STOP TRUMP’S GRAB FOR EMERGENCY POWERS
More is at stake in the fight over the border wall than the costs and tragedies the shutdown has and will inflict. It’s Trump’s treacherous inclination to declare a (fake) national emergency to get what he wants.
“I can do it if I want,” Trump declared in the Rose Garden Friday.
His belief that he can declare a national emergency to circumvent intractable opposition is dangerous. That’s because hundreds of unique powers would become available to him.
Theoretically, Trump would have the power to:
- Control public communications including the Internet.
- Detain “suspicious” people and deny them their civil rights.
- Freeze bank accounts and much, much more.
Trump has chafed at the limits of presidential authority, and emergency powers would extend his reach. Such powers have been misused in the Philippines and Turkey to establish dictatorships. In the US they could quickly and legally unravel our democracy.
Some checks exist to prevent abuse but, at the moment, they all depend on Republicans in Congress and the Supreme Court rising above conservative politics.
We need to immediately restore a functioning government – without paying Trump’s ransom demand. And our MoCs must ferociously fight moves toward a fake national emergency.
Crush this threat now.
ACTION ONE: CALL YOUR SENATORS
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR WYDEN AND MERKLEY:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)“My name is [Name]. I am a constituent and I and live in ZIP code [number]. I am calling to express my strong support for the Senator’s position of no money for the wall. But I am concerned about the threat to our democracy if Trump declares a fake emergency just to get what he wants. I ask the Senator to denounce Trump’s power grab ferociously and block consideration of any bills unrelated to opening the government until a vote is held to reopen the government. Thank you”
CALL SENATOR MERKLEY
CALL SENATOR WYDEN
ACTION TWO: CALL YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES
Not sure who your U.S. Representative is? Find out here.
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR REPRESENTATIVES:
(Leave a message if you can’t get through)“My name is [Name]. I am a constituent and I and live in ZIP code [number]. I am calling to express my strong support for ending the shutdown with no money for the wall and for HR 1. But I am concerned about the threat to our democracy if Trump declares a fake emergency just to get what he wants. I ask the Representative to denounce Trump’s power grab ferociously and work to pass HR 1 immediately. Thank you
CALL Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Call Greg Walden (OR-02)
CALL BLUMENAUER (OR-03)
CALL PETER DEFAZIO (OR-04)
CALL Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
ACTION THREE: STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY
Join us tomorrow at Indivisible Oregon’s National Day of Action to discuss HR1 at 11:30AM in the courtyard of Senator Wyden’s and Representative Blumenauer’s