From his first days in office, Trump has worked to sabotage the ACA. At the start of his presidency, Trump signed an executive order weakening the individual mandate that is central to functioning ACA marketplaces. Now that the Senate rejected his repeal plan, he is looking to punish the most vulnerable Americans by ending ACA cost-sharing subsidies. These subsidies are not, as the president likes to say, insurance bailouts. They provide vital assistance to people at or near the poverty level, allowing them to afford out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. And the uncertainty about whether the subsidies are going to continue from month to month is clearly contributing to the destabilization of the insurance markets. This needs to end. People must understand that ending the subsidies would make health insurance unaffordable for millions of low-income Americans.

The House of Representatives has voted on a spending bill that includes $1.6 billion for initial construction of the wall. This is only a downpayment on the wall, which is estimated to cost over $20 billion. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall, and the idea of using a border tax on imports from Mexico is dead. In short, American taxpayers will foot the bill. Instead of wasting our money and grandstanding on this issue, the government should enforce and maybe bolster the existing laws against hiring undocumented workers. This would not only cut down on people crossing the border illegally to seek employment, it would also cut down on people who overstay their visas, which a report found represented 66% of undocumented residents. Separately, the government should work on a guest worker program, so farmers and other business who rely on the undocumented workforce can find the employees they need without resorting to illegal activity.

Because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade, Yemen is on the brink of famine [1] and a million malnourished children in Yemen are at risk from cholera. [2] Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen is also helping Al Qaeda, [3] as even the State Department acknowledged in a July 2017 report. [4] U.S. arming of Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen could make the U.S. a co-belligerent in international law and make U.S. officials liable for Saudi Arabia's war crimes. [5] On June 13, only five Democratic Senators voted to keep arming Saudi Arabia's famine-inducing war in Yemen: Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Mark Warner of Virginia, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The vote was 47-53. If these five Democrats had voted with the Senate Democratic leadership and the majority of Senate Democrats, the Senate would have voted to block the Saudi arms deal. [6] Senator Todd Young [R-IN] and Senator Jeff Merkley [D-OR] have introduced amendments on the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] which would block the arming of Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen. Senator Young's amendment would prohibit any arms transfers to Saudi Arabia until the Saudis stop bombing civilian infrastructure and stop blocking humanitarian aid. [7] Senator Merkley's amendment would prohibit the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [8] Urge Claire McCaskill, Joe Donnelly, Mark Warner, Bill Nelson, and Joe Manchin to publicly back the Young and Merkley amendments to stop arming Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen by signing our petition. References: 1. https://maritime-executive.com/article/un-blockade-threatens-to-push-yemen-into-famine 2. http://www.npr.org/2017/08/02/541181026/one-million-malnourished-children-at-risk-of-cholera-in-yemen 3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/al-qaeda-group-leader-claims-fighting-alongside-us-backed-coalition-forces-yemen-a7713321.html; http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/yemen-aqap/ 4. https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/272488.pdf 5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-yemen-idUSKCN12A0BQ 6. https://theintercept.com/2017/06/13/saudi-arms-sale-senate-opposition-rand-paul-chris-murphy/ 7. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/585/text 8. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/661/text

If Sinclair Broadcasting Group's plan to buy Tribune Media, Co. is successful, the reach of its racist news coverage will be dramatically increased. This is about protecting freedom of the press and standing against corporate consolidation of our local news outlets. Sinclair has a blatant history of Islamophobia, allowing its newscasters to make racist statements everyday in its uniform "Terrorism Alert Desk," which has notably used Muslims as synonymous with terrorists in its reports. The Terrorism Alert Desk is a Sinclair "must-run" that is produced centrally by the company and airs every single day across Sinclair outlets, whether or not there is something to report on.

At this point, if a company is sponsoring Sean Hannity's show, they are essentially supporting a Trump propaganda operation. It needs to stop. Sean Hannity has a long record of right-wing chicanery, lies, and vitriol. But his program has morphed into something more dangerous than just partisan hackery -- he’s been exposed as a full-blown propagandist who conspires with the Trump administration to spread fabricated stories, smear detractors, and undercut the rule of law. 21st Century Fox (Fox News' parent company) won't hold him accountable. So, there are two options: 1) Do nothing; or 2) Take action to hold Hannity accountable. Spreading misinformation is Hannity's business model, and now he’s doing it on behalf of the Trump administration. His propagandizing has become so odious that he was condemned by some of his coworkers, who reportedly told The Daily Beast that the host was "'embarrassing' the network" and that "some people need to be fired. It's past time for Hannity to go. If Fox won’t fire Hannity, then advertisers should run as fast as they can, or else they run the risk of being complicit in his deceit and recklessness. Advertisers will get burned if they continue to associate with Hannity -- plain and simple. It's up to this grassroots movement -- individuals, organizations, and hundreds of independent organizers -- to keep up the pressure. Together, their efforts and your participation will have a tremendous impact. --------- Here are a few of Hannity's top advertisers: - DirecTV - Dollar Shave Club - Mercedes Benz - Mitsubishi - NutriSystem Full list here: https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/05/23/these-are-sean-hannitys-advertisers/216607

On Monday, I was told by the prestigious all-girls preparatory Ellis School where I work, that I was losing my job and would be replaced with someone making $4 less an hour. As a mother of three, I believe in the school’s mission to “prepare, empower, and inspire each and every girl through an excellent education in an all-girls environment” and I take pride in cleaning for the children and teachers, and maintaining the bathrooms, hallways, auditorium, and other facilities. To make matters worse, I lost my good union job on July 31: Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. Ironically, the Ellis School prides itself on diversity but made the decision to cut their all African American cleaning crew so they can save money. Instead of continuing to work with a contractor that provides me and my co-workers with a union contract that provides living wages and benefits, the Ellis School decided to contract out our jobs to General Cleaning, which pays workers poverty wages of $8.68 an hour. I want to continue to provide the best learning environment possible for our next generation of women leaders—but I have to be able to provide for my family too. The Ellis School Values claim to “seek intellectual, emotional, and physical health for every member of our community.” We are asking the Ellis School to live up its values and look after me and my coworkers so we can continue to provide for our girls and families too. Sincerely, Alyce Toombs

This bill is designed to make a deal with a company that will set up cameras throughout the state to check license plates and find out-of-state drivers who lack insurance or registration. When these drivers are caught and have to pay fines, the company will keep half the money. But since these cameras see the license plates of everyone who drives, companies that process this data can figure out who's driving where and sell that information. The bill doesn't do anything to stop these companies from selling or misusing the information, and it should. When the government decides to have a camera system set up like this, the law should say clearly that it's not okay to abuse the system.

Our national gratitude and encouragement to ex-President Obama at this crucial time in our Democracy!

Please request a membership meeting by written request.

Recently, CNN hosts Alisyn Camerota and Chris Cuomo invited Dan Stein of the Federation for American Immigration Reform to appear on their morning show to argue in favor of the GOP's new bill to cut immigration to the US by half. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled Stein's organization a "Hate Group" saying their "leaders have ties to white supremacist groups and eugenicists and have made many racist statements. Its advertisements have been rejected because of racist content. FAIR's founder, John Tanton, has expressed his wish that America remain a majority-white population: a goal to be achieved, presumably, by limiting the number of nonwhites who enter the country." According to SPLC documents, Stein has complained that today's immigrants are engaged in "competitive breeding" to diminish the America's white majority. He also served as editorial adviser for The Social Contract, a nativist hate journal. In an interview with Tucker Carlson in 1997, Stein stated, "Should we be subsidizing people with low IQs to have as many children as possible, and not subsidizing those with high ones?" This isn't Stein's first appearance on New Day. He has been invited to the show several times since the election of Donald trump. CNN should not amplify the voices of Hate Groups! We have to keep their extreme racist agendas out of the mainstream. Please join with me in signing this petition. ---------Sources ---------- https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/federation-american-immigration-reform https://twitter.com/NewDay/status/893061749179650053

To request Kym Worthy, in her capacity as the Wayne County Prosecutor, to reverse the decision to not file animal cruelty charges against the AT&T contractor who deliberately shot and killed Kadie (a family dog, in Livonia, MI) on her own property. (Kadie is her correct name) The contractor failed to ask the family to secure Kadie before shooting and killing her. The contractor knew several of his actions were wrong, including violating AT&T's policy banning weapons. His statements to the police contradict his reckless actions that endangered the public, and his ruthless killing of Kadie. The family will address the Livonia City Council, Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. The contractor had numerous other options, then killing Kadie. Before beginning any work on any residential homes, the contractor could and should have knocked on doors to: 1) announce work he had to perform and, 2) request any dogs to be secured. Instead of shooting and killing Kadie, he could've instead screamed, yelled, ran, ran to his vehicle, banged on doors and yelled, "Secure your dog!" He never should have shot and killed Kadie. Regardless of easement rights, utility companies should always: 1) send notice to residents, when they will be in the area performing non-emergency utility work and, 2) request that residents secure their dogs. DTE does an exemplary job in providing notice whenever they're in the area to perform non-emergency work. They send notice of when they will be in the area, with days, dates, times, and ask people to secure their dogs. If DTE can do it, then AT&T has no excuse to not follow suit. Because, shooting and killing a family dog that was startled by the contractor, while the dog was on its own property, should never have been a first resort, nor any resort for that matter. Again, Kadie was shot by the contractor while on her own property. She remained within the electric fence boundary, while he deliberately shot her to death. The contractor is clearly abusing the defense, "I feared for my life." It doesn't matter that the contractor had no way of knowing an invisible fence existed. Because, again, the contractor had other options than to shoot and kill Kadie. The contractor was not justified in shooting and killing Kadie. He alleges she lunged at him, that he feared for his life. That still does not excuse him in killing her. He could've ran to his vehicle if he's going to claim fearing for his life. AT&T, the general contractor, and the contractor who killed Kadie have not bothered to apologize to the family. Prosecutor Worthy, we ask that you understand a civil action is not enough. We do not view dogs as the arcane law does; as property. We do not view dogs being the same as furniture; a desk, a table, or any other intangible object. Dogs and other animals are family members and faithful/loyal companions. For some, that is the only family and loyalty they have. We respectfully request that you and your office immediately reverse the decision to not file any animal cruelty charges. We ask for the immediate filing of felony animal cruelty charges against the AT&T contractor. The contractor knew exactly what he was doing, he deliberately killed her. He knew, and had reason to know his felonious action would result in her death. He didn't fire a warning shot, he didn't shoot at the ground to scare her off, he didn't shoot her in the leg. He deliberately shot and killed her with impunity. He acted with the same contempt in killing Kadie, as those who act with contempt when they kill rats. In absence of felony animal cruelty charges, animal abusers will hide behind the defense, "I feared for my life," when they shoot and kill dogs. Since no felony animal cruelty charges were filed, all dogs that bark at strangers who startle them or try to enter their property, are at risk of being shot and killed. Last of all, postal carriers don't carry guns. They only carry mace, and have far more encounter with dogs. However, they don't kill the dogs. Prosecutor Worthy, we need your office need to hear this message loud and clear: Contractors who fail to provide notice to residents, and fail to ask residents to secure their dogs, do not get a free pass in shooting and killing family dogs on their own property. In closing, we ask you Prosecutor Worthy to understand that Justice for Kadie begins with you and your office reversing your decision, and immediately file felony animal cruelty charges against the AT&T contractor who deliberately and with impunity killed Kadie.

I fear Trump may push the nuclear button if he thinks he can save himself by doing so.