Originally published the day after the Women’s March. A march is not a movement, and while yesterday was exactly the inspiration we needed after Trump’s first day, our inspiration must translate into sustained action if marches are to have enduring meaning. This post includes things you can do this week at a national, state, and local level.
Millions of people rallied and marched across the planet yesterday. It was inspiring and just the antidote needed to Trump’s chilling first day in office. Here in Santa Fe, the local newspaper The New Mexican claimed 10-15,000 people at the Santa Fe march, an astonishing total for a city of only 70,000 people. We will have video of the speeches available within a few days.
But for those marches to have any relevance, it is up to us to take the inspiring messages we heard yesterday and turn them into action, sustained action. And that should begin today. This post is short but important, as it includes specific actions you can take at a local, state, and national level.
At a National Level
MoveOn.org, Indivisible, & Working Families Party. Ready to Fight: Emergency Call at 6pm MT, TODAY, Sun., Jan. 22. On a national level, tune in to what Indivisible, MoveOn.org, and Working Families Party are planning on a national level to resist Trump. Click here to go to our Facebook page, and scroll down for details and to register. I am most interested in how folks in NM take action, with two Senators and two US House of Reps firmly opposing Trump and one US Rep apparently impervious to progressive pressure: What do we do? I am sure there are other states in this position as well.
At a State Level
Supreme Court Hearing. New Energy Economy vs. PNM. Weds, Jan.25, 8:30am. New Energy Economy will be facing off against PNM in a battle over the energy plan for much of our state. We cannot succumb to PNM’s greed and willful disregard for our planet. Let’s pack the courtroom! Click here for details.
Advocacy at the Roundhouse. We will be updating the link below most every day as we gather more information from our progressive lobbying partners. But as of today, we have information on how you can advocate for bills related to
- Medicaid funding (HB 2) and budget/revenue reform with the Center for Law and Poverty;
- A wide range of land, water, air, and energy bills advanced by Sierra Club, Conservation Voters of New Mexico, 350.org, and New Energy Economy;
Click hereClick here for details on how you can lobby effectively and how to get alerts when bills advance and action is needed.
At a County Level
Get Active in the Party of Your Choice. We are trying to be non-partisan, and have even attended a GOP meeting in Santa Fe. We will look for more information on the GOP this week, but their website is not up to date. But if you want to get involved in the Democratic Party at the Ward level, Ward elections are Feb 15-20 in Santa Fe. Some Wards are very active and meet regularly, but most do not meet at all. If you live in a Ward that isn’t active, this is a chance to get involved, run for Ward Chair and get your neighbors active, not just in party politics, but in City and State lobbying. Click here for information. I will publish information on other counties if people get that information to me.
At a City Level
Expand Santa Fe’s Sanctuary Resolution. Call/email Your City Council Rep TODAY. Show up at the Council vote on Wed, Jan 25, 5pm. Somos Un Pueblo Unido introduced the resolution and Retake Our Democracy strongly endorses it. You marched yesterday, here is something you can do today: call the office of your City Council Representative and send them an email. Click here for contact information and background info on the resolution. In 10 minutes you will have done something important. I was told by Marcela Diaz from Somos Un Pueblo Unido that the City Council will be discussing the resolution on Jan. 25, but I don’t see it on the agenda. I will verify with the City and/or Somos and report on Tuesday. But calls and emails today are important.
Expand our City’s Early Childhood Program. There is an initiative being advanced throughout the city to use a Soda Tax to fund expanding early childhood programming to 1,000 additional children. Click here for information on this important new initiative.
Categories: Actions, Activists Websites, Economic justice, Healthcare, Immigrant Rights, Indigenous Rights, State Budget, Ward Politics
Hi Paul,
I would very much like to meet you and share ideas for other possible actions. I looked for you yesterday @ March & also last Tues. @ Chaco protest. I am a Visionary & Community Organizer, living in SF for 40 yrs. I have a plan I have been working on, and NOW MORE THAN EVER, is the time for it to come to fruition. Please contact me @ 505-470-8592.
Elisa Lucero
Paul, The ROD election issues lobbying committee is holding a meeting with Common Cause’s Heather Ferguson and New Mexicans for Money Out of Politics tomorrow at 6:15 pm at the downtown library to inform and organize people to lobby for 6 election issues we have prioritized. Could you send out an email inviting all ROD supporters to our meeting? Thanks, Bruce
On Sun, Jan 22, 2017 at 8:10 AM, Retake Our Democracy wrote:
> paulgibson51 posted: “A march is not a movement, and while yesterday was > exactly the inspiration we needed after Trump’s first day, our inspiration > must translate into sustained action if marches are to have enduring > meaning. This post includes things you can do this week at a” >
Paul, you should tell everyone that Paul Ryan is taking a phone survey about eliminating the Affordable Care Act. Here’s how you can participate: Call
(202) 225-0600
Press 2 to weigh in on the issue.
You’ll hear a recording about the bill to repeal it, then
PRESS 1 to support continuing the Affordable Healthcare Act.
It takes less than 2 minutes. It was very quick- please do it.
You can also leave a message at the end if you want (& if the system will take more VMs). And you may have to call several times before you get through to the phone survey.