DEMOCRATS MUST REMAIN UNITED IN FIGHTING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

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Written By Barbara Isaacman

QUICK READ:   Last Saturday, 8+ million patriotic Americans turned out in every Congressional district to peacefully protest against Trump’s unconstitutional, authoritarian, un-American agenda—strengthening Democrats’ commitment to hold out for a continuing resolution that permanently extends the extremely popular ACA tax credits and blocks Trump’s illegal budget cuts. It is well past time for Republicans to seek a bipartisan solution to this stalemate.



CONTENTS:

BACKGROUND

Saturday, as many as 8.2 million patriotic Americans—creating America’s largest, one-day protest—turned out in every Congressional district to peacefully show our love for our country with its diverse communities and stand against Trump’s unconstitutional, authoritarian, un-American agenda—the least-popular ever—while  simultaneously pushing for our safety net’s preservation. 

Rather than recognizing these gatherings as the First Amendment-protected rallies they were, Republican leadership dismissed us as “America haters” and “terrorists.” Such disdain allowed Mike Johnson not to reopen the House, preventing both the seating of Adelita Grijalva, whose signature would bring the resolution releasing the Epstein files up for a vote, and the initiation of bipartisan negotiations aimed at reopening the government. 

By contrast, the size of the protests sent a powerful message to House and Senate Democrats to keep holding out for guarantees helping ordinary Americans. To date, they’ve voted down the House’s continuing resolution 11 times for failing to extend the very popular ACA tax credits benefitting 23+ million Americans and to block Trump’s illegal budget cuts.

Although non-renewal of these popular subsidies will most hurt Republican constituencies, in the face of MAGA Republicans continued intransigence, Democrats must include in their demands restrictions on ICE and National Guard deployments, which the protesters also want.

What Democrats must not do, however, is support S.3012, the MAGA Shutdown Fairness Act which, while purportedly only paying the military, would give Russell Vought the power to send money wherever he wanted during the shutdown, while starving programs and departments he disliked.

ACTION One: Call the Senate.

Script for Oregon Senators

SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753

My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for continuing to stand strong. The American people want you to keep fighting to protect our healthcare and to block Trump’s illegal budget cuts. Trump’s use of ICE and the National Guard to terrorize your constituents must also be opposed, and I want you to demand that funding for their continued deployment be removed from the CR. You must also vote down Senator Johnson’s Shutdown Fairness Act which gives Russell Vought the ability to continue the administration’s partisan punitiveness. Instead, Congress needs to work towards a bipartisan negotiated CR that permanently extends the ACA tax credits, prevents Trump from ignoring the CR’s terms, and precludes Trump’s misuse of ICE and the National Guard.

SEN. WYDEN:

Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

Thank you for continuing to stand strong. The American people want you to keep fighting to protect our healthcare and to block Trump’s illegal budget cuts. Trump’s use of ICE and the National Guard to terrorize your constituents must also be opposed, and I want you to demand that funding for their continued deployment be removed from the CR. You must also vote down Senator Johnson’s Shutdown Fairness Act which gives Russell Vought the ability to continue the administration’s partisan punitiveness. Instead, Congress needs to work towards a bipartisan negotiated CR that permanently extends the ACA tax credits, prevents Trump from ignoring the CR’s terms, and precludes Trump’s misuse of ICE and the National Guard.

Script for Republican Senators

D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].

Does the Senator realize that, without ACA tax credits, many of your constituents will lose their coverage? Why are you willing to send to Argentina more than a year’s work of ACA tax credits but refuse to pay for the tax credits themselves your constituents need? Many of your constituents attended No Kings rallies this weekend, and we want you to start meeting our needs by voting to permanently extend the ACA tax credits and reopen the government.

ACTION TWO: Call the House.

Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)

Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am calling to thank you for continuing to fight for affordable healthcare. I am also asking you to demand that funding for deployment of the National Guard and masked ICE agents who stomp on the Bill of Rights be removed from the final CR—which those who showed up at No Kings this weekend also want.

Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)

Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am furious Speaker Johnson is giving the House a paid vacation while healthcare premiums are precipitously rising and Adelita Grijalva has still not been sworn in. Republicans, who control both houses of Congress and the Presidency, need to return to work, sit down with Democrats, and agree to permanently extend the ACA tax credits and reopen the government.

Script for Maxine Dexter (OR-03)

Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am calling to thank you for continuing to fight for affordable healthcare. I am also asking you to demand that funding for deployment of the National Guard and masked ICE agents who stomp on the Bill of Rights be removed from the final CR—which those who showed up at No Kings this weekend also want.

Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)

Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am calling to thank you for continuing to fight for affordable healthcare. I am also asking you to demand that funding for deployment of the National Guard and masked ICE agents who stomp on the Bill of Rights be removed from the final CR—which those who showed up at No Kings this weekend also want.

Script for Janelle Bynum (OR-05)

DC office: 202-225-5711

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am calling to thank you for continuing to fight for affordable healthcare. I am also asking you to demand that funding for deployment of the National Guard and masked ICE agents who stomp on the Bill of Rights be removed from the final CR—which those who showed up at No Kings this weekend also want.

Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643

My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].

I am calling to thank you for continuing to fight for affordable healthcare. I am also asking you to demand that funding for deployment of the National Guard and masked ICE agents who stomp on the Bill of Rights be removed from the final CR—which those who showed up at No Kings this weekend also want.

FURTHER READING

Barbara Isaacman
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