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[EdibleKnife]

So since Trump took office (and even before) a certain refrain can be seen in multiple topics on GAF. The question of "What should/can I do to fight back/resist in the face of X legislation". The similar but more ominous, "Nothing will change/XYZ is all useless" can be spotted too which is something I particularly don't want to see in this topic. Obviously, after many strange, cryptic and dangerous moves by Trump and the GOP, many wonder what impact they can make and the first thing to mention is: effective or not, nothing will happen without effort. Proclaiming how useless an effort is has even less use and effectiveness than action.

Thus this topic. I aim to make it a resource spot for people interested in challenging the efforts of this administration and the future disenfranchisement that will no doubt come years from now.

To start, here's the Resistance Manual, a wiki-like with multiple pages on GOP policy regarding various issues and links to different charities, organizations and communities meant to advocate for the civil rights and or preservation of the various categories.

Now many may be eager to jump right in but the most important tool of the resistance through political means is the opportunity people have as citizens to contact their representatives.

Find Your Representatives is a house.gov tool that only requires a zipcode to find the name, party affiliation, website and contact information of the congressman in your district. Swing Left is another zipcode tool that allows you to find the next closest district controlled by the GOP. This tool is for the sake of pursuing an effort in those nearby districts to promote more progressive candidates for the sake of the 2018 Midterms (WHICH WILL BE TAKING PLACE - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH 2018).

Next up is the actual leg and/or mouth work needed to make an impact. First up is the Indivisible Guide, which I'll let the creators describe:

To this end, the following chapters offer a step-by-step guide for individuals, groups, and organizations looking to replicate the Tea Party's success in getting Congress to listen to a small, vocal, dedicated group of constituents. The guide is intended to be equally useful for stiffening Democratic spines and weakening pro-Trump Republican resolve.

For those who have no idea where to start, the guide is useful in starting and developing local advocacy groups.

There's also the Women's Marches 10 Actions/100 Days initiative working with the idea of collective actions targeted at your senators.

As well as the Knock On Every Door initiative for door to door canvasing.

We're launching nationwide, door-to-door canvasses to organize our communities against Trump, starting right after the inauguration on January 20.

In the 2016 elections, Democrats fell short when it came to organizing the kind of face to face conversations between volunteers and voters that can help identify and persuade the voters we needed to defeat Trump. Our goal is to start building a truly massive, grassroots, volunteer-led movement to listen to voters (and nonvoters, too) and start the long hard work of taking our democracy back.

Many of us are already signing petitions, donating money, and even protesting and going to jail. But we also have to get to work to talk to our neighbors one at a time, knock on every door, and identify who is with us, who we can persuade to join us, and who is definitely on the other side.

As we have conversations with our neighbors, we'll learn a lot about why the Democrats lost in 2016 – and how we can hone our organizing strategies and tactics to win in the 2018 midterms and in 2020. We'll compile what we learn into a report and share it with reporters and Democratic Party leaders.

Meanwhile, we'll be building a huge database of voters, their contact information, and information about whether they're willing to help us fight Trump. We'll call those people back or send them a text message and ask them to get involved in other big organizing projects to push Democrats to stand up to Trump, defeat Republicans (and maybe some corporate Democrats!) at the ballot box, and, ultimately, crush Trump in 2020.

And here's another recent tool from Gooster:

I posted this in the thread concerning this immigration ban/detention going on right now, but oftentimes folks wonder what they could do to make sure their voices are heard if they can't protest but feel simply re-tweeting and posting on Facebook isn't enough.

https://5calls.org -- Upon entering your (US) zip code, will locate your local representatives (I got my US Senators but perhaps Congressional reps too), their phone numbers, and scripts to help you voice the issue you're calling about (you're likely going to end up leaving a voicemail and sometimes their voicemail box is simply full).

Also included here is an explanation to why calling is effective https://5calls.org/#about

They have a Twitter page also 5 Calls

Regret that I'm so late on posting this but there is a congressional recess that started from the 18th of Feburary and goes until the 26th. Congressmen and women will be back in their respective districts where you can hopefully catch them at Town Halls or other public appearances.

Here is a tool from MoveOn.org where you can enter your zip code and see when such events might be held within your district to attend.

Attend a Resistance Recess Event

These different initiatives exist for the expressed purpose of helping people build a voice at the local and national level in order for their issues to be heard.

And for some tips, here a a few different sites and links.

Former Congressional Staffer describes what works best for getting in contact

According to Emily Ellsworth, a writer and former Congressional staffer, reaching out via things like Facebook or Twitter aren't going to be very effective. Staffers check these mediums occasionally, but they're largely ignored. Sending letters is more helpful, but they also get so many letters that it's impossible to give them individual attention. The best way to get in touch? Phone calls.

As Emily explains in a detailed tweet chain, phone calls have to be dealt with when they occur and they can't be ignored. A large volume of phone calls can be overwhelming for office staffers, but that means that their bosses hear about it.

Which office you target also matters. Members of Congress have offices in DC, but they also have offices in their home district that they represent. Target your letters and phone calls to your local office and you'll have an easier time getting their attention. And while it should go without saying, only contact your representatives. While there may sometimes be a reason to reach out to certain people who don't represent you (especially if they're in a leadership position), it will always be most effective to talk to the person that represents your district. You can read the entire tweet chain at the source link below, or check out Emily's follow up video with some FAQs here.

The Borgen Project describes what your congressional call results in and how often you should call

Do I need to be an expert on politics or the issue to call? Nope. You're a citizen telling the people elected to represent you back in Washington, D.C. that global poverty is important to you. The job of the person answering the phone (usually an intern) is simply to take down your information. You won't be quizzed. At most, they might ask for your address or zipcode to verify that you live in the Congressional leaders district.

What do I say? ”I'm a Borgen Project supporter and I would like to see funding for USAID increased." That's all there is to it. Also visit the legislation section to find specific poverty-reduction bills that you can call in favor of. Who do I call? Call the two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Representative who represent your area. How often should I call? We recommend calling every week.

What tips do you have for getting in the habit of calling every week? Put your congressional leaders in your cellphone and pick a set day and day to do it each week (ie. Monday evening while sitting in traffic on the way home).

Can I call when the office is closed? Yes. Simply leave a leave a message on the general voicemail. The messages are checked each morning and your call will still be tallied in the memo.

Who's eligible to call? Anyone who is a U.S. citizen and/or living in the United States can call congress.

Do you have to be 18 or older? No. We've seen 1st grade students call.

DailyKos breaks down the heieachy in the senate office and the importance of being a constituent and being persistent

Are all ways to contact the office created equal? When I was there, no. Email was the least effective because a lot of crap used to get emailed in and sifting through it for genuine constituent letters was not an efficient or a high priority job. Form letter emails are better than nothing, but not much. Things may have changed for the better, here, however, so I will defer to anyone who knows more. Faxes, letters, and phone calls are treated about equally, but if you want your opinion to get farther than the Staff Assistants, you better be a constituent, and LEAVE YOUR ADDRESS. If you don't do the latter, you will be treated as a non-constituent (i.e. ignored). Emailing or calling multiple times in a short time frame about the same issue (<1week or so) is not likely to be weighted more heavily than calling once. However, if you feel like you forgot to say something, it won't hurt to call again.

And the comic blog Echo Through the Fog has a post (and a comic) on calling if you have social anxiety:

”How to call your reps when you have social anxiety"

There's a LOT going on in the U.S. right now. Many people's rights and safety are at risk. You've probably heard that one of the most effective ways to advocate for issues you care about, or stand up against dangerous policies and appointments, is to call your local representatives.

If you want to help but have social anxiety and find phone calls very intimidating, you may be thinking, ”How do I do this?!" (An oversized telephone handset hovers ominously over the narrator with its cord spiraling around her body. She looks up at it with great concern.)

Here's a step-by-step:

Block off time on your calendar. Each call only takes a minute or so, but you might want to block off more time for your first call, so you can prepare your words & nerves. Don't rush yourself! Scheduling is super important, otherwise you will perpetually delay calling.
At the scheduled time, go sit somewhere quiet.
Find out who represents you. Some places to look: House (http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/) and Senate (http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/).
Write out exactly what you plan to say. It only needs to be a few lines, and there are lots of templates online that you can use. e.g. ”Hello! I am constituent from city (zip code) and I am calling to urge Some Name to publicly..." If they have already released a statement, don't use that as an excuse to avoid calling. I know it's hard, but call anyway. Thank them and ask them to keep pushing.
Take a deep breath. You can do this.
Do this: dial. (This is the hardest part.)
Read from your script. At this point, you'll likely be sent to voicemail or to an actual person. The person will most likely be friendly and probably won't have much time to talk, so you shouldn't have to deviate much from your script. It's a quick conversation.
That's it! Say ”Thank you" and hang up.
You did it! If you're thinking ”Hey, that wasn't so bad...", call more people! And follow up with them next week, or even tomorrow, to make sure they keep these issues top of mind.

It is okay if your voice shakes. It is okay if you feel awkward.
They get a lot of calls, so they don't have time to judge you by how well you delivered your message.

Is is also okay if you can't call.
This week, my best friend told me, ”Do something that is uncomfortable but not harmful to your mental health." For me, calling was enough outside my comfort zone to be stressful & scary, but not so far away as to use up all my energy. That might not be the case for you, and that's okay. Do not beat yourself up about it. There are lots of ways to take action without picking up a phone:

Write to government officials
Create art that challenges and art that inspires
Donate, if you're financially able, to organizations that fight injustice
Listen to immigrants, people of color, women, trans and non-binary people, people of all faiths and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. Support their work. Amplify their voices.
Keep it up.

And if you want to meet congresspeople in person:

Posted this in PoliGAF thread, but figured it's just as relevant here:

https://twitter.com/lauraolin/status/826420454739042304



Town Hall Project 2018

And lastly, another majorly important point:

I'm sure many of you are somewhere between angry, scared, and anxious about our new overlord, so if you want to fight back the main two things that you NEED to do are:

1) Vote.
2) Convince like-minded people to vote.

That is literally it. Facebook debates and echo chamber forums are helpful in a sense but they are worthless if no one votes.

The elections this year for various levels of Government are all over the place, with many important elections only coming in 2018, but please check out the lists below and see what is going on in your state. Ultimately, you will have to dig a little deeper, but these links are a good start.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_gubernatorial_elections,_2017
https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia:Calendar#tab=Statewide
http://www.mytimetovote.com/2017-Primary-Election-Dates.html

Be informed, and be proactive!

Thanks to NandoGip for their topic.

Thanks to a reminder from the Savage Lovecast, we need to not get ready but get going yesterday fighting the battle to take back the Senate from the GOP. Dems need 3 seats to gain the majority in 2018. They're (democrats) defending 25 seats while repubs only have to defend 9. Contribute and take action with the DSCC for the sake of gaining and retaining seats in the Senate that might be what separates us from a wholly conservative Supreme Court in the future:

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

Some new additions:

Here is a script creation and distribution tool for calling your representatives: CallGov.us

A blog that is essentially this same topic, how to fight back against the Trump administration: One Thing You Can Do

And ITMFA, a charity by Dan Savage where the purchase of merchandise goes to groups like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU

Posting another resource thanks to the podcast Pod Save The People

OurStates.Org is another consolidation site helping you pinpoint your specific state legislators and where they stand on current issues as well as the tracking of bills related to said issues. It's a fantastic and incredibly useful site that I encourage bookmarking or putting in speed dial. It was helpful in my case for informing when my states legislative session was running and when it ended.

As the site itself says:

Now the list under me is important as well. I don't know every advocacy site, particularly since there are many at the local level in every state. However, I do have a list of several advocacy groups, movements, and charities that need membership and/or donations for the sake of pushing back against the upcoming administration. It's a list organized by the category of issue and I would highly appreciate additions to this list by future posters, or omissions if any advocacy group doesn't meet certain standards.

CIVIL RIGHTS - resisting the push for racial, sexual, gender or religious discrimination and restriction of rights that happens at multiple levels in society:
ACLU
Human Rights Campaign
Southern Poverty Law Center
Equal Justice Initiative
NAACP

POLICING - Initiatives for holding police and the justice system accountable for grave and fatal errors:
Campaign Zero
The Innocence Project

WOMEN'S & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS - Seeking gender equality and women's autonomy over their own bodies:
Emily's List
Planned Parenthood
NAARL Pro-Choice America Center for Reproductive Rights
National Organization for Women
National Network of Abortion Funds

DISABILITY RIGHTS - Defense and support for those whose physical or mental ableness isn't considered or taken seriously within society:
National Disability Rights Network
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Disability Rights Advocates

CLIMATE CHANGE - Protection for the planet we live on:
EarthJustice
NDRC

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS - Defense and support for minority genders and sexual orientations:
Lambda Legal
National Center for Lesbian Rights
The Trevor Project
Trans Lifeline
Transgender Law Center
National Center for Transgender Equality
GLAAD
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs

VOTING RIGHTS - The push back against voting restrictions:
VoteRiders
Project Vote

IMMIGRATION RIGHTS - Support for the masses that the US is made of:
American Immigration Council
Border Angels
The Young Center For Immigrant Children's Rights

NET NEUTRALITY - Preventing the restriction of information and protection of the internet as a utility:
Electronic Frontier Foundation

And here's more:

Pod Save The People is of use for finding out more progressive resources and movements. The show is part of the Crooked Media brand line of Pod Save podcasts (Of which all are worth listening to) with this one in particular being hosted by DeRay and is majorly focused on ground level resistance to machinations against the civil rights of Americans:

Organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson takes you inside conversations about culture, social justice, and politics by exploring the history, language, and people who are shaping the struggle for progress&#8202;&#8212;&#8202;and talking about the steps that each of us can take to make a difference. You can listen to the teaser below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.

Also:
Resistance Near Me is another Zip Code site that is exactly what it says on the tin. The tool will reveal nearby events that coincide with Resistance demonstrations, Town Halls, Rallys, Protests and any other public events related to putting the screws to local government. Highly recommended for those looking to get out for boots on the ground work.

In partnership with Town Hall Project, Resistance Near Me is a hub for progressive local #resist actions, designed for you to find any public event, rally, town hall, protest, and more, near you, as well as the information you need to contact your member of Congress. It's never been more important to raise our voices to resist Trump's harmful agenda and the elected representatives who aren't speaking for us.

New Nerdwriter1 video discussing Trump's bid to cut 17 federal agencies and programs. As always with this guy's stuff (all of which should be watched), it's articulate, informative and less than 10 minutes. A completely necessary watch for anyone who wants to try and push back against Trump.

Nerdwriter1: I Drunkenly Paid For 17 Federal Programs

And for the sake of convenience: for anyone wanting to head right into donating/showing support for or bookmarking for later, here are links to the different organizations listed in the video:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting
National Endowment of the Arts
National Endowment of the Humanities
Minority Business Development Agency
Economic Development Administration
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
DOJ: Office of Violence Against Women
Legal Services Corporation
DOJ: Civil Rights Division
International Trade Administration
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
DOE: Office of Electricity Deliverability & Energy Reliability
DOE: Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

 

[Malyse]

Gotta say, this was not the apocalypse I was planning for.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Gotta say, this was not the apocalypse I was planning for.

If needed I'll update it with the Wasteland Survival Guide

 

[Dr.Horrible]

Nice resources list, thanks.

FYI - you have a minor typo as you list NAACP as NAAPC

 

[EdibleKnife]

Nice resources list, thanks.

FYI - you have a minor typo as you list NAACP as NAAPC

Thanks! Missed that :/

 

[Pau]

Thank you so much for this thread. There are so many opportunities to take some sort of action (no matter how small) instead of what I usually do: getting frustrated reading the news and GAF threads.

I'll also ask in this thread: How often should we be contacting our representatives? Is it better to call once and mention everything or devote a separate call to each issue?

 

[Izayoi]

Beautiful thread, OP. Thank you! This should be a "Protest the GOP |OT|" or something.

Speaking of, do you know any good locations to organize/stay up to date on local/national protests and marches?

They are springing up so quickly and in so many places that it's really hard to keep up. How are these things being organized?

 

[sasliquid]

Get involved in local politics, give to charity, lower your emissions, go the gym so you can punch fascists better

 

[NandoGip]

Wow, great topic. Going to fully check all of this out and plan out what I can do to support these causes in my state.

 

[LucidMomentum]

I'll also ask in this thread: How often should we be contacting our representatives? Is it better to call once and mention everything or devote a separate call to each issue?

Separate but frequent calls on each issue.

Don't take up too much of their time or bombard them or they'll probably think negatively of your calls.

 

[Pau]

Separate but frequent calls on each issue.

Don't take up too much of their time or bombard them or they'll probably think negatively of your calls.

Thank you for the answer!

 

[EdibleKnife]

Thank you so much for this thread. There are so many opportunities to take some sort of action (no matter how small) instead of what I usually do: getting frustrated reading the news and GAF threads.

I'll also ask in this thread: How often should we be contacting our representatives? Is it better to call once and mention everything or devote a separate call to each issue?

It's suggested to call the 2 senators + 1 congressperson once a week and keeping the call short ~30 seconds to under 2 minutes but firmly descriptive about a single issue and what it means to you. Hopefully, at least it's reccommended that you plan it out before:

Here's a step-by-step:

• Block off time on your calendar. Each call only takes a minute or so, but you might want to block off more time for your first call, so you can prepare your words & nerves. Don't rush yourself! Scheduling is super important, otherwise you will perpetually delay calling.
• At the scheduled time, go sit somewhere quiet.
• Find out who represents you. Some places to look: House (http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/) and Senate (http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/).
• Write out exactly what you plan to say. It only needs to be a few lines, and there are lots of templates online that you can use. e.g. ”Hello! I am constituent from city (zip code) and I am calling to urge Some Name to publicly..." If they have already released a statement, don't use that as an excuse to avoid calling. I know it's hard, but call anyway. Thank them and ask them to keep pushing.
• Take a deep breath. You can do this.
• Do this: dial. (This is the hardest part.)
• Read from your script. At this point, you'll likely be sent to voicemail or to an actual person. The person will most likely be friendly and probably won't have much time to talk, so you shouldn't have to deviate much from your script. It's a quick conversation.
• That's it! Say ”Thank you" and hang up.

So a plan would be: One week, decide what subject you want to focus on for that week, write out an under 2 minute message about what you'd like to say, contact your senators and your congressperson within that week, and repeat next week with the next issue that's important to you and possibly cycle each month.

Beautiful thread, OP. Thank you! This should be a "Protest the GOP |OT|" or something.

Speaking of, do you know any good locations to organize/stay up to date on local/national protests and marches?

They are springing up so quickly and in so many places that it's really hard to keep up. How are these things being organized?

Beyond Twitter, I don't personally know of any. Social media and digital connection are some of the most powerful current tools for setting up things like this. Going sites like Meetup , you'll usually find local activist groups that already have set calendar schedules for their next march/protest/sit in etc. In meatspace, you might find bulletin boards at Town Hall or the Library where activist might set posters for their next activity.


They're really just being organized by people who just take it upon themselves to set up Facebook or Meetup groups that try and gather as many people from their own circle and beyond to develop a united front for their activism. They're really not special in any way that any other citizen is.

The Indivisible Guide has a section on this in particular:

HOW TO FORM A GROUP

If you do want to form a group, here are our recommendations on how to go about it:

Decide you're going to start a local group dedicated to making your MoCs aware of their constituents' opposition to the Trump agenda. This might be a subgroup of an already existing activist group, or it might be a new effort &#8212; it really depends on your circumstances. Start where people are: if you're in a group with a lot of people who want to do this kind of thing, then start there; if you're not, you'll need to find them somewhere else. The most important thing is that this is a LOCAL group. Your band of heroes is focused on applying local pressure, which means you all need to be local.

Identify a few additional co-founders who are interested in participating and recruiting others. Ideally, these are people who have different social networks from you so that you can maximize your reach. Make an effort to ensure that leadership of the group reflects the diversity of opposition to Trump.

Email your contacts and post a message on your Facebook, on any local Facebook groups that you're a member of, and/or other social media channels you use regularly. Say that you're starting a group for constituents of Congresswoman Sara, dedicated to stopping the Trump agenda, and ask people to email you to sign up.

Invite everyone who has expressed interest to an in-person kickoff meeting. Use this meeting to agree on a name, principles for your group, roles for leadership, a way of communicating, and a strategy for your MoC. Rule of thumb: 50% of the people who have said they are definitely coming will show up to your meeting. Aim high! Get people to commit to come &#8212; they'll want to because saving democracy is fun.

Manage the meeting: Keep people focused on the ultimate core strategy: applying pressure to your MoC to stop Trump. Other attendees may have other ideas &#8212; or may be coming to share their concerns about Trump &#8212; and it's important to affirm their concerns and feelings. But it's also important to redirect that energy and make sure that the conversation stays focused on developing a group and a plan of action dedicated to this strategy.

Decide on a name: Good names include the geographic area of your group, so that it's clear that you're rooted in the community &#8212; e.g., ”Springfield Indivisible Against Hate." You are 100% welcome to pick up and run with the Indivisible name if you want, but we won't be hurt if you don't.

Agree on principles: This is your chance to say what your group stands for. We recommend two guiding principles:

1. Donald Trump's agenda will take America backwards and must be stopped.

2. In order to work together to achieve this goal, we must model the values of inclusion, tolerance, and fairness.

As discussed in the second chapter, we strongly recommend focusing on defense against the Trump agenda rather than developing an entire alternative policy agenda. Defining a proactive agenda is time-intensive, divisive, and, quite frankly, a distraction, since there is zero chance that we as progressives will get to put our agenda into action at the federal level in the next four years.

Volunteer for roles: Figure out how to divide roles and responsibilities among your group. This can look very different depending on who's in the room, but at a minimum, you probably want 1-2 people in charge of overall group coordination, a designated media/social media contact, and 1-2 people in charge of tracking the congressional office's schedule and events. In addition to these administrative roles, ask attendees how they want to contribute to advocacy efforts: attend events, record events, ask questions, make calls, host meetings, engage on social media, write op-eds for local papers, etc.

Adopt means of communication: You need a way of reaching everyone in your group in order to coordinate actions. This can be a Facebook group, a Google group, a Slack team &#8212; whatever people are most comfortable with. It may be wise to consider secure or encrypted platforms such as Signal and WhatsApp.

Expand! Enlist your members to recruit across their networks. Ask every member to send out the same outreach emails/posts that you did.

Recruit people for your email list &#8212; 100 or 200 isn't unreasonable.

We strongly recommend making a conscious effort to diversify your group and particularly to center around and defer to communities of people who are most directly affected by the Trump administration's racism, xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia, and antipathy towards the poor. This could include both reaching out through your own networks and forming relationships with community groups that are already working on protecting the rights of marginalized groups.

 

[NandoGip]

Someone needs to condense this into an easy to read/share format. An image of a list. Then we need to send this to the most popular social media accounts to reshare it and get the word spread. People need to be aware of what they can do.

Facebook, IG, Twitter, Tumblr. They have incredible reach. The GOP abuses social media with personalities like Tommy Lahren ( I refuse to spell her name correctly), we need to use their tactics for our cause.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

Subscribed. Thank you for putting this together OP.

 

[NandoGip]

Beautiful thread, OP. Thank you! This should be a "Protest the GOP |OT|" or something.

Would someone be interested in making this? Essentially this thread but revised.

 

[PBalfredo]

This is a good resource, thanks.

 

[Izayoi]

Beyond Twitter, I don't personally know of any. Social media and digital connection are some of the most powerful current tools for setting up things like this. Going sites like Meetup , you'll usually find local activist groups that already have set calendar schedules for their next march/protest/sit in etc. In meatspace, you might find bulletin boards at Town Hall or the Library where activist might set posters for their next activity.


They're really just being organized by people who just take it upon themselves to set up Facebook or Meetup groups that try and gather as many people from their own circle and beyond to develop a united front for their activism. They're really not special in any way that any other citizen is.

The Indivisible Guide has a section on this in particular:

Brilliant, thanks again.

My wife and I are looking to get really involved on a local level, so this helps.

 

[Calcaneus]

Thanks for this thread, this will be a good resource.

 

[Pau]

It's suggested to call the 2 senators + 1 congressperson once a week and keeping the call short ~30 seconds to under 2 minutes but firmly descriptive about a single issue and what it means to you. Hopefully, at least it's reccommended that you plan it out before:



So a plan would be: One week, decide what subject you want to focus on for that week, write out an under 2 minute message about what you'd like to say, contact your senators and your congressperson within that week, and repeat next week with the next issue that's important to you and possibly cycle each month.

Thank you for the extra info. Sounds very doable.

Edit: Called all three of my representatives. Only one had an option to leave voice mail but better than nothing I suppose!

 

[mcw]

Great thread, man. AMERICA STILL NEEDS YOUR HELP

 

[Fisty]

I'm about ready to get radicalized

So tired of this system.

Used to think "your vote is your voice"... what a crock of shit

 

[TheCochese]

Great thread. I know it won't happen, but this should be stickied.

 

[Slayer-33]

Excellent thread.

 

[Polioliolio]

I ought to do this on a day off.

I'm guilty of feeling things are utterly hopeless.

 

[Darryl M R]

Great thread, thanks. I hope to do my part.

 

[UberTag]

Great post summarizing the plethora of ways folks can stand up and resist, EdibleKnife.
I would almost argue it should be stickied as a constant reminder as we wind up buried in the daily onslaught of bad news Trump threads.

 

[muu]

what'd be a good place for k-12 education beyond volunteering for local schools? that's my #1 priority at this point.

 

[Blackhead]

good starting point

 

[Red]

Good thread &#128077;

 

[EdibleKnife]

what'd be a good place for k-12 education beyond volunteering for local schools? that's my #1 priority at this point.

If you're already involved in some fashion with the school, there's always the library. Hold a speech or teaching lessons in one of their conference rooms and invite the school teachers, parents and obviously their kids.

There are multiple children's books about activism:
Mashable
Nerdy Book Club

Also there are lesson plans and other resources for teaching various issues and how they and their families can become involved:
Freechild Project
NYT
Global Fund For Children
GenerationOn
Edutopia

And if you want the kids to be involved in the actual footwork after finding a cause they're interested in there are sites for that too:
DoSomething
VolunteerMatch

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

This is an excellent thread!

 

[Rats Off To Ya]

Today I registered to volunteer for my local Democratic Party. I knocked on some doors back around the 2006 midterms when I was still in high school, but life and general apathy stopped me from getting involved ever since. But now I feel like I have to do something. I think every single one of us deserves a little bit of blame for not doing more to stop this.

I mentioned the 2006 midterms, and as it happens the Democrats made big gains that year, in part because of Howard Dean's efforts in mobilizing volunteers. Stuff like this makes a difference.

 

[MuggerMD]

Great post OP. I'll use these tools.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Gooster in their own thread spread another new tool called 5calls:

I posted this in the thread concerning this immigration ban/detention going on right now, but oftentimes folks wonder what they could do to make sure their voices are heard if they can't protest but feel simply re-tweeting and posting on Facebook isn't enough.

https://5calls.org -- Upon entering your (US) zip code, will locate your local representatives (I got my US Senators but perhaps Congressional reps too), their phone numbers, and scripts to help you voice the issue you're calling about (you're likely going to end up leaving a voicemail and sometimes their voicemail box is simply full).

Also included here is an explanation to why calling is effective https://5calls.org/#about

They have a Twitter page also 5 Calls

 

[mcw]

I pinned this to my Twitter feed. Hopefully it helps some other folks as it has helped me already.

 

[Malyse]

A simple guide to how you can throw sand in the Trump administration’s gears

 

[Horns]

Marking this for later

 

[Snagret]

Fantastic work, EdibleKnife. Thank you for this <3

 

[Pixieking]

Posted this in PoliGAF thread, but figured it's just as relevant here:

https://twitter.com/lauraolin/status/826420454739042304

laura olin
&#8207;@lauraolin

Incredible resource: list of upcoming town halls for members of Congress. Staffers say in-person meetings mean most

Town Hall Project 2018

 

[EdibleKnife]

Posted this in PoliGAF thread, but figured it's just as relevant here:

https://twitter.com/lauraolin/status/826420454739042304



Town Hall Project 2018

Ah! Thank you! This is great

 

[Ludovico]

Louisiana here.
Just called both senators (left a voicemail for one, other box was full) and emailed the one who was just elected. Asked that they seriously reconsider affirming Pruitt (EPA) and DeVos (education - another area LA is sorely lacking in).

Been in a really dark place lately following the news (like, nonstop....it's affecting my health and sanity), but being proactive and remembering that we can make a difference has made a significant shift in my mood.
If you're disparaged about today's headlines, SPEAK OUT! And not just into your bubble!!

Thanks OP, excellent resources.

 

[EdibleKnife]

New Nerdwriter1 video discussing Trump's bid to cut 17 federal agencies and programs. As always with this guy's stuff (all of which should be watched), it's articulate, informative and less than 10 minutes. A completely necessary watch for anyone who wants to try and push back against Trump.

Nerdwriter1: I Drunkenly Paid For 17 Federal Programs

And for the sake of convenience: for anyone wanting to head right into donating/showing support for or bookmarking for later, here are links to the different organizations listed in the video:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting
National Endowment of the Arts
National Endowment of the Humanities
Minority Business Development Agency
Economic Development Administration
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
DOJ: Office of Violence Against Women
Legal Services Corporation
DOJ: Civil Rights Division
International Trade Administration
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
DOE: Office of Electricity Deliverability & Energy Reliability
DOE: Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

 

[Head of Vengarl]

What should I do if I live in California? I went to that 5calls website but my reps are already against all of Trump's bullshit, so I don't see much of a point in calling them.

 

[EdibleKnife]

What should I do if I live in California? I went to that 5calls website but my reps are already against all of Trump's bullshit, so I don't see much of a point in calling them.

This kind of question was answered on a recent Fake The Nation podcast. Essentially, the recommendation was that you look to the congressional committees that rule on or discuss different issues and call the members of those committees and log your discontent.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Regret that I'm so late on posting this but there is a congressional recess that started from the 18th of Febuary and goes until the 26th. Congressmen and women will be back in their respective districts where you can hopefully catch them at Town Halls or other public appearances.

Here is a tool from MoveOn.org where you can enter your zip code and see when such events might be held within your district to attend.

Attend a Resistance Recess Event

 

[parrotbeak]

Somehow missed this thread before. Great idea and I'm subbing for reference later.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Thanks to quesalupa for their topic:

https://go.peoplepower.org/signup/join?source=root

On March 11, the ACLU is holding a Resistance Training. This event will launch People Power, the ACLU’s new effort to engage grassroots volunteers across the country and take the fight against Donald Trump’s policies not just into the courts, but into the streets. We’re organizing grassroots events in communities across the country to watch the livestream together. Please join us!

Sign up to learn more about People Power and the Resistance Training livestream on March 11 at 5pm ET. We’ll follow up with you about opportunities to volunteer and attend events near you.

Seems like a good way to get us quieter people organized. The ACLU's been supporting us hard lately but they can't get all the work done.

 

[DOWN]

A good day to call. Go go go

 

[victreeb3l]

5 calls is great. Used it to make a few calls.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Bonen no Max'd has a topic on the Congressional Special Elections:

While the major scheduled elections will not take place until November (Virginia, New Jersey), several Trump appointees (and one Jerry Brown appointee) have left several open seats in the United States Congress. These special elections will begin April 4th in California and conclude June 20th. Some of these are important elections that could potentially shape the direction of both parties depending on their results, and as always it's important for engaged civic citizens to have a say in their representatives.

California's 34th Congressional District

Formerly held by Xavier Becerra, now California Attorney General
First Round - April 4th
Second Round - June 6th

California utilizes a jungle primary system where candidates from both parties engage in a first round election and the top two finishers will compete in the second general election. There are currently 19 Democrats and one Republican running for this spot and I don't really know about it because of how many there are. Jimmy Gomez, a state Assemblyman, currently has the endorsement of the state Democratic party. I'll update this after the first round, but this is a guaranteed win by the Democrats so it's just a matter of which one of those 19 makes it.

Kansas's 4th Congressional District
Formerly held by Mike Pompeo, now the director of the CIA for the Trump administration.
Date - April 11th

Background:

Kansas has been Republican for virtually forever. No Democratic senator has been elected there since the 1930s. This shouldn't really be a contested election, except the state has been showing some signs of trending Democratic since the unpopular policies of Governor Sam Brownback have slashed state budgets and left the Sunflower State in financial turmoil. While Trump otherwise performed better than Romney or McCain in 39 states, Kansas was an area where Hillary outperformed Obama by a small margin and the state Democrats picked up thirteen seats in the state legislature. Additionally, in 2014 in what was otherwise a Republican wave Brownback only was reelected by 3 points and has only become more unpopular.

The Candidate:

James Thompson


James Thompson is a veteran and civil rights attorney, notably endorsed by Our Revolution. He'll probably lose to Ron Estes, the state treasurer, but the margins could be revealing in terms of how angry Kansas is about Brownback. Winning this would probably scare the shit out of the GOP, much like Scott Brown's senate victory in Massachusetts.

Georgia's 6th Congressional District
Formerly held by Tom Price, who is now Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration
First Round - April 18th
Second Round - June 20th

Background:

Like a couple other states, Georgia runs a two-round election system where numerous candidates can run in the first election and in the event that no one candidate gets a majority the top two finishers proceed to a second runoff election to determine the true winner. This district has historically been a Republican stronghold in the northern Atlanta suburbs and the previous incumbent won elections regularly with 20 point margins. However, this district massively shifted in the 2016 election where Trump narrowly won the district by only 1.5 points, though this had no real noticeable downballot effect. Democrats are viewing this as a possible pickup where traditionally Republican suburban voters disgusted with Trump will end up voting for a Democrat.

The Candidate:

Jon Ossoff:


Ossoff is the young Democratic frontrunner in the race. An investigative filmmaker, former congressional aide, and captain of the Millennium Falcon, this would be his first elected office. So far he's raised a surprisingly large amount of money and has been polling very well and looks to easily make it to the second round, where we'll see if he can consolidate enough support to win the seat. GOP are seemingly a bit desperate, running an ad that attacks him for...being a college student once? This race will be interesting to watch, as a Democratic victory or even narrow loss could put fear into other Republicans in suburban districts that Hillary won last year like MN-3. His opponent in the second round looks to be either Karen Handel, the former Georgia Secretary of State and unsucessful candidate for governor and senator, or Bob Gray, a conservative businessman endorsed by Marco Rubio. Either of these are pretty conservative options and don't seem like they're trying to moderate to keep the Clinton-Price voters in line and mostly are attacking Ossoff for his youth, as he would notably be the first Millennial elected to Congress as a Democrat. This is probably the most interesting and contested of all the special elections.

Montana'a At-Large Congressional District
Formerly held by Ryan Zinke, now Secretary of the Interior
Date - May 25

Background:

Montana is sort of a weird state politically. The only election Democrats have won it in since 1948 that wasn't a total blowout was in 1992 but the state has a large enough pool of Republicans who are willing to vote for state Democratic candidates like incumbent senator Jon Tester or current governor Steve Bullock, and the Democrats control a larger share of the state legislature than expected given that this is a state that went for Trump by 20 points.

The Candidate:

Rob Quist


Rob Quist is a banjo-player social democrat endorsed by Our Revolution. Quist previously worked for the Montana Arts Council under former Governor Brian Schweitzer and was the Montana Musical and Cultural Ambassador. Surprisingly left for a Montana candidate, Quist was a supporter of Bernie Sanders during last year's primary and supports Medicare for All and ending foreign military interventions, as well as protecting public lands from privatization. His opponent, Greg Gianforte, unsuccessfully ran for governor of the state last year and is very socially and fiscally conservative, with ties to the Heritage Foundation and Focus on the Family. While this seat hasn't been held by a Democrat since 1996, Gianforte has already lost statewide once before. A victory here by Quist would be a big win for the Sanders wing of the Democrats as evidence of an economically populist message's appeal to white working class voters in rural areas.

South Carolina's 5th Congressional District
Formerly held by Mick Mulvaney, who now heads the Office of Management and Budget for Trump.
Primary: May 2nd
General Election: June 20th

There's virtually no chance this changes hands, but I can update this after the primaries as quite a few Republicans are running for this.