Why was Congressman Trone so dismissive, insulting and ignorant in his interaction with Dr. Marsha Adebayo at a recent MLK event. She asked to talk to him about the Bethesda Road Moses African Cemetery and efforts to reclaim the land to memorialize the lives of enslaved and post-emancipated African Community. Instead of engaging, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand and a turn of his back saying" who cares about that little cemetery?" I care about that "little Cemetery," and I don't care to have a person with David Trone's historical ignorance and dismissiveness towards African American struggles influencing our community. The people in the "little cemetery were human beings and they deserve respect. Most of those buried in the "little" cemetery were children who were kidnapped, raped, murdered and worked to death in Bethesda, Maryland. Why are we still debating whether Black Lives Matter? We need the community to speak out against Congressman Trone's statement. David Mott - retired union organizer, Poor People's Campaign, Montgomery County Contact: bethesdaafricancemeterycoalition.net

Businesses, healthcare providers, non-profit organizations, and local government jobs may encounter workforce disruptions and challenges in maintaining missions when DACA recipients face delays in renewals. This can impact productivity, economic growth, and the provision of essential public services.

These vulnerable citizens - the homeless - are our brothers, sisters, cousins and more. How we treat them is a reflection of who we are. How can anyone stand by and do nothing? More, if you want to see this growing population shrink. If you want the tent towns and dilapidated vehicles to go away...these people need somewhere to go. Providing permanent housing will reduce the 'unsightly' camps. More, it has been proven in multiple countries around the world that giving someone a permanent roof over their heads often leads to a reduction in addictive behaviors, increase in capable workers joining the work force and a return to a healthier lifestyle. If you want to fix the problem of homelessness, then provide homes. And the support needed to keep them under their own roofs.

The only way a change can happen is if we speak up and hold them accountable for what they continue to get away with.. It's our turn to make the change for our future as well as our children's future 🙏

Currently, any law enforcement agency may, without any judicial review, take money and property from individuals. This leaves the individual with no recourse but to hire an attorney and petition the courts to restore your assets. In other words, you may be penalized by and individual law enforcement officer without judicial review or trial of any kind, regardless of guilt or innocence.

The United States is one of only six remaining countries in the world with no guaranteed form of paid leave. Just 25 percent of workers in the entire country have access to paid family leave through their jobs. And here in America, one in four people who have given birth returned to work within two weeks—bleeding, sleep-deprived, and often still injured. There is a human cost to the lack of paid leave, and families are paying for it. Women and caregivers lift up our economy, which also disproportionately relies on the undervalued labor of women of color. Passing paid leave and care policies would yield millions of jobs, billions in wages, and trillions in GDP. It would reduce turnover costs, retain talented workers, and allow employers and small businesses to be more competitive. It would keep working people in their jobs and families afloat.

Investing in education and mentorship is a proven strategy to address the root causes of juvenile delinquency, fostering a positive environment that can break the cycle of incarceration.

No one is above the law. The recent ruling by a Colorado judge that found that former President Donald Trump incited insurrection, but can remain on the ballot, must be challenged by everyone who calls America home. It might seem like commonsense that when a person commits an insurrection or treasonous acts on our community, state, or nation, that said person should be disqualified from running for any local, state, or federal public office. However we are a nation ruled by laws- not commonsense, and we must advocate for appealing the recent ruling in higher courts and champion laws that protect our communities. Judge Sarah B. Wallace, 2nd Judicial District Court judge, found that Trump incited an insurrection and could not use the “freedom of speech” argument to justify his actions, and that Secretaries of State could in fact could remove him from the ballot. However the judge used a legal technicality to allow Trump to remain on the ballot. The judge ruled “that the drafters of the Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment did not intend to include the President as “an officer of the United States.” The question if the judge was correct in using this technicality has two parts: 1. Is the president an officer? This question is a legal issue, and it will be argued on appeals, potentially up to the Supreme Court. I would submit that as commander in chief, the leader of our armed forces, the president is the highest officer in our nation. 2. Should a president be disqualified from running for any and all public office if they incited an insurrection? Absolutely! No person is above the law. Any person (especially a President) that commits an insurrection or treasonous acts on our community, state, or nation, should be disqualified from running for any local, state, or federal public office. This question is an advocacy issue and therefore we must champion laws that protect our communities. Can you sign on to this petition to the Senate and House leadership to champion laws that protect our community from any person (and that includes Presidents) that commits an insurrection or treasonous acts on our community, state, or nation?

The Supreme Court has finally adopted a code of conduct – after more than 100,000 Common Cause members demanded one following countless ethical violations from Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. The bad news: the code the Court proposed isn’t binding or enforceable in any way – meaning it likely wouldn’t have prevented these major scandals, and the Supreme Court would still get to be both judge and jury when scandals among justices arise. But here’s the good news: this is the clearest sign yet that our action is working. We’ve been watchdogging the Supreme Court ever since we first broke news of Justice Thomas covering up his personal finances – and today’s announcement is a clear sign the Court is on notice. [1] Let’s face it, trusting the Supreme Court to operate under the 'honor system' is what got us into this mess. The half-measure the Court is proposing is no substitute for binding, enforceable congressional action. If you agree the highest court in the land should be held to the highest ethical standards, sign our petition urging Congress to pass a stronger, binding code of conduct. [1] https://www.commoncause.org/resource/supreme-conflict/

Small chocolate companies are not able to compete against the prices of big chocolate corporations that use child slavery. Since the farm labor is unpaid, and all the wages, just go to the CEOs, it’s no wonder why it’s important to compete against companies like them. However, they have normalized child-slavery in cocoa in West Africa for over 120 years or eight generations. So it’s time for the normality of child slavery in cocoa to become a shocking occurrence, or not happen at all, instead. No competition can happen that’s fair while some employees are (forced into) working for free. Chocolate is an unfair market and there’s no way to compete and no way to enter. New companies would almost have to use cocoa produced by child slavery to have prices near the same as big chocolate corporations. Chocolate companies deserve to be able to compete with Big Chocolate corporations. It’s not fair that they’ve destroyed competition, through the deliberate use of child slavery. And, of course, keeping it all hidden.

Our institutions, and quite frankly, just general normalcy are at stake. Chaos will ensue if MAGA leaders like Jordan or Scalise get picked as Speaker of the House and extremists likeMatt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene will only be emboldened. As the GOP circus continues, the American people are the ones who will continue paying the price for their chaos, as House Republicans continue to avoid governing and advancing progress. Sources: 1. "Freedom Caucus likely to play a bigger role in new GOP-led House. So who are they?" Pew Research Center, January 23, 2023 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/01/23/freedom-caucus-likely-to-play-a-bigger-role-in-new-gop-led-house-so-who-are-they/ 2. "Jim Jordan's rapid rise has been cheered by Trump and the far right. Could it soon make him speaker?" ABC News, October 16, 2023 https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/jim-jordans-rapid-rise-cheered-trump-make-speaker-104002789 3. "Jim Jordan U.S. Representative from Ohio," GLAAD, October 6, 2023 https://glaad.org/gap/jim-jordan/

President Biden has the power to fire Trump-appointed head of the U.S. Postal Service Louis DeJoy, but he still hasn’t done it. Since being put in his role by Trump, DeJoy has been on a crusade to privatize the USPS, slash worker hours and pay, slow down mail delivery, and raise the costs for consumers. So why hasn’t he been fired yet? Sign the petition: President Biden must act and fire Trump crony Louis DeJoy from the USPS. President Biden can fire DeJoy by appointing two new people to the Postal Board of Governors who are committed to a strong USPS, worker safety, effective mail delivery, and firing Trump’s Postmaster General. 1. DeJoy’s tenure has been a disaster for USPS workers. Trump appointed DeJoy in 2018 to oversee privatization of the postal service. Since then, DeJoy has cut postal worker staffing by over 30 million hours just this year, and dramatically reduced wages for two thirds of rural mail carriers. 2. Overworked, underpaid carriers are currently working through record-breaking heat waves, often in trucks that lack air conditioning. Multiple USPS workers have died in the past two years from heat related illness, including one in Texas this summer. 3. Mail prices have gone up, and delivery has slowed down. Service cuts have been felt especially hard in rural and Indigenous communities, where broadband is scarce and for-profit delivery companies often don't provide service. 4. DeJoy has plans to keep cutting the USPS, and to make life more miserable for workers. President Biden must nominate Postal Board of Governors candidates who will fire DeJoy for his failed leadership, and advocate strongly for the expansion of USPS services already authorized by Congress. Add your name: Urge President Biden to fire Trump-appointee Louis DeJoy and save the USPS! Sources: Government Executive, “USPS continues to lose more money than expected,” August 9, 2023. ABC, “Family, friends mourn loss of Dallas USPS mail carrier who died on this route,” July 1, 2023. Vox, “If the US Postal Service fails, rural America will suffer the most,” April 16, 2020. Truthout, “DeJoy’s 10-Year Plan Could Gut USPS. He Doesn’t Want You to Know the Details,” August 7, 2023.