Volume I, Issue 16 The Newsletter of Minuteman Indivisible Lexington June 21, 2017
Muster (verb) – assemble, especially for inspection or preparation for battle
MI HAPPENINGS
MI was busy at the State House this week! Protecting the Planet
MI members joined hundreds of supporters of carbon pricing at the Joint Committee hearing yesterday at the State House. There is growing momentum for the legislation, but there is still work to be done to persuade more legislators. For more information about how to help, please visit the Climate Change page on our website.
And Protecting Healthcare...
Others stopped by Governor Baker's office to thank him for his effort to reach out to six other governors to draft a letter requesting that the Senate have a bipartisan approach to healthcare reform. They also stopped by House Speaker Robert DeLeo's office to discuss efforts to counteract the potential ACA repeal and its impact on Massachusetts.
MI Elections team hosts Regina Bateson
Candidate for US Congress in California 4th District
Ms. Bateson is giving up her MIT teaching position and returning to her home district, the CA 4th, to run for Congress. (That's Lake Tahoe and Yosemite for you skiers and hikers.) She came to speak with Minuteman Indivisible to tell us about her campaign and gave us an insider's look into the process of running for Congress. One of the key take-aways from the evening is that the 2018 election cycle is already well underway and that it is time for groups like MI to be actively involved in the 2018 campaigns now if we want to win seats in a year and a half.
Regina faces Tom McClintock, conservative Republican, Trump supporter and climate-change denier. Tom McClintock is vulnerable! He is the epitome of the absentee representative (he has never even lived in the district! Yes, that's allowed in CA) and is seen as not representing his constituents' interests. There are over 8,000 members of the local Indivisible chapter in his district and his contentious town halls have made national headlines.
A group from the MI elections team will be focusing effort on helping elect Regina mostly in the areas of fundraising, campaign research and organization. If you would like to help in the effort please register your interest here:
If you would like to contribute directly to the campaign you can do so on her website: www.bateson4congress.com
EVENTS CALENDAR
INDIVISIBLE REGIONAL CONFERENCE TURNING THIS MOMENT INTO A MOVEMENT Sunday, June 25th, 12:30-5PM Minuteman High School, 758 Marrett Rd, Lexington
The very first Massachusetts Regional Indivisible Conference is happening here in Lexington! Representatives from Indivisible groups across the state are gathering this Sunday at the Minuteman High School to learn what others are working on, to organize and to hear from some great speakers on building the movement, and reenergize. This conference is not just for team leaders, but for anyone who would like to come learn and be inspired.
The event speakers include:
NH Senator Annie Kuster: Mid-term elections and Swing District Candidates
MA State Senator Jamie Eldridge: Effective Grass Roots Organizing
Former Markey Legislative Aide Dr. Daniel Pomeroy: Engaging on policy with your US Reps
National Indivisible Guide Representative Marguerite Suozzo Gole: Where the national organization is headed
There will be breakout sessions on issues: Climate & Environment, Healthcare, Election strategies, Democracy and voting rights, immigrant issues, jobs, tolerance and criminal justice reform.
There will also be a panel discussing strategies for sustaining momentum and growing the movement as we head into the 2018 elections. We would love to see great turnout of Minuteman Indivisible members. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10.
Please register for this event:
Elizabeth Warren Town Hall June 23rd, 5:30 pm
UTEC, 35 Warren St.
Lowell, MA
Senator Elizabeth Warren will be hosting a town hall in Lowell this Friday. She will be making remarks and answering questions about what's happening in the Senate and how she's fighting for Massachusetts families. There will also be a chance to talk with her staff about any questions or concerns you might have, or assistance you may need. Doors open for the event at 5:30pm. RSVP here.
July 4th Reading of the Declaration of Independence July 4th, 1pm
North Bridge, Concord, MA
Join us at the North Bridge in Concord for a reading of the Declaration of Independence and support the NPS (which is part of the resistance). This is a family event so come one, come all. We will listen to a reading of this fabulous document which lays out why the patriots felt that they needed to declare independence. We will follow the reading with an ice cold treat. . For more information see the event details from the National Park Service. Please sign up if you plan to come so we have refreshments for everyone.
UPCOMING MI MEETINGS
Preserving our Constitutional Democracy Team Meeting Wednesday, June 27th 7:15-9PM Lexington Community Center, Room 221
Interested in Russia Gate, Conflicts of Interest, Voting Rights, Gerrymandering, Human Rights, and / or Immigrant rights? Come to the next meeting of the Democracy team and see what actions that we are taking and help to create new actions in the future.
MORNING COFFEE ACTIONS
(Actions you can do while enjoying your morning cup!)
Your Healthcare Is At Risk! Even in Massachusetts
The dismantling of the current healthcare system proposed by the House of Representatives last month and being “refined” in SECRET in the Senate this month will have far-reaching effects on everyone in the country, including us. The provisions of Massachusetts healthcare pre-Obamacare do not revert back if the ACA is repealed. This will affect you or people you know.
For instance, Medicaid, typically thought of as only for the very impoverished, helps pay for the nursing home costs for 65% of residents (including our own parents!) because their savings were exhausted after their first few years stay.
Make no mistake:
1. This Senate action is all about the Republicans getting a critically needed political win without any concern for protecting people’s health.
2. The result of that bill will be to cripple a healthcare system that protects the health of 23M people in order to take $800 billion out of the country’s financial resources and turn that money over to billionaires and insurance companies.
Please take action this week, starting today:
• Call our two senators
• Ask your friends in Massachusetts to call our two senators
• Ask your friends in these 10 states to call their senator(s):
AK(2), AR, AZ, CO, LA, ME, NV, OH, PA, & WV.
Here’s what you or your friends say:
1. Ask the senator to demand open review and hearings on the Senate’s healthcare bill; a secret bill and no open hearings on the bill deny your senator and you, their constituents, the right to be represented.
2. Ask the senator to commit to vote NO on any bill that does not keep the President’s promise to make the new healthcare plan better and with no loss of the protections you have under the existing healthcare program, the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Those are the two direct asks; complete details for doing this are provided on the healthcare page of our website. Please call now.
Urge Governor Baker to Continue Opposing the AHCA
Please call Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to thank him for joining 6 other governors, including two other Republicans, in sending a letter to Senate leaders calling for a bipartisan approach to healthcare. The letter highlights the need to restore stability to insurance markets and improve affordability. Governor Baker has previously voiced opposition to the AHCA and serves on a Presidential commission on drug addiction, an area that would be adversely affected by the AHCA. In addition to thanking him for his stance, urge him to continue speaking out on this issue and ask him to speak up more strongly against the secrecy surrounding the Senate bill and in favor of transparency. Call Gov. Baker here.
Show your support for the Safe Communities Act
The hearing for the Safe Communities Act was held but we need to continue putting pressure on our elected officials. Please take a moment to call your State Representative and Governor Baker and ask them to support the Safe Communities Act. Find more information at the ACLU website along with a script you can use when making the calls. If you want to canvas for the SCA in several key locations in the state, contact Zayda Ortiz zayda.ortiz@gmail.com.
Support Presidential Tax Transparency
If you think that anyone running for POTUS should have to release their taxes, then this action is for you – help us provide written testimony for the hearing. MA bill S.365 would require that all candidates that want to run for president in MA would have to release their taxes. Members of Indivisible are going to the hearing (date TBD) to provide oral testimony. It is easy to submit written testimony. Use our sample letter or draft your own. Just email an image of your signed letter to the email addresses at the top of the letter or to here. For more information, go to S.365.
Emoluments hashtag is trending
If you are worried about emoluments, then check out the hashtag #TrumpForSale, which is trending. Want to understand the issue better? Check out our fact sheet on Emoluments.
Partisan Gerrymandering heading to Supreme Court
Take a few moments to read this article on the potential landmark case on partisan gerrymandering that's coming before the Supreme Court. Here is a quick video that explains gerrymandering.
In Summary, Your MoC Call Checklist: Your MoC would prefer to have one call per constituent that includes everything, so here is a summary of our actions for each:
Warren and Markey: Thank them for opposing any reduction in healthcare benefits through a Senate version of AHCA and for withholding consent until the GOP shows us the bill.
Governor Charlie Baker:Thank him for Climate Alliance support, request support of carbon pricing legislation, encourage him to support the Safe Communities Act, and ask that he voice opposition to the undemocratic process in the Senate regarding AHCA .
HELP WANTED
Minuteman Indivisible is holding more public events and would like to create videos so that people who are unable to attend will still be able to see what happened. LexMedia, our local cable TV provides free training on using their equipment for volunteers who are interested in videoing community events. If you would be willing to video our events and either have already had LexMedia Training or would like to take advantage of it, please email us at info@minutemanindivisible.org.
GET INVOLVED
Learn More about MI Teams
Are you new to Minuteman Indivisible? Join one or more of our teams! (See our website for more information on the teams.)
If you'd like to contact one of our team leaders, their contact emails are below. ( Although many teams have more than one team leader, for simplicity's sake, we list just one contact point.)
If you haven't had a chance to sign up for a team and would like to get more involved, just fill out this form: TEAM SIGN-UPS
Our Mission:
We the peopleof Minuteman Indivisible unite to uphold the rights and dignity of all people. Our mission is to exercise and defend our Constitutional rights and democratic institutions. Our principles are informed by our humanitarian values and respect for well-established scientific knowledge and governance expertise.
