MoveOn.Org Info

Monday, June 19, 2017

Tillerson called for regime change in Iran

Dear MoveOn member,

Last week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed new economic sanctions on Iran.¹ Every senator, except Senators Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul, voted in favor of sanctions against Iran.

These sanctions undermine the hard-won and historic Iran nuclear deal—a signature foreign policy achievement during the Obama era designed to keep us out of another catastrophic war.

The painstaking work of building an international coalition, the progress made by grassroots pressure that defended the deal against a hostile Senate, and a more stable relationship with Iran are now all at risk because of this vote.

The Iranian government is already calling the sanctions a breach of the deal, making a future war—that Trump and his administration are edging toward—much more likely.²

Will you call your senators and tell them to defend the Iran deal at every turn?

Number: 1-844-334-5514

You can say,

"As your constituent, I'm disappointed that you voted in favor of sanctions against Iran. You must work to protect the Iran nuclear deal at every turn in order to thwart any attempt at war with Iran by the Trump administration."

Voting for sanctions and putting the Iran Nuclear Deal under threat is an unacceptable move, especially from Democratic senators who are supposed to be our line of defense against destabilizing actions of the Trump administration.

The fact that sanctions on Iran were placed into a bill also sanctioning Russia should have been a red flag for Democrats. Despite seemingly legitimate sanctions on Russia, this bill comes at too high of a cost in potentially harming our relationship with Iran.

This bill seems to only be the beginning of what Trump and his administration have in store. Recently, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for regime change in Iran.³

Call your senators at 1-844-334-5514 now to tell them their actions are unacceptable.

The increasingly hostile rhetoric coming out of the Trump administration seems to be pointing not only to ensuring the Iran nuclear deal fails, but also toward the next U.S. war.

During the push to pass the Iran nuclear deal, hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members fought for diplomacy over war. And thousands of us poured into the streets on a #NoWarWithIran national day of action. We can't let senators, especially Senate Democrats, set us back.

In the past fifteen years, our invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq—plus increasing drone warfare—have lead to a thriving Islamophobia industry and military industrial complex that helps urge on our wars despite the millions of deaths and casualties.

Call your senators right now and tell them to protect the Iran deal. We must work to avoid any further confrontation in the region that will cause further destabilization abroad and continued dehumanization of Muslims that could lead to catastrophic policies here in the U.S.

Call your senators at: 1-844-334-5514

Thanks for all you do.

—Iram, Jo, Brian, Josh, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Senate passes sweeping sanctions bill targeting Iran, Russia," ABC News, June 15, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/10693?t=14&akid=184903.10220574.OKKHec

2. "U.S. Senate's Iran sanctions are breach of nuclear deal: senior Iranian official," Reuters, June 16, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/10694?t=16&akid=184903.10220574.OKKHec

3. "Tillerson calls for regime change in Iran," Think Progress, June 15, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/10695?t=18&akid=184903.10220574.OKKHec

Want to support our work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it we need your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with us?

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on June 19th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Impeachment (what's next)

Dear MoveOn member,

Let's talk about impeachment.

There's more than enough evidence to begin an impeachment inquiry to remove Donald Trump from office.

The three previous impeachment inquiries in the House (involving presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton) rested on less evidence than is already publicly known about Trump—and on issues far less serious than the Trump team's possible collusion with a foreign adversary to win the election and Trump's subsequent attempted cover-up.

But impeachment is a political process. Republicans will support impeachment only if they think that they'll lose their jobs by enabling Trump's transgressions. And even if it does take Democrats until the 2018 elections to take back control of the House and pass an impeachment resolution, we have to start pushing now and be ready to go the moment we take back power.

That's why I was thrilled that last week MoveOn joined the call for Trump to be impeached. We need MoveOn to help build and sustain a massive amount of pressure on vulnerable Republicans to impeach Trump. It's not going to be easy, but the very future of our democracy hangs in the balance.

So I have a simple request: Will you join me in chipping in $5 a month to MoveOn to help give them the resources to ramp up and then sustain their efforts to impeach Trump?

Yes. The work starts now to impeach Donald Trump.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

I hear some progressives say, "But Mike Pence is just as bad as Trump."

Yes, Pence is ultra far-right. As a progressive, I disagree with him on absolutely everything. But we know what to expect from Pence, and we can fight him on the issues. He's not the irresponsible and unpredictable man who currently sits in the Oval Office. (And, anyway, getting to the bottom of Trump's web of lies and cover-ups could very well take down multiple people in the White House, including Pence, or in the case of a Trump impeachment or resignation, leave a greatly diminished, compromised, lame-duck Pence in his stead.)

And some Democrats in Congress say that we have to wait to pursue impeachment until Democrats take back the House in 2018.

Rubbish. It's absolutely the reverse.

The path to winning in 2018 (and thereafter) begins with Democrats in Congress showing the American people that they have the courage and backbone necessary to take back our nation. It means calling for the impeachment of Trump and holding politically accountable every single person in his administration and in the House and Senate who have enabled his disgrace of a presidency.

And it's not clear America can wait for the midterm elections, followed by what's likely to be a long and drawn-out impeachment investigation, followed by a trial in the Senate. Just look at the damage Trump has done in just 149 days as president. We need to act now.

Plus, I'm in the camp that the "right" time to impeach isn't about when it's feasible in Congress … but about when the person in the Oval Office has committed high crimes and misdemeanors and recklessly and repeatedly violated the Constitution.

And here are the added benefits of starting right now: If MoveOn campaigns now for impeachment, there's a real chance we can derail Trump's disastrous agenda by eroding GOP congressional (and public) support.

It's go time on impeachment.

Please. Say you'll join and stick with the long fight ahead to impeach Donald Trump by chipping in $5 a month starting now.

Yes. The work starts now to impeach Donald Trump.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

MoveOn staff just briefed me on their plans for their impeachment campaign, and I'm impressed. Their plans include the following:

Exposing and shining a spotlight on the hypocrisy of Republicans who cover up for Trump and his team—with a particular focus on the 23 Republicans in districts that voted for Hillary Clinton last year.¹ These lawmakers are vulnerable when they run again next year, so much so that one, Representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida, took care to point out to the media that he was "the first Republican to mention impeachment."²
Continuing to drive down Trump's popularity. Already, Trump's unpopularity is at a record high, not far from where Nixon's was at the time of his own resignation. The fact is that when Trump is an albatross around the neck of Republican politicians, they will turn on him, making impeachment a political reality as well as a Constitutional necessity.
Urging Democrats to demand the truth—matching the passion I'm seeing in the grassroots base.

I know that impeachment won't happen quickly. It's going to take a strategic, painstakingly executed campaign—hallmarks of MoveOn's excellent organizing. Eddie, will you join me by making a donation of $5 a month to MoveOn to make this happen?

Yes. The work starts now to impeach Donald Trump.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Thanks for all you do.

–Robert Reich

Sources:

1. "These 23 Republicans hold congressional districts that voted for Hillary Clinton," Daily Kos, February 6, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/10712?t=29&akid=184872.10220574.aeHX81

2. "Republican Carlos Curbelo Wants You to Know He Mentioned Impeachment First," NBC News, May 31, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/10540?t=31&akid=184872.10220574.aeHX81

Want to support MoveOn's work? The MoveOn community will work every moment, day by day and year by year, to resist Trump's agenda, contain the damage, defeat hate with love, and begin the process of swinging the nation's pendulum back toward sanity, decency, and the kind of future that we must never give up on. And to do it MoveOn needs your ongoing support, now more than ever. Will you stand with MoveOn?

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

A final message from Jon Ossoff

Eddie—

On Tuesday, voters in Georgia's 6th Congressional District will head to the polls in the highest-profile election since November. Meanwhile in Washington, Trump and his allies are crafting a secret plan to take away health care from millions that could be passed any week now.

A victory by Jon Ossoff would send a powerful message to Washington and could save health care for millions. That's why this election is incredibly important. So we asked Jon to write a note to MoveOn members about why he's running and what he'll fight for if elected on Tuesday. Please give his message a look and chip in $9—or whatever you can afford—to help in the final sprint before Tuesday's election.

—Matt Blizek, Election Mobilization Director

Dear MoveOn member,

Early this year, in the wake of Donald Trump's election, I decided that I couldn't sit on the sidelines. After talking with one of my mentors, civil rights hero Representative John Lewis, we launched an improbable campaign for Congress.

When we started this campaign, no one thought we could win. We weren’t even supposed to come close. But we’ve built incredible momentum—and now we’re just three days away from making HISTORY.

Here’s the thing: Donald Trump and Paul Ryan see our momentum too. They’re doing everything they can to crush our campaign.

Eddie, I need your help more than ever. I am proud to have earned MoveOn's endorsement through a vote of MoveOn members in Georgia's 6th District, and MoveOn members like you have helped power our campaign from the beginning. But right-wing Super PACs have made this the most expensive House race in history. We are TIED in the polls. And, with your help in these final days, we could win!

That's why I'm writing you directly, before my election in just three days, with a humble request:

Please click here to split $9 or whatever you can afford—between my campaign and MoveOn's work to help us WIN the special election on Tuesday.

This campaign isn’t about me, Eddie.

It’s about coming together to send a clear message about the type of leadership we want in Washington: accountable, transparent, and compassionate.

It’s about standing up for our progressive values and our belief that no matter who you are or where you come from, your voice ought to be heard.

And it's about proving that Americans everywhere—from New York City to Newt Gingrich's former district (the one I am competing for)—oppose this cynical, partisan, attack on health care.

If you believe that no American should needlessly suffer or die from preventable or treatable illness, then I need your support right now.

If you believe that no American should be unable to make ends meet because of out-of-control medical bills, then I need your support right now.

If you are dedicated, as I am, to defending Medicare and Medicaid, to ensuring that young people can stay on their family plan, to preventing discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions, to ensuring veterans swiftly get the care and benefits they’ve earned, and to defending Planned Parenthood, then I need you with me.

If you believe that NOW is the time to take on corruption and fraud and a system in Washington rigged for those with lobbyists and PACs and to fight back against "alternative facts" with the truth, then you can help make that happen by helping me give the people of Georgia's 6th District the sort of representation they want and deserve then we need to give it our all in the next three days. If we don’t, we’ll regret it forever.

So here's my humble request: Please donate whatever you can to my campaign. $9—or whatever you can afford—will make a big difference.

I’m in, Jon! I'll donate right now to help win Tuesday's special election.

Thank you so much for your support. Together, we will win this.

—Jon Ossoff

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on June 17th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Trumpcare red alert (Call now!)

Dear MoveOn member,

Away from the headlines, Republicans are in turbo mode in their destructive race to repeal the Affordable Care Act and rip health care away from tens of millions of Americans.

If we don't stop them, Senate Republicans will pass their ultra-secret Trumpcare bill in less than three weeks.

What's in the Senate bill? We don't know because they won't show it to anyone. But the Senate's number two Republican has admitted that "80 percent of what the House did we're likely to do."¹ The House bill was set to take health care coverage away from 23 million people. 80% of that is 18.4 million people. No comfort there.

Why won't the GOP show anyone their health care bill? "We aren't stupid," one aide told a reporter.² Translation: If the public knew what was in the bill, they'd revolt. As aides told another reporter, the whole point of withholding the bill from public view until just before a vote is in the hopes of "minimizing the ability of opposition to mobilize."³

At this point, every single Democrat is rock solid against this bill and speaking out against it. That's great news, and it's worth calling them to thank them for standing strong. The problem is Democrats have said they'll work to delay Trumpcare votes starting next week, but that could be too late! We need them to stop the business of the Senate NOW, and ensure the vote takes as long as possible, so that activists can make their voices heard.

Will you call your senators now to tell them it's time to stop any business as usual in the Senate until Republicans reveal the bill and hold hearings? Here is where to call:

Sen. Schumer - (202) 224-6542
Sen. Gillibrand - (202) 224-4451

Then click here and tell us how your call went.

The truth is, while the Democrats can delay and help us gain valuable time, we need three Republicans to vote against Trumpcare in order to win. So, after you call, can you tell your friends in Republican states to call their Senators too?

The links below will open up lists of your friends on Facebook who live in states with the most crucial Republican senators. Can you click through and then tell your friends to call their Republican senators at 844-432-0883?

You should personalize your message and share why calling their senator is important to you. You can send the message any way you normally talk to your friends, which could be on Facebook or maybe texting, calling, or emailing. And obviously you don't have to be on Facebook to use the list of states above and think about friends and family you can reach out to.

Here is an example of what you can say:

"Hi! I'm writing because you've got a Republican Senator who could cast the deciding vote on the GOP health care plan. The GOP is forcing a vote in just a few weeks in the Senate on a bill that would take away coverage from 23 million people, gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthood, and undermine coverage for people with preexisting conditions. Can you call your senators at 844-432-0883 and ask them not to vote for the health care repeal bill?"

There is no limit to how many times you and your friends can call your senators. You could set a calendar reminder for yourself to call EVERY DAY between now and the vote that could be as soon as two weeks from now. Let's keep the senators' phones ringing off the hooks.

With Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell trying to schedule a vote before the end of the month, we need to make sure that the GOP Senate hears the message loud and clear that it is unacceptable to take away health care from tens of millions of Americans, gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthood, and eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

We're down to the wire, and the fight is close. Every call matters. We're hearing from Capitol Hill that the volume of calls is way down, back to pre-Trump levels—just a few dozen calls per day. But if we raise our voices now, we can play a role in stopping not only this vicious health care bill, but all of Trump's disastrous agenda. We've got three weeks. Let's make them count.

Every bit counts, so call today—and every weekday—then get the word out to your family and friends that now is the time to fight Trumpcare.

Thanks for all you do.

–Ben, Elsie, Emma, Schuyler, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "The Senate's three tools on health care: Sabotage, speed and secrecy," The Washington Post, June 10, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/10640?t=23&akid=184610.10220574.kj-pSn

2. "Senate GOP won't release draft health care bill," Axios, June 12, 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/10641?t=25&akid=184610.10220574.kj-pSn

3. "Senate GOP reins in expectations for killing Obamacare," Politico, June 12, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/10642?t=27&akid=184610.10220574.kj-pSn

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on June 15th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

196 members of Congress are suing Donald Trump (Watch now)

Dear MoveOn member,

My name is Elizabeth Wydra. I'm the president of the Constitutional Accountability Center. And I just filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump on behalf of 196 members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Trump has been thumbing his nose at our nation's Constitution by accepting foreign emoluments—payments which benefit him directly—without going to Congress first to get its consent, as the Constitution requires.

Never before in the history of our nation have so many members of Congress made the individual decision to join a lawsuit of this kind.

Please watch and share a video I made with MoveOn to spread the word about this historic effort.

(Not on Facebook? You can watch and share the video on YouTube.)

Trump has been accepting payments from foreign governments leasing space in his properties and placing diplomats in his hotels, and he's also received very valuable trademarks from foreign governments.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

No one is above the law—even the person who sits in the most powerful office in the world.

This isn't an easy subject matter, and the word emoluments doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. But it's essential that the American people understand how beyond the pale Trump's behavior is and that our nation's founders put provisions in the Constitution to guard against exactly this kind of self-enriching abuse of power. We made this video to explain the law and the lawsuit against Trump.

Please watch and share this new MoveOn video about members of Congress taking Donald Trump to court today for his violation of our nation's Constitution.

Thanks for all you do.

–Elizabeth Wydra

Something you can do to stop Trumpcare (and it's free)

Dear MoveOn member,

As the clouds of corruption from the Russia investigation engulf the White House, down the street, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell is bypassing debate and attempting to ram through a health care bill that, if signed into law, will be an unmitigated disaster for tens of millions of Americans.

There's a simple way you can stop Trumpcare now—from your phone or computer, anywhere in the country, regardless of who your senator is. Take our quick training now and then sign up to join the MoveOn Text Team! Our rapid-response texting will mobilize MoveOn members in key states to help them take action. And our easy-to-use MoveOn Text Team tool doesn't require you to use your own cell phone minutes or data plan.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Trumpcare would kick 23 million Americans off their health insurance, gut over $800 billion from Medicaid, and likely take us back to the days when you can be charged more for insurance simply for having a pre-existing medical condition—all to hand huge tax giveaways to the wealthy.¹

McConnell is shutting down public debate on the bill, too—using a little-known Senate procedure to skip a full Senate committee debate altogether and deny a public hearing on the bill in order to fast-track a vote.² In other words, a secret bill that could directly impact tens of millions of Americans is being rushed through with no public scrutiny—we can't read it, we can't debate it, we might not even see it until they are preparing to vote on it.

Make no mistake: the GOP knows the public is against their Trumpcare scheme, but they're counting on keeping us in the dark in order to ram through this bill.

It might be frustrating to know that a handful of senators are going to make the difference for all Americans. And we shouldn't call senate offices in a different state—it's important for our elected officials to hear from constiuents. But there is a way MoveOn members, wherever you live, can make a difference—by using our free, easy, text messaging tool to send messages to fellow MoveOn members in these key states, encouraging them to call their senators, show up at events, and do all they can to stop Trumpcare.

We need to build up our member-driven Text Team this week to reach hundreds of thousands of members in key states to urge them to raise their voices and demand their senators vote NO on Trumpcare before the Senate votes in June. Will you take our short training today?

One thing we’ve learned during the Trump regime is that public pressure can grind their right-wing agenda to a halt. As we’ve seen at town hall meetings across the nation, conservatives in Congress are afraid to face the American public because they can't justify their agenda. This is why they’re resorting to shady schemes to shut down debate and limit their public exposure.

But we’re not letting them get away with silencing the public. We’re mobilizing the resistance, and our Text Team program is a critical and effective way to do it.

After joining a quick training, you’ll be ready to reach hundreds or thousands of MoveOn members just like you with an urgent message to call their senators and demand they vote NO on Trumpcare.

With enough public pressure, we can expose this conspiracy to steal health care security from tens of millions of Americans and stop this disastrous bill before it becomes law.

Sign up now to join the MoveOn Text Team and help stop Trumpcare!

Thanks for all you do.

—Mark, Victoria, Ann, Stephen and the rest of the team

P.S. Our hearts go out to the members of Congress and their staff who were shot today. There's no place for threats or acts of physical violence against elected officials, activists, media, or anyone in our communities. This is also a reminder of the need for our elected officials to seriously tackle the broader epidemic of gun violence in America.

Sources:

1. 'GOP Health Plan Would Leave 23 Million More Uninsured, Budget Office Says," NPR, May 24, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/10599?t=17&akid=184573.10220574.i3cbo9

2. "While you focus on Comey, Senate Republicans are launching an audacious plan to pass Trumpcare," Think Progress, June 9. 2017
https://act.moveon.org/go/10600?t=19&akid=184573.10220574.i3cbo9

Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.

Contributions to MoveOn.org Civic Action are not tax deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. This email was sent to Eddie Alfaro on June 14th, 2017. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

A Resistance Summer Community Cookout near you

Dear MoveOn member,

We are almost six months into the new presidency. We have marched, protested, called, written, and resisted the alarming acts of the Trump administration and the complicit Republican Party. The work to defend of our democracy has aroused a deeper passion for political activism among newcomers and longtime organizers alike.

However, we know the Resistance is a marathon, not a sprint. And we must take time to recharge regularly if we're going to remain effective in the long campaigns ahead. That means connecting with each other—over food, fellowship, and even having a little fun. It's time to take a moment to celebrate what we’ve achieved—and recharge for the work ahead—with a summer social gathering: a Resistance Summer Community Cookout!

Click here to search for a Resistance Summer Community Cookout near you on the weekends of June 24–25 or July 1–3! Or create your own if there isn't a cookout near you. The MoveOn team makes it easy for you to do, and we'll support you every step of the way.

On June 24–25 and July 1–3, MoveOn and partner organizations will launch Resistance Summer Community Cookouts all across the U.S. These cookouts are an opportunity to

come together with friends old and new,
build relationships,
build momentum for the campaigns in the months ahead,
recharge our self-care batteries, and
celebrate the diversity that makes the Resistance strong and resilient.

Excitement for these cookouts is palpable. There are hundreds already scheduled around the country. Just click here to find the one closest to you.

We’ll provide everything you need to plan a successful cookout—including a Host Guide, Checklist, Sample Agenda, and more—and we'll be with you every step of the way, coaching, answering questions, and helping to recruit fellow MoveOn members to attend your event. (We may even give you a recipe for a refreshing and timely beverage. Mmmm...peach-mint tea!)

Hosts are responsible for finding a venue—at a home, park, or community space—and arranging the food and refreshments. We offer you ideas on how to do this in ways that are easy, cost-effective, convenient, and communal. And while we have plenty of suggestions for making this fun, you know your community and your neighbors better than we do! So we encourage you to bring your own ideas to make your cookout great!

I’m in. Sign me up to attend or host, if there is no cookout near me, a Community Cookout to encourage the Resistance in my community on June 24-25 or July 1-3.

These events will also be a kickoff to Resistance Summer, during which we'll host monthly national events to rebuild progressive power and fight the Trump Republican agenda. Through this program, we will train and support 1,000 mobilizers across the country, gear up for the big August congressional recess, and lay the groundwork to bring Resistance energy to next year's midterm elections. It's a lot of work! And we'll do that work if we take a moment to get to know each other, take a step back to relax, and enjoy a Community Cookout as summer heats up.

Thanks for all you do.

—Chris, Anna, Gabby, Michael, and the rest of the team

P.S. After months of Resistance, it is time to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with each other. Click he re to register your event and we'll support you every step of the way.