March for Our Lives, Postcards to Voters, and Letters to My Representatives 4-19-2018

Okay, so it’s been a wee while since I posted. This is the first day I’ve had time to write my reps and you will find a letter below, but I haven’t been completely out of the Resistance loop.

On March 24th I joined over 4000 people in Ann Arbor, and more than 1.2 million in the United States (and more globally!) to demand reform on gun control and gun safety measures. I was part of a group known as Kid Lit Marches for Kids organized nationally by author Jenny Han and regionally by local writers. Me being who I am I made signs for all our participants and handed out the extras to the surrounding crowd. Here are a few pictures from the event:

I also participated in Postcards to Voters a program to allow volunteers to write postcards to registered Democratic voters coming up to an election. It’s a small thing you can do to encourage voter participation even in small elections. Here’s a picture of mine and you can check out my Twitter Thread on how you can get involved!

And now for my letter to my reps. It was essentially the same to all three so I’m only sharing the Letter to Senator Debbie Stabenow:

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I ask that you support the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act to protect Robert Mueller, as introduced by Senators Tillis, Coons, Booker and Graham. The NYT’s latest report indicates that Trump considered ending the Russian investigation in the fall, the second time he has made such considerations. That move along with his continued rhetoric suggests Trump might try to end Mueller’s work sooner than later. Prominent members of the GOP keep reiterating they believe in Mueller and want to let him do his work. Please pass the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act as soon as possible. I would also like to ask that you reiterate that Rod Rosenstein cannot be fired as well.

I demand that you speak up about the airstrikes on Syria. You need to push the Trump Administration to provide clarification on what’s a “sustained response” to address the situation might look like. I would rather not get into a sustained conflict in the region, and any effort we do engage in needs to be focused on gaining freedom for the Syrian people and humanitarian aid for the millions affected by this crisis.

I would also like for you to push for changes to the presidential war powers. The lack of clarity in the language allows the president the leeway to carry out limited precision strikes and that needs to be changed. Similarly I also want you to bring up the need to debate the Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in 2001. What scope does the authorization now cover?

I want you to address the fact that our country has only taken in 11 Syrian refugees this year. If we are to seriously address the challenges being faced by Syrians, the refugee restrictions put forth by this administration need to be reversed.

I demand you call for Scott Pruitt’s resignation. The daily scandals that keep coming out of the EPA are absolutely unacceptable. Not only is he repeatedly committing ethics violations, he clearly doesn’t spend enough time doing his job, versus trying to defend his job.

I ask that you vote NO on against Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State if the vote comes to the Senate floor. Mike Pompeo has little to no background in diplomacy, and has been unable to fully answer many of the questions that were asked during his confirmation hearing.

I want you to vote in favor of Senator Markey’s resolution to repeal the FCC’s December decision to unwind Net Neutrality, via the Congressional Review Act. Polling suggests 60-80% of Americans do not support the rollback of the net neutrality, and voting in support of this bipartisan resolution will help ensure this issue isn’t singlehandedly decided by five people.

I support the FCC Inspector General case against Chairman Pai and I ask that you do as well. Chairman Pai’s potential connections with Sinclair Broadcasting need to be explored, particularly given the potential Sinclair-Tribune merge on the table. I also ask you to consider passing anti-trust laws, so Chairman Pai’s actions to help Sinclair in the merger process, cannot be repeated.

I am adamantly opposed to John Bolton’s appointment as National Security Advisor, and demand you do everything in your power to protest this appointment. John Bolton has a track record for advocating for extreme foreign policy views, often to the detriment of the nation. It’s for that reason Senate Foreign Relations determined Bolton was unfit to serve TWICE during the Bush Administration, and why he’s still unfit to serve now. I understand that you have no confirmation power when it comes to Bolton. But I demand you push forward w/ other options, including pushing forward w/ the Markey/Lieu bill limiting POTUS’s ability for first strike.

I expect you to take a stand against the Trump Administration’s latest attempts to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. The administration’s justification for banning transgender  individuals is based on flawed, discriminatory research. Moreover, many active service duty members have already reiterated: this discriminatory act against potential/serving officers, only damages unit cohesion. It doesn’t improve it. I expect you to take a stand, and let your constituents know you are supportive of any and all who choose to serve.

I ask that you do what you can to defend Andrew McCabe from the administration’s latest attack. Firing him days before he’s scheduled to retire is, as Senator Hirono called it, “sadistic”. He will lose his pension, after a twenty-two year career at the Bureau. I encourage you to call to let McCabe retire and receive his full pension, and continue on with whatever investigations are needed at that point.

I want to know why Trump is meeting with Putin and why Russia made the announcement.

I am against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, and I am demand you take a stand against these measures. According to economists, the tariffs will likely cause trade wars, disrupt the US economy and cause job losses in certain industries. Moreover, history has shown us before, tariffs simply are not effective. Please take whatever steps you can to oppose these measures.

I demand you work with your colleagues, to determine a concrete solution to address Dreamers. Since the Trump administration has announced the end of DACA, more than 19,000 immigrant youth have lost their protections from deportation. 850 more lose it every week. We need action NOW, especially as Leader McConnell wants the immigration debate to end. Now the bipartisan budget bill is out of the way, I demand you take the promises you made in the lead-up to that vote seriously, and figure out a solution for DACA. Please take this seriously. Please support a clean DREAM/SECURE Act for all then people currently in this country who need it, including 200k Slavadorans who will lose their protected status.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

So that’s it for today. It looks like the site It’s Time to Fight has merged with the I Called My Reps website, so for more information and scripts be sure to head over there! And if you do call or write your reps be sure to use #ICalledMyReps on Twitter to talk about it. We need to see each other resisting to maintain our morale and momentum!

Letters to My Representatives 3-22-2018

I missed a couple weeks because of life! To be honest, I almost didn’t do this week’s, but I buckled down and got it done. So here are today’s letters to my representatives. As always, check out It’s Time to Fight for scripts and information.

Also, if you are able, please find a March for Our Lives event near you this Saturday, March 24th.

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I am against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, and I ask that you take a stand against these measures. According to economists, the tariffs will likely cause trade wars, disrupt the US economy and cause job losses in certain industries. Moreover, history has shown us before, tariffs simply are not effective. Please take whatever steps you can to oppose these measures.

I am in support of Senator Cornyn and Senator Murphy’s FIX NICS bill, with the understanding Concealed Carry Reciprocity can’t be attached, as it is in the House. I ask that Senators continue to push for debate and consideration of the other legislation available for gun safety, including Senator Feinstein and Flake’s Age 21 bill. Simply fixing NICS isn’t enough to address the gun safety challenges in our nation.

I want you to vote in favor of Senator Markey’s resolution to repeal the FCC’s December decision to unwind Net Neutrality, via the Congressional Review Act. Polling suggests 60-80% of Americans do not support the rollback of the net neutrality, and voting in support of this bipartisan resolution will help ensure this issue isn’t single-handedly decided by five people.

I would like to express my concerns regarding Speaker Ryan’s decision to replace Matthew Masterson from the Election Admission Commission. The Speaker’s office has been unable to justify the decision to replace him, and Mr. Masterson’s state colleagues have been vocally against the move. Given the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia is clearly working to interfere in the 2018 midterms I demand to know 1) Why Mr. Masterson is being replaced before he has a chance to implement his recommended protection measures, and 2) who Speaker Ryan plans to replace Mr. Masterson with and when.

I ask that you vote NO on Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State and also NO on Gina Haspel for CIA Director. Both candidates are completely unfit for their positions, with Pompeo having little to no background in diplomacy, and Gina Haspel having spent a portion of her career both working on assignments involving torture and also possibly destroying tapes. Please vote AGAINST their appointments if/when they come to a vote on the floor.

I demand you work with your colleagues to determine a concrete solution to address Dreamers this week. Since the Trump administration has announced the end of DACA, more than 19,000 immigrant youth have lost their protections from deportation. 850 more lose it every week. We need action NOW, especially as Leader McConnell wants the immigration debate to end this week. Now that the bipartisan budget bill is out of the way, we demand you take the promises you made in the lead-up to that vote seriously, and figure out a solution for DACA. Please take this seriously.

I am against Trump’s tariffs that will affect the solar panel and washing machine industries. This will debilitate both industries. Please do what you can to protest these actions.

I am strongly against Trump’s decision to end protection for Salvadorians seeking refuge in this country. Sending them back to an unsafe place is tantamount to murder. Please do what you can to protest and prevent this heinous measure.

Please work to stabilize the ACA in light of the current spending bill needed to be passed this week. So many Americans rely on ACA and we must do all we can to continue affordable coverage for those who need it.

I ask that you do all you can to protect the investigation being done my Robert Mueller. Please help ensure that he has the time and resources to complete this as well as protection from Trump’s petty vindictiveness. It is imperative that this investigation be concluded in an appropriate and legal manner to ensure not only that we protect America from outside influence, but also that we know the investigation itself was not tampered with.

I ask that you call for hearings regarding the firing of Andrew McCabe.

I ask that you call for hearings regarding Facebook’s involvement with Cambridge Analytics, as well as an investigation into CA itself.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If you need volunteers during the 2018 Midterms I would be happy to contribute my time to your campaign.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

I am against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, and I ask that you take a stand against these measures. According to economists, the tariffs will likely cause trade wars, disrupt the US economy and cause job losses in certain industries. Moreover, history has shown us before, tariffs simply are not effective. Please take whatever steps you can to oppose these measures.

I am in support of Senator Cornyn and Senator Murphy’s FIX NICS bill, with the understanding Concealed Carry Reciprocity can’t be attached, as it is in the House. I ask that Senators continue to push for debate and consideration of the other legislation available for gun safety, including Senator Feinstein and Flake’s Age 21 bill. Simply fixing NICS isn’t enough to address the gun safety challenges in our nation.

I want you to vote in favor of Senator Markey’s resolution to repeal the FCC’s December decision to unwind Net Neutrality, via the Congressional Review Act. Polling suggests 60-80% of Americans do not support the rollback of the net neutrality, and voting in support of this bipartisan resolution will help ensure this issue isn’t single-handedly decided by five people.

I would like to express my concerns regarding Speaker Ryan’s decision to replace Matthew Masterson from the Election Admission Commission. The Speaker’s office has been unable to justify the decision to replace him, and Mr. Masterson’s state colleagues have been vocally against the move. Given the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia is clearly working to interfere in the 2018 midterms I demand to know 1) Why Mr. Masterson is being replaced before he has a chance to implement his recommended protection measures, and 2) who Speaker Ryan plans to replace Mr. Masterson with and when.

I demand you work with your colleagues to determine a concrete solution to address Dreamers this week. Since the Trump administration has announced the end of DACA, more than 19,000 immigrant youth have lost their protections from deportation. 850 more lose it every week. We need action NOW, especially as Leader McConnell wants the immigration debate to end this week. Now that the bipartisan budget bill is out of the way, we demand you take the promises you made in the lead-up to that vote seriously, and figure out a solution for DACA. Please take this seriously.

I am against Trump’s tariffs that will affect the solar panel and washing machine industries. This will debilitate both industries. Please do what you can to protest these actions.

I am strongly against Trump’s decision to end protection for Salvadorians seeking refuge in this country. Sending them back to an unsafe place is tantamount to murder. Please do what you can to protest and prevent this heinous measure.

Please work to stabilize the ACA in light of the current spending bill needed to be passed this week. So many Americans rely on ACA and we must do all we can to continue affordable coverage for those who need it.

I ask that you do all you can to protect the investigation being done my Robert Mueller and I strongly condemn the House Intelligence Committee’s decision to end their investigation. This partisan politics at its most damaging. Please help ensure that Mueller has the time and resources to complete this investigation as well as protection from Trump’s petty vindictiveness. It is imperative that this investigation be concluded in an appropriate and legal manner to ensure not only that we protect America from outside influence, but also that we know the investigation itself was not tampered with.

I ask that you call for hearings regarding the firing of Andrew McCabe.

I ask that you call for hearings regarding Facebook’s involvement with Cambridge Analytics, as well as an investigation into CA itself.

Do not support S.2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which passed the Senate. We are only a decade out from the 2008 economic crisis, and several months out from the Wells Fargo banking crisis. Wall Street and the banking industry have clearly demonstrated time and again, they need the regulations that were put into place by Dodd-Frank and the Volcker rule. Rolling back many of the safeguards implemented by Dodd-Frank, including those outlined in Section 401 may temporarily help banks now, but would also create a climate that might very well lead to another financial crisis in the future. Vote NO.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 2-21-2018

I am not posting today’s letters because they are exactly the same as last week’s with one exception. I asked Rep. John Moolenaar to vote NO on HR. 620, an act that would remove protections from the ADA and thereby greatly hamper a person with a disability from recourse against discrimination and remove incentives for businesses to comply with ADA standards. He of course voted YES so that part was replaced with my opinions on that decision and a reminder that I will keep his constituents informed of his decisions.

As always, scripts came from It’s Time to Fight. Please visit the site for information and scripts. And if you are feeling generous, please consider donating to the Ko-Fi that helps It’s Time to Fight continue running.

 

Letter to My School Superintendent Concerning School Walkouts

As many of you are aware there are several events in the near future planned to address the epidemic of gun violence that is devastating our schools. Here is the letter I wrote to my school superintendent concerning these events. Let’s hope I get a positive response.

I encourage all of you to address these issues with your own schools, but if you attend Midland Public Schools, I’ll make it easy for you. Here is the email address of the superintendent:

sharrowme@midlandps.org (Michael E. Sharrow)

And here are two more email addresses of the associate superintendents:

brutynbr@midlandps.org (Brian R. Brutyn)

cooperrg@midlandps.org (Robert G. Cooper)

 

Dear Mr. Sharrow,

As I am sure you are aware there are various nationwide events planned to draw attention to the epidemic of gun violence and our schools. On March 14th the Women’s March is sponsoring a school walkout, on March 24th the kids of MSD are sponsoring March for Our Lives (nationwide marches), and on April 20th a student from Connecticut is organizing another school walkout on the anniversary of the Columbine shooting. I would like to know what the school plans to do to facilitate the students in their right to participate in these walkouts. I know that high school, and even middle school kids, are quite capable of participating with or without the approval of the school, and I think after the students at MSD have proven, we will never underestimate our teenagers again. But I would like to be clear that I support theses students without repercussions to their decision and will be greatly displeased if any are perpetrated against them.

I also would like to ask if the school has given any thought in how the elementary age students could participate, or better yet, their parents. I have elementary age kids at Woodcrest and if the school devises a way to allow them to participate I will gladly help in that endeavor, but I do have hesitation about using our children to make a point when some may be too young to understand. I know my 4th grader would understand the concepts, but I have twin kindergarteners and I worry about how a protest of this nature (walking out during class silently) might affect them, though I would find a way to explain it to them if the walkout is possible. As an alternative I think allowing parents to gather outside the school at the time of the walkouts in solidarity for concerns of what needs to be done to prevent further tragedies would be a great way to still participate in this needed movement while not involving children too young. Having said that, I still think it might be a good idea to give the older kids an opportunity to participate if they so choose. If this issue is handled properly ahead of time, parents will have the opportunity to discuss the issues with their children so they can decide if they wish to participate.

In closing, I would like to say, if our children must participate in lockdown or active shooter drills to potentially save their lives one day, I think they should be able to participate in events that draw attention to the very problem that causes those drills.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 2-15-2018

Today’s letters aren’t long. I included a section on DACA, but there’s only one thing I wanted to talk about today: gun control. Enough is enough.

As always, check out It’s Time to Fight for scripts and information.

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I demand that you sign onto Senator Feinstein’s Automatic Gun Fire Prevention Act (S 1916), Assault Weapons Ban (S. 2095) and Senator Murphy’s Background Check Expansion Act (S. 2009) if you have not done so already. The latest mass shooting in Florida is a reminder that gun violence is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States. We need gun control reform, and these three bills will help begin to address the gun violence we are seeing almost weekly now. The Senate has it in their power to help reduce firearms access to those who would cause the general public harm. Please act immediately.

I ask that you vote NO on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017. The bill would potentially put law enforcement and the general public at risk, including allowing individuals from states with laxer gun laws, the ability to carry those firearms in states with stricter requirements. This could potentially cause genuine problems for public safety. Please do not support this bill. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) can be fixed separately from this bill.

I demand that you work with your colleagues to determine a concrete solution to address Dreamers this week. I will accept nothing less and will remember whatever decisions you choose to make. Since the Trump administration announced the end of DACA, more than 19,000 immigrant youth have lost their protections from deportation. 850 more lose it every week. We need action NOW, especially as Leader McConnell wants the immigration debate to end this week. Now the bipartisan budget bill is out of the way, we demand you take the promises you made in the lead-up to that vote seriously, and figure out a solution for DACA. Please take this seriously.

It is unconscionable that thousands of people are dying every year in this country because of gun violence and our legislatures–specifically the GOP–refuse to do anything about it. Background checks, bans on bump stocks, magazine capacity limitations, more funding, research, and resources for the programs that deal with mental health, and counteracting toxic masculinity are all important parts to solving this problem. No solution will be fool proof, but doing nothing while our children crouch trembling in classrooms and closets for “lock-down” drills is the opposite of a solution: it is death sentence for those unlucky enough to be in the path of the next person with a gun and a grudge.

Please make doing something about this situation a priority.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

I demand that you support Senator Feinstein’s Automatic Gun Fire Prevention Act (S 1916), Assault Weapons Ban (S. 2095) and Senator Murphy’s Background Check Expansion Act (S. 2009) should either of them make their way to the House or start a similar bill of your own if your not too much of a coward to do it. The latest mass shooting in Florida is a reminder that gun violence is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States. We need gun control reform, and these three bills will help begin to address the gun violence we are seeing almost weekly now.

I demand that you work with your colleagues, to determine a concrete solution to address Dreamers this week. I will accept nothing less, and will remember whatever decisions you chooses to make. Since the Trump administration announced the end of DACA, more than 19,000 immigrant youth have lost their protections from deportation. 850 more lose it every week. We need action NOW, especially as Leader McConnell wants the immigration debate to end this week.

I urge you to vote NO on HR 620, when it comes to the floor for a vote. HR620 upends a key provision of the ADA by preventing people with disabilities from immediately going to court to enforce their right and to press for timely removal of the barrier that impedes access. HR 620 also removes any incentive for businesses to comply proactively with the ADA. I demand that you do not support a law that actively discriminates against those with disabilities.

It is unconscionable that thousands of people are dying every year in this country because of gun violence and our legislatures–specifically the GOP–refuse to do anything about it. Background checks, bans on bump stocks, magazine capacity limitations, more funding, research, and resources for the programs that deal with mental health, and counteracting toxic masculinity are all important parts to solving this problem. No solution will be fool proof, but doing nothing while our children crouch trembling in classrooms and closets for “lock-down” drills is the opposite of a solution: it is death sentence for those unlucky enough to be in the path of the next person with a gun and a grudge.

Please make doing something about this situation a priority.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 2-7-2018

Here are today’s letters:

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I ask that you do what you can to bring the DREAM Act to the floor. The GOP has less than 2 days to prove they’re not posturing about DACA and that they are truly committed to helping the young people who were brought here and are currently enrolled in DACA. DACA recipients pay about $2 billion in taxes every year, contribute to the economy, and so with the full knowledge that they are ineligible for certain things like ACA coverage. Though I’d also like to point out that their contribution is irrelevant in my opinion as they were brought here as children through no decision of their own and this has become their home and it is the right and moral thing to do to give them a path to citizenship.

I ask that you take a stand against John Kelley’s abhorrent remarks referring to Dreamers as lazy. It is inappropriate for a member of the administration to make such remarks, and patently false.

I ask that you push for the Senate to consider disaster funding for Puerto Rico. The House passed H.R. 4667 in December, allocating a needed $81 billion to Puerto Rico, and it is inexcusable that the Senate has yet to also vote in support of the bill. I would also like to protest FEMA’s decision to end food and water aid to Puerto Rico. Approximately 20% of the island still does not have electricity, and access to fundamental utilities and needs. The island is still very much in a recovery stage, and it is too early to try and shift the focus to long-term development. I am also appalled to learn that a contracts were awarded to supply food packets to Puerto Rico and they were not fully met. If this is true I demand the government take action to get that food to Puerto Ricans who desperately need it.

I ask that you do everything in your power to support funding for community health centers around the country. These health centers serve 1 out of every 12 people and are an essential part of our community framework. Please find a concrete solution to provide funding for these centers.

I ask that you support the bipartisan legislation introduced to protect Robert Mueller’s investigation. The bills written by Senators Graham/Booker (S. 1735) and Senators Tillis/Coons (S. 1741) and their House equivalents (H.R. 3654/H.R. 4669) are all essential to protecting the integrity of the Mueller investigation particularly given the reports that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in June of 2017. Prominent members of the GOP keep reiterating they believe in Mueller’s work, and want to let him do his work. If that’s true then pass the legislation introduced to by bipartisan members in the House and the Senate to protect his work.

I demand the Senate address Trump’s announcement that he does not plan to enforce Russian sanctions. The argument that the “threat itself is a deterrent” is ridiculous and another example of an administration that is unwilling to take a firm stance against the Russian government. Given that the congressional sanctions received firm bipartisan support – including enough votes for a veto-proof majority – this is again another example of the Trump Administration taking a soft stance on Russia, for reasons that are beyond understanding at this point. I demand that you take whatever action possible to protect against this move. This is an action that will only embolden Russia while continuing to harm our national interests.

I would like to express my concerns regarding a story published in the Washington Post re: Victor Cha’s ambassadorship to the ROK. The story suggests that Cha was taken out of contention when he objected to a limited strike on North Korea. I am calling to reiterate my opposition to any form of limited strike against North Korea, and would reiterate that it is important to work on diplomacy versus aggressive action.

I oppose Trump’s changes to Medicaid and the new criteria that states can now add work requirements. The justification that work requirements will help Medicaid recipients live longer/become more productive members of society is based on flawed reasoning; many are already working. Those who are not have legitimate reasons for doing so. These work requirements are also not clearly thought out; there is no specific logic for how they would be enacted, nor the resources for the states to make it happen.

I oppose Secretary Zinke’s decision to open up our coasts to offshore drilling. Please oppose this in whatever way you can.

I protest Trump’s decision to enact tariffs against the solar panel industry and washing machines that are made abroad. This is a damaging decision, particularly to the solar industry, which is still growing and developing in states across the USA. There have been projections this decision could potentially cost the US thousands of jobs. I understand you can’t reverse these tariffs, but I expect you to vigorously protest them and to think of a solution that does not damage our solar industry.

I also ask that you support the SECURE Act. It’s a needed protection for those that cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act to protect these people.

Vote NO on Jim Bridenstein’s nomination for NASA Director.

Continue to vote for Net Neutrality. I am happy you have 50 votes but please continue to fight for more.

Please speak out against the reported decision trump has made to have a military parade. I do not believe that this is something that a stable, peaceful democracy does. it is saber rattling and childish and more on par for the likes of Kim Jung Un than a sitting president of the USA. It is an embarrassment and a sign that Trump is moving this nation closer and closer to authoritarianism, aggression, and isolationism in the sense that we will consider America’s interests and nothing else.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

Just your reminder that I will be reminding all of your constituents this year that you are opposed to the healthcare they need, opposed to Net Neutrality to keep their internet equal for all, and have supported Trump in everything he has done. And yes, your lack of coming forth to oppose him on anything is also support. Hopefully they will show you how they feel about all of this in November.

I would like to protest House Intelligence Committee’s partisan decision to release the Nunes memo. It’s a blatantly partisan decision designed to undercut Robert Mueller’s investigations, and a move that will also cause controversy and challenges with the Department of Justice. The very fact that the GOP members of the committee chose to invoke a rule that has never been used in the panel’s 40 year history to make this happen is evidence itself that this is a reckless move. I ask that you condemn the actions of your colleagues and make it clear to your constituents where you stand on this issue. I also demand that the House push the Trump Administration to release the Democratic answer to the memo. The House Intelligence Committee has voted to release the memo and it is the correct move.

I demand the House address Trump’s announcement that he does not plan to enforce Russian sanctions. The argument that the “threat itself is a deterrent” is ridiculous and another example of an administration that is unwilling to take a firm stance against the Russian government. Given that the congressional sanctions received firm bipartisan support – including enough votes for a veto-proof majority – this is again another example of the Trump Administration taking a soft stance on Russia, for reasons that are beyond understanding at this point. I demand that you take whatever action possible to protect against this move. This is an action that will only embolden Russia while continuing to harm our national interests.

I ask that you support the bipartisan legislation introduced to protect Robert Mueller’s investigation. The bills written by Senators Graham/Booker (S. 1735) and Senators Tillis/Coons (S. 1741) and their House equivalents (H.R. 3654/H.R. 4669) are all essential to protecting the integrity of the Mueller investigation particularly given the reports that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in June of 2017. Prominent members of the GOP keep reiterating they believe in Mueller’s work, and want to let him do his work. If that’s true then pass the legislation introduced to by bipartisan members in the House and the Senate to protect his work.

I would like to express my concerns regarding a story published in the Washington Post re: Victor Cha’s ambassadorship to the ROK. The story suggests that Cha was taken out of contention when he objected to a limited strike on North Korea. I am calling to reiterate my opposition to any form of limited strike against North Korea, and would reiterate that it is important to work on diplomacy versus aggressive action.

I ask that you support the DREAM and SECURE Acts and vote YES if they should come to the floor. We still urgently need a clean DREAM Act; there has been no legislative movement to help Dreamers since the summer of 2017. They are running out of options and out of time. Please act quickly.

I also ask that you support the SECURE Act. It’s a needed protection for those that cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act to protect these people.

I am appalled that FEMA is withdrawing aid from Puerto Rico and that then Senate hasn’t approved the $81 billion aid package the House passed in December. These are Americans whose lives hang in the balance because of a government that has forgotten about them and probably never cared about them in the first place. We need to help Puerto Rico, and not just because of the hurricanes, but also because they are a neglected part of the United States that has been passed over for too long.

I oppose Trump’s changes to Medicaid and the new criteria that states can now add work requirements. The justification that work requirements will help Medicaid recipients live longer/become more productive members of society is based on flawed reasoning; many are already working. Those who are not have legitimate reasons for doing so. These work requirements are also not clearly thought out; there is no specific logic for how they would be enacted, nor the resources for the states to make it happen.

I oppose Secretary Zinke’s decision to open up our coasts to offshore drilling. Please oppose this in whatever way you can.

I protest Trump’s decision to enact tariffs against the solar panel industry and washing machines that are made abroad. This is a damaging decision, particularly to the solar industry, which is still growing and developing in states across the USA. There have been projections this decision could potentially cost the US thousands of jobs. I understand you can’t reverse these tariffs, but I expect you to vigorously protest them and to think of a solution that does not damage our solar industry.

I oppose the FCC’s change to Net Neutrality and ask that you do everything you can to reinstate it. I know that you won’t, but I am letting you know how I feel about that stance.

I ask that you do everything in your power to support funding for community health centers around the country. These health centers serve 1 out of every 12 people and are an essential part of our community framework. Please find a concrete solution to provide funding for these centers.

Please speak out against the reported decision trump has made to have a military parade. I do not believe that this is something that a stable, peaceful democracy does. it is saber rattling and childish and more on par for the likes of Kim Jung Un than a sitting president of the USA. It is an embarrassment and a sign that Trump is moving this nation closer and closer to authoritarianism, aggression, and isolationism in the sense that we will consider America’s interests and nothing else.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Most of these words came from scripts on It’s Time to Fight. Feel free to use my letters to create your own or head over to ITTF and get more information and scripts for yourself.

Also, as the writer behind It’s Time to Fight is doing this ALL BY HERSELF and doing so for free, I would suggest stopping by her KO-FI and making a donation of you find that site useful. Or if you find my letters useful, please drop her a small donation because I get 90% of my words and information from her.

Keep writing and calling your electeds. We still have 1077 days left in the Trump Administration and it’s going to take all of us continuing to fight to stop him from eroding our democracy beyond repair.

Letters to My Representatives 2-1-2018

So I save all of my letters to my reps in a word doc and it looks like in 2017 I wrote 91 pages of letters to them comprising 43,445 words. Which is actually a little misleading since I send my Senators the same letter for the most part so I don’t keep a copy of most. That means I probably sent 65,167 words last year. That’s a novel!

2018 will probably be a little less since I was writing every few days in the beginning and now I just stick to once a week. But that also doesn’t include the phone calls I’ve made on time sensitive issues. Anyway, that’s a lot of words. But we have to keep up this momentum so we don’t get dragged down by the Trump Administration.

Here are today’s letters. They’re long today. There is a lot going on! Remember to visit It’s Time to Fight for scripts and info. My letters are generated from scripts available on their site. Keep up the good work and feel free to sue my letters to create your own.

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I demand the Senate address Trump’s announcement that he does not plan to enforce Russian sanctions. The argument that the “threat itself is a deterrent” is ridiculous and another example of an administration that is unwilling to take a firm stance against the Russian government. Given that the congressional sanctions received firm bipartisan support – including enough votes for a veto-proof majority – this is again another example of the Trump Administration taking a soft stance on Russia, for reasons that are beyond understanding at this point. I demand that you take whatever action possible to protect against this move. This is an action that will only embolden Russia while continuing to harm our national interests.

I ask that you support the bipartisan legislation introduced to protect Robert Mueller’s investigation. The bills written by Senators Graham/Booker (S. 1735) and Senators Tillis/Coons (S. 1741) and their House equivalents (H.R. 3654/H.R. 4669) are all essential to protecting the integrity of the Mueller investigation particularly given the reports that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in June of 2017. Prominent members of the GOP keep reiterating they believe in Mueller’s work, and want to let him do his work. If that’s true then pass the legislation introduced to by bipartisan members in the House and the Senate to protect his work.

I would like to express my concerns regarding a story published in the Washington Post re: Victor Cha’s ambassadorship to the ROK. The story suggests that Cha was taken out of contention when he objected to a limited strike on North Korea. I am calling to reiterate my opposition to any form of limited strike against North Korea, and would reiterate that it is important to work on diplomacy versus aggressive action.

I ask that you support the DREAM and SECURE Acts and vote YES if they should come to the floor. We still urgently need a clean DREAM Act; there has been no legislative movement to help Dreamers since the summer of 2017. They are running out of options and out of time. Please act quickly.

I also ask that you support the SECURE Act. It’s a needed protection for those that cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act to protect these people.

I am appalled that FEMA is withdrawing aid from Puerto Rico and that then Senate hasn’t approved the $81 billion aid package the House passed in December. These are Americans whose lives hang in the balance because of a government that has forgotten about them and probably never cared about them in the first place. We need to help Puerto Rico, and not just because of the hurricanes, but also because they are a neglected part of the United States that has been passed over for too long.

I oppose Trump’s changes to Medicaid and the new criteria that states can now add work requirements. The justification that work requirements will help Medicaid recipients live longer/become more productive members of society is based on flawed reasoning; many are already working. Those who are not have legitimate reasons for doing so. These work requirements are also not clearly thought out; there is no specific logic for how they would be enacted, nor the resources for the states to make it happen.

I oppose Secretary Zinke’s decision to open up our coasts to offshore drilling. Please oppose this in whatever way you can.

I protest Trump’s decision to enact tariffs against the solar panel industry and washing machines that are made abroad. This is a damaging decision, particularly to the solar industry, which is still growing and developing in states across the USA. There have been projections this decision could potentially cost the US thousands of jobs. I understand you can’t reverse these tariffs, but I expect you to vigorously protest them and to think of a solution that does not damage our solar industry.

Vote NO on Jim Bridenstein’s nomination to head NASA.

Please continue to use your position to fight for Net Neutrality.

I ask that you do everything in your power to support funding for community health centers around the country. These health centers serve 1 out of every 12 people and are an essential part of our community framework. Please find a concrete solution to provide funding for these centers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

Just your reminder that I will be reminding all of your constituents this year that you are opposed to the healthcare they need, opposed to Net Neutrality to keep their internet equal for all, and have supported Trump in everything he has done. And yes, your lack of coming forth to oppose him on anything is also support. Hopefully they will show you how they feel about all of this in November.

I would like to protest the House Intelligence Committee’s partisan decision to release the Nunes Memo. It’s a blatantly partisan decision designed to undercut Robert Mueller’s investigation, and a move that will also cause controversy and challenges within the Department of Justice. The very fact that the GOP members of the committee chose to invoke a rule that has never used in the panel’s 40 year history to make this happen is evidence itself that this is a reckless move. I call on you to take a public stand against this rushed, reckless move. Condemn the actions of your colleagues and make it clear to your constituents where you stand on this issue. At the very least ask for a full conference discussion of this issue in advance of any release. You must protect the interests of government and the separation of powers.

I demand the House address Trump’s announcement that he does not plan to enforce Russian sanctions. The argument that the “threat itself is a deterrent” is ridiculous and another example of an administration that is unwilling to take a firm stance against the Russian government. Given that the congressional sanctions received firm bipartisan support – including enough votes for a veto-proof majority – this is again another example of the Trump Administration taking a soft stance on Russia, for reasons that are beyond understanding at this point. I demand that you take whatever action possible to protect against this move. This is an action that will only embolden Russia while continuing to harm our national interests.

I ask that you support the bipartisan legislation introduced to protect Robert Mueller’s investigation. The bills written by Senators Graham/Booker (S. 1735) and Senators Tillis/Coons (S. 1741) and their House equivalents (H.R. 3654/H.R. 4669) are all essential to protecting the integrity of the Mueller investigation particularly given the reports that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in June of 2017. Prominent members of the GOP keep reiterating they believe in Mueller’s work, and want to let him do his work. If that’s true then pass the legislation introduced to by bipartisan members in the House and the Senate to protect his work.

I would like to express my concerns regarding a story published in the Washington Post re: Victor Cha’s ambassadorship to the ROK. The story suggests that Cha was taken out of contention when he objected to a limited strike on North Korea. I am calling to reiterate my opposition to any form of limited strike against North Korea, and would reiterate that it is important to work on diplomacy versus aggressive action.

I ask that you support the DREAM and SECURE Acts and vote YES if they should come to the floor. We still urgently need a clean DREAM Act; there has been no legislative movement to help Dreamers since the summer of 2017. They are running out of options and out of time. Please act quickly.

I also ask that you support the SECURE Act. It’s a needed protection for those that cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act to protect these people.

I am appalled that FEMA is withdrawing aid from Puerto Rico and that then Senate hasn’t approved the $81 billion aid package the House passed in December. These are Americans whose lives hang in the balance because of a government that has forgotten about them and probably never cared about them in the first place. We need to help Puerto Rico, and not just because of the hurricanes, but also because they are a neglected part of the United States that has been passed over for too long.

I oppose Trump’s changes to Medicaid and the new criteria that states can now add work requirements. The justification that work requirements will help Medicaid recipients live longer/become more productive members of society is based on flawed reasoning; many are already working. Those who are not have legitimate reasons for doing so. These work requirements are also not clearly thought out; there is no specific logic for how they would be enacted, nor the resources for the states to make it happen.

I oppose Secretary Zinke’s decision to open up our coasts to offshore drilling. Please oppose this in whatever way you can.

I protest Trump’s decision to enact tariffs against the solar panel industry and washing machines that are made abroad. This is a damaging decision, particularly to the solar industry, which is still growing and developing in states across the USA. There have been projections this decision could potentially cost the US thousands of jobs. I understand you can’t reverse these tariffs, but I expect you to vigorously protest them and to think of a solution that does not damage our solar industry.

I oppose the FCC’s change to Net Neutrality and ask that you do everything you can to reinstate it. I know that you won’t, but I am letting you know how I feel about that stance.

I ask that you do everything in your power to support funding for community health centers around the country. These health centers serve 1 out of every 12 people and are an essential part of our community framework. Please find a concrete solution to provide funding for these centers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 1-25-2018

Here are today’s letters. I was so busy yesterday I just didn’t have the opportunity to write them, so they’re a day late. I do have some plans for writing related posts in the near future just as soon as I can get the revision of my WIP to a spot where I can tolerate letting anyone else see it!

Don’t forget to visit It’s Time to Fight for information on what to call your representatives about!

Dear Senator Stabenow,

Please do not support the Pain Capable Unborn Child Act. There is no conclusive evidence that a 20 week old fetus can feel pain and therefore the “scientific” basis of this bill is unfounded. If the Republicans would like to fund more research on whether a fetus can feel pain I would support that. But until then I do not support the GOP attempt to ban abortions past 20 weeks.

Thank you for working to gain an extension for CHIP funding and please work to make sure that it doesn’t just run out again in 6 years creating this crisis all over again.

I ask that you work diligently to get a clean DREAM Act passed. It is imperative that those people brought here as children have a path to citizenship.

Thank you for voting NO for Alex Azar’s appointment to the HHS.

I am opposed to Trump’s proposal to place a work requirement on Medicaid benefits. Please do not support this policy suggestion.

I oppose Sec. Zinke’s move to open up our coast lines to more offshore oil drilling. Please do not support this policy.

I am opposed to the Trump tariff that would affect the solar industry. He is intentionally cutting jobs in an industry just because he doesn’t like them. I believe this is because he dislikes President Obama so much he wants to undo everything he stood for. Please stand against this move that will cost American jobs and will set the solar industry back. We need clean, renewable energy and hampering that industry while negatively affect the environment and the economy.

Please support the SECURE Act. We need to protect Salvadorians and Haitians and others who come to this country seeking security from threats in their countries of origin.

Please vote NO on Jim Bridenstein’s nomination to head NASA.

Please do what you can to protect Net Neutrality and convince your colleagues to support this much needed protection for the internet and its users.

Please support funding for community health centers and do all in your power to make sure these much need services are given the funding to continue to serve the most vulnerable of our society.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

I ask that you work diligently to get a clean DREAM Act passed. It is imperative that those people brought here as children have a path to citizenship.

I am opposed to Trump’s proposal to place a work requirement on Medicaid benefits. Please do not support this policy suggestion.

I oppose Sec. Zinke’s move to open up our coast lines to more offshore oil drilling. Please do not support this policy.

I am opposed to the Trump tariff that would affect the solar industry. He is intentionally cutting jobs in an industry just because he doesn’t like them. I believe this is because he dislikes President Obama so much he wants to undo everything he stood for. Please stand against this move that will cost American jobs and will set the solar industry back. We need clean, renewable energy and hampering that industry while negatively affect the environment and the economy.

Please support the SECURE Act. We need to protect Salvadorians and Haitians and others who come to this country seeking security from threats in their countries of origin.

I oppose the removal of Net Neutrality. I know you support it and I will be sure to remind your constituents of that and what it can mean for them in 2018.

Please support funding for community health centers and do all in your power to make sure these much need services are given the funding to continue to serve the most vulnerable of our society.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 1-17-2018

Here are today’s letters. The director of the It’s Time to Fight website is still trying to work through her cross-country move, so the site is thin on scripts, but there are still plenty of issues to keep in our elected’s minds. Please call or write to your electeds as often as you can. The fight to preserve our democracy and influence the path of our country is never ending.

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I ask that you support the DREAM and SECURE Acts. We still urgently need a clean DREAM Act; there has been no legislative movement to help the Dreamers since the summer. They are running out of time. Please act quickly. The SECURE Act is a needed protection for those who cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act quickly on this.

I ask that you find a way to support the CHIP program and renew financing for it. Michigan is set to run out of funds by March 2018 and I do not want to see millions of children suffer because of politics.

I do not support Trump’s efforts to attach a work requirement to Medicaid and ask that you oppose this initiative in all ways possible.

I do not support Secretary Zinke’s policy change to increase off-shore drilling. Please oppose this decision in any way you can.

Please vote NO on the Jim Bridenstein nomination for NASA director. I have written to you about this before. He doesn’t have the qualifications and is a climate change denier.

Please do not allow Trump’s wall fixation to be attached in any way to a DREAM Act. They must be separate entities.

I seriously question Trump’s competency to be president. Please take any action necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of America in light of his inability to perform the job adequately.

I would also like to thank you for taking a stand against Trump and his racist, bigoted, sexist, homophobic, Islamaphobic, and xenophobic administration. Please continue to do so and demand that your Republican colleagues do so as well. I am tired of hearing the GOP comment that they don’t support or are concerned with Trump’s statements, but then never do anything about it. They have sold their souls to the political devil in an effort to pass legislation that meets their agenda but will damage this country. Please continue to be strong and fight for all Americans. We need more people like you to stand between us and Trump’s horrible ideology for this country.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

I ask that you support the DREAM and SECURE Acts if they reach the House. We still urgently need a clean DREAM Act; there has been no legislative movement to help the Dreamers since the summer. They are running out of time. Please act quickly. The SECURE Act is a needed protection for those who cannot return to their countries of origin because it could very well cost them their lives. Please act quickly on this.

I ask that you find a way to support the CHIP program and renew financing for it. Michigan is set to run out of funds by March 2018 and I do not want to see millions of children suffer because of politics.

I do not support Trump’s efforts to attach a work requirement to Medicaid and ask that you oppose this initiative in all ways possible.

I do not support Secretary Zinke’s policy change to increase off-shore drilling. Please oppose this decision in any way you can.

Please do not allow Trump’s wall fixation to be attached in any way to a DREAM Act. They must be separate entities.

I seriously question Trump’s competency to be president. Please take any action necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of America in light of his inability to perform the job adequately.

I ask that you take a stand (which you have not yet) against Trump and his racist, bigoted, sexist, homophobic, Islamaphobic, and xenophobic administration. I am tired of hearing the GOP comment that they don’t support or are concerned with Trump’s statements, but then never do anything about it. They have sold their souls to the political devil in an effort to pass legislation that meets their agenda but will damage this country. I know you are one of those people and history will remember.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

Letters to My Representatives 1-10-2018

Here are today’s letters. They’re a little short as I have been a bit distracted over the holidays from the news cycle, and the director of the It’s Time to Fight website has been involved in a cross country move and hasn’t been able to update the site! So here are the couple of things that she has posted on her Twitter page and a few I have thought of.

Dear Senator Stabenow,

I would like you to vote in favor of Senator Markey’s resolution to repeal to the FCC’s decision to unwind Net Neutrality last month, via the Congressional Review Act. Polling suggests that 60-80% of Americans do not support the rollback of net neutrality, and support of the resolution will help ensure this issue isn’t single-handedly decided by five people.

I do not support Trump’s decision to begin deportation of 200,000 Salvadorians and 60,000 Haitians, removing their protected status in this country. Please stand up and support these disadvantaged people so they may stay protected in this country.

Please help to find and support a solution for Dreamers in this country and support a clean Dream Act.

Please support Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and increase funding for the people there who need electricity, food, water, and medical aid.

I am horrified over Trump’s comments and taunting with Kim Jung Un via Twitter concerning nuclear weapons and his “button”. Not only is this unbecoming of a president, it is dangerous.

I am disgusted by Trump’s plans to award “Fake News” awards. Not only is this unbecoming of a president, it is embarrassing to this nation, and quite frankly he has a job to do. It is wholly inappropriate for him to be taking time to do this and most importantly, it goes against everything the Constitution was written for. It is examples of his authoritarian leanings and wishes to stifle and suppress the free press.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin

 

Dear Representative Moolenaar,

I am looking forward to reminding your voters come 2018 elections that you support the repeal of the ACA, the GOP Tax Scam, and repeal of Net Neutrality.

I want you to support the Senate resolution on Net Neutrality. Polling suggests that 60-80% of Americans do not support the rollback of net neutrality, and support of the resolution will help ensure this issue isn’t single-handedly decided by five people. Please do what you can to bring this issue to the House floor for a vote.

I do not support Trump’s decision to begin deportation of 200,000 Salvadorians and 60,000 Haitians, removing their protected status in this country. Please stand up and support these disadvantaged people so they may stay protected in this country.

Please help to find and support a solution for Dreamers in this country and support a clean Dream Act.

Please support Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and increase funding for the people there who need electricity, food, water, and medical aid.

I am horrified over Trump’s comments and taunting with Kim Jung Un via Twitter concerning nuclear weapons and his “button”. Not only is this unbecoming of a president, it is dangerous.

I am disgusted by Trump’s plans to award “Fake News” awards. Not only is this unbecoming of a president, it is embarrassing to this nation, and quite frankly he has a job to do. It is wholly inappropriate for him to be taking time to do this and most importantly, it goes against everything the Constitution was written for. It is examples of his authoritarian leanings and wishes to stifle and suppress the free press.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Austin