go to other people with higher income.

• If you have an income of $200,000 or more, or investment income, you can expect your tax bill to go down — those making $1 million or more can expect around $50,000 less in taxes each year. 

Major changes to the health insurance market like the ACA and AHCA have far-reaching effects on federal spending and the economy. But experts polled by The New York Times are split on whether the AHCA will save the government or cost more because the AHCA lowers both government spending and tax revenue.

Daily Yopp! 5.7.17 Easy Way to Contact Your MoCs

Need an easy way to email your representatives? Check out Resistbot!

Resistbot uses the text function on your phone to generate customizable emails to your Representative in the House and both your Senators. All you need to know is your zip code and Resistbot will do the rest of the work for you. Just text “RESIST” to 50409 and the Resistbot system will follow up with texts that guide you through the rest. It will then deliver your message to your representatives in under 2 minutes. No downloads or apps required.

Once you are subscribed, it will send daily reminders to see if you want to send another message. This is an easy way to keep some skin in the resistance game for those of us with busy lives. And if you use it regularly enough, you'll unlock other functions like faxing your Senator or Representative, sending snail mail, or looking up town halls.

Is this for real? Yeah...it is. I've used it and it's legit. Here's a couple articles with more details about how it works:

• Scary Mommy blog: Resistbot Allows You To Contact Elected Officials Without Talking On The Phone
• Huffington Post: Technology Gets Political: Upstart Resistbot Faxes Lawmakers For You
• The Guardian: The Resistance Now: robots join the movement

So that's today's Yopp! Send a text to 50409 with the word "RESIST" and go for there. When you get to the part where you type in a message, you can say anything you want. I suggest that you tell them you are against the GOP plan to repeal the ACA.

Let's go.

Daily Yopp! 5.5.17 "The Moment of Truth for the Resistance"

Hello, boys! I'm BACK!!!

Indeed I have been remiss in my Yopps for the past several weeks. Lots going on in my little world...mostly work related. I trust that most of you have been able to find ways to engage your resistance in the meantime. Looking forward to the next few weeks, I expect things won't let up until mid-June. I hope to be back to normal...or at least the new normal...at that point.

That said and in light of the House passing the health care repeal bill...WTF?! Actually, I'm not surprised in the least. They've looked like incompetent fools these first 100 days (if the shoe fits), so they were anxious to get something done. From what I've read/heard, the Senate will likely vote No on the bill as is, but there is a very strong chance that they'll revise it and bounce the new version back to the House in the hopes that We the People will not fuss so much over the revised bill.

One of my favorite podcasts, Pod Save America, just did an episode on this issue that I highly recommend. It's called "The Moment of Truth for the Resistance" (hence the title of this Yopp!) and you can find it here. The gist of their message is that THIS issue is the moment where the loose confederation of patriots known as the Resistance made up of various groups like Indivisible will either show its true mettle or prove to be as lazy and spineless as Trump and the GOP assumes we are.

If I were a better writer, this is the place where I would put in a deeply inspirational passage about patriotism and the call to duty. It might go something like this:

[Over the next few days, we] will be launching the largest [citizen resistance] in the history of [America. America.] That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences any more. We will be united in our common interest. [Today we] will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist...

Yeah...that sounded a lot better when Bill Pullman was talking about aliens and air battles.

But seriously, y'all. We need to call, write, email, picket, and everything in between from now until this latest bill is totally defeated. Here's a few options from The Night Owl Activist. (FYI, everything below until the asterisks is from the Night Owl Activist. Sorry about the confusing formatting. I'll change the font.)

Today, Republicans in the House passed their healthcare bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and take away healthcare from at least 24 million Americans (I call it “Don’tCare”). This bill must still pass the Senate to have a chance of being made into law. Some Republican senators have stated that they will not vote on the House bill and will instead draft their own “repeal and replace” bill (?!). Either way, we need to fight to make sure that Republicans stop attacking the ACA by doing two important things:

1. shaming House Republicans for supporting a plan that takes healthcare away from millions of Americans
2. demanding that the Senate reject any plan to repeal the ACA

One of my subscribers, Debbie Tapp, sent me her thoughts on the vote today:

We are mourning again. Don’t let it drag you down. The Senate says they let this happen so they can protect Obamacare. November 8 was horrible. We set our sights on the Electoral College. We started writing letters. Emails. Petitions. December 19 was awful. There was still a chance when they accepted the votes in January. January 20 was a depressing day but we survived planning for January 21st and the Women’s March. We have made it through over 100 days. We have learned to fight. We have learned to make calls, send postcards, march, protest. We will continue. We have learned that we need to win back and control Congress. If Hillary had won, we would not have learned this. Hillary Clinton would be an awesome president but she would have fought the same battles that Obama did – but worse as a woman. Trump is doing the damage that he does because he is an extension of a Republican Congress. We must clip his wings and flip congress. Make sure your friends, family and neighbors are registered to vote. Contact your Elections Offices. This link may have the info. https://www.eac.gov/voters/election-day-contact-information/ Find out if paper ballots are now being used. Ask what kind of systems and how they are protected from interference such as hacking. Then, contact your governor, your state legislators. Make changes. It is up to you.

Here are some ways you can fight back right now.

• Call your representative. Regardless of how your representative voted today, use the information and scripts at the following link to give them a call and tell them how you feel: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/gop-health-care-repeal-hold-accountable/
• Call your senators. Use the information and script at the following link to call your senators and urge them to reject Don’tCare: https://www.istandwithpp.org/call
• Email your Republican representative. If your representative is a Republican who voted for Don’tCare, use the following link to email them and tell them that you won’t forget it when they’re up for re-election: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/letters/sign-and-send-a-letter-to-your-republican-member-of-congress-i-will-not-forget-your-vote-for-trumpcare
• Write a letter to the editor. Use the following link to send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper opposing Don’tCare: http://action.momsrising.org/lte/Healthcare_LTE_AHCA/
• Sign a petition condemning House Republicans. Sign the following petitions to let House Republicans know that their vote is unforgivable:
  • From Common Defense: http://go.commondefensepac.com/page/s/trumpcare-is-betrayal
  • From the Daily Kos: https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/petitions/sign-the-petition-fck-republicans
• Sign a petition telling the Senate to reject Don’tCare. Sign the following petitions to urge the Senate to reject Don’tCare and protect the ACA:
  • From Sen. Maggie Hassan: http://act.maggiehassan.com/page/s/20170504_healthcare-house
  • From Sen. Kamala Harris: http://go.kamalaharris.org/page/s/kh-ahca-petition
  • From a group of congresspersons: https://petitions.signforgood.com/tellthegop
  • From my Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf: http://action.wolfforpa.com/page/s/tell-the-senate-to-reject-trumpcare
  • From Public Citizen: http://action.citizen.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=13492
  • From MomsRising.org: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/protect_ACA_reject_AHCA/
• Sign a petition for single payer healthcare. Sign the following petition to demand single payer “Medicare-for-all” healthcare: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-if-you-agree-health-care-is-a-human-right-2

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If you want a simple action you can take without having to read all the above, then call your Senators and demand that they reject the House bill to repeal Obamacare. No revisions. Just vote NO.

Okay my fellow resisters! Let's do this! 'Til the world turns upside down!