TrumpCare could be the vote that swings 2018 left, and in a big way. The plan is indefensible and 10 GOP states would be hit hardest. This post also includes a heads up: Major protest at the Roundhouse, May 24 at noon at the opening of the Special Session, and a protest in ABQ at PNM shareholders meeting on May 16.
Actions & Opportunities
Saturday, May 13, 1–3 PM, EarthCare & the City of Santa Fe: Community Conversations on Sustainable Santa Fe, Southside Library, 6599 Jaguar Dr. The City of Santa Fe is holding Sustainable Santa Fe Community Conversations to help inform policy decisions. ARE YOU WORRIED THAT……
• Your electric bill keeps going up?
• The beautiful aspens in Santa Fe might die off in 20 years?
• There is NOT a growing job market?
Come help the city government make good decisions that affect YOUR life! As the City decides how to implement Santa Fe’s 25 Year Sustainability Plan, community members’ health, job opportunities, well-being, and affordable access to resources (i.e. water, electricity, healthy food) will be impacted. Your voice, experience, and power are essential, so that these decisions are made for your benefit and in your interests. Please join us! Click here to RSVP.
May 16, 8:30AM, PNM Shareholders Meeting Protest. PNM Resources, Inc., Corporate Headquarters, 414 Silver Avenue SW, Albuquerque. Retake Our Democracy, New Energy Economy, Earth Care and others have been very publicly resisting PNM’s desecration of our environment and fleecing of its rate payers. But quietly and behind the scenes a group of us did the unthinkable: We bought enough shares in PNM to be able to submit resolutions at their shareholders meeting. It took two years to overcome PNM legal challenges to even get our resolutions on the ballot. Not surprisingly, their board opposes both resolutions and the resolutions were place at the absolute end of a very long shareholder’s report. BUT, we get to speak at the meeting and advocate for both resolutions. While we are doing this, we would like a big crowd outside letting shareholders know how the people feel. The two resolutions follow (apologies for the thorny language, as it had to be worded precisely to be an allowable resolution).- Request for information. A vote FOR this proposal is warranted as shareholders would benefit from additional information about the impact that climate change regulations might have on the company and its operations, and the actions that the company is taking to mitigate these risks.
- Report on the Financial Risks from Stranded Carbon Assets. A vote FOR this proposal is warranted, as the company does not disclose sufficient information on the impacts that climate change‐related regulations and a reduced demand for its products might have on the company and its operations.
The two resolutions would force PNM to disclose their exposure to financial risk if effective climate change regulations are implemented, and reveal the scope of the stranded assets that will be foisted on ratepayers or shareholders (guess which one?) as PNM withdraws from fossil fuel extraction. It would be tremendous to have a very large crowd outside to let PNM know how the people feel.
May 24. Noon. Roundhouse, Santa Fe. Special Session Opens. A host of organizations are collaborating in organizing a massive protest to let the GOP and some Democrats know that we are mad as hell — we are not amused that our universities and colleges are being held hostage by a vengeful Governor and a GOP that refuses to stand up to her. We are also not happy that the Health Security Act, meaningful predatory lending reform, investments in early childhood, hemp research, renewable energy targets, and a host of other important bills have not been passed. The final plan for the Special Session is not in place, but save the date and let’s make the Women’s March look like a tiny gathering of friends. [To clarify: a reader suggested that my comment here about the Women’s March was disparaging. Not intended at all. I was just exhorting everyone who attended that March and more people to come out now for this critical show of force. Apologies if the commented offended anyone.]
The GOP Has Made a HUGE Mistake:
TrumpCare Could Cost Them the House
TrumpCare is so offensive that it is hard to imagine how anyone could get to know it and think that those responsible should have any role in government, ever. But most folks who voted for Trump do not watch Amy Goodman, do not read The Nation, and rely all too much on talk radio and Fox News for their information. Retake is going to develop straightforward fact sheets that describe how Trump voters will be impacted by the legislation being passed by the GOP. That is why it is so important that all of us make a habit of sharing these fact sheets with: 1) friends and family who voted for Trump and/or; 2) with friends and family who live in House districts with a GOP representative.
We have only a bit over a year to educate those who voted for Trump as to how badly his policies harm them and their loved ones and to organize people in GOP districts. There are a number of websites that track House races that are in play, that are leaning Democrat or leaning GOP. To retake the House, the Democrats need to take 20 seats to get to 218, one over a 50%. In the Senate, only 34 seats up for grabs, 27 of them currently Democratically controlled. The Democrats would need to hold all 27 of those seats and win 3 of the 7 races in states currently held by the GOP. But, as described in the Fact Sheet, four of those seven GOP held states are among the ten states that will be hit hardest by TrumpCare, so we have ammo.
270toWin.com has an interactive map where you can predict each race, but more importantly where you can keep up to date on how the polls are shifting, how many seats are now in play, how many seats are now leaning Democrat, are we getting closer? We will keep you posted as analysts project which districts are flippable, but click here to visit this site very informative site.
Click here for a TrumpCare Fact Sheet, and definitely send the link to Trump supporters you know or to friends who live in GOP held House districts.
This is our opportunity. Yes, the Senate will almost certainly stop this bill, but that will never erase the House vote and we need to share with everyone we know precisely what that bill would do to our most vulnerable neighbors and friends.
In solidarity,
Paul & Roxanne
Categories: Uncategorized
I’m sorry, Paul, but while I understand what you were trying to say in your comment “let’s make the Women’s March look like a tiny gathering of friends,” the Women’s March was about a lot more than numbers and in any case should not be used for your own purposes. Please modify your inappropriate reference or delete it altogether.
I am sorry if my comment here was viewed as disparaging the Women’s March. Of course it was a tremendous event of great import. My only intention was to encourage an even larger turnout than for the women’s march, but I see your point completely and will go in and make a tweak to the reference. Thanks.
As a woman who attended the SFe women’s march and promoted it among my friends, I think your comment is unnecessary and overly sensitive. What we have happening now is so dangerous we are in danger of losing our very democracy, our freedom to resist, to march, to speak. We need greater and larger shows of protest so, dear sister, chill your heels in the need to be PC on such insignificant points.
As Thursday’s post makes pretty clear and as subsequent news of FBI subpoenas, Trump threats to Comey, and what appears to be a deepening investigation make clear, this is indeed a grave time. So I’d encourage our readers to get out there at some of the protests in ABQ against PNM and in Santa Fe at the opening of the Special Session. We will have more on both in Saturday’s post and I’ll be talking about the PNM protest on Saturday at 11 on KSFR 101.1