PEG 12th Congressional District
Newsletter #88, Thursday, December 6, 2018
108 weeks down, 4 weeks until 116th congress convenes
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Sunday, December 9. “The November Mid-Term Election: What Happened and What Does It Mean?”
Professor Michael Traugott, Senior Research Professor in the Center for Political Studies at University of Michigan and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Communication Studies, is nationally recognized for his research on the media and its impact on political campaigns and candidates, as well as for his expertise in polling and survey design. Zion Lutheran Church, 1501 W Liberty St, Ann Arbor, 48103 . 3 pm
The Mid-Term Election: What Happened and What Does It Mean?
LOCATION
Zion Lutheran Church, 1501 W. Liberty St, Ann Arbor, 48103

DATE AND TIME
12/09/18 3:00pm - 12/09/18 4:30pm

Speaker Professor Michael Traugott will use his research on the media and its impact on political campaigns to describe what just happened.
I will be there!
I will try to make it...
I cannot make it
Things to Do: CALL GOVERNOR SNYDER NOW!
This is truly (Lame) Duck ala Orange! Power grab in Lansing has started!
Here is the microwave version of Lame duck ala Orange
Do not let the legislature undermine our votes! Call your Michigan senator and Governor Rick Snyder now. Tell them to oppose Senate Bills 1238 through 1242, because they threaten Michiganders’ voting rights. To be connected to your senator and Governor Snyder, call (517) 201-2258. --ACLU

Here is the longer recipe to ask Snyder to veto!
Grab your phone and call! If you haven’t called yet, no problem. If you've already called, feel free to call again. Every call matters. Here are things we have learned:
When you call Gov. Snyder’s Constituent Services comment line at 517-335-7858 to register your complaints, the staffers answering the phone have been instructed to interrupt your statements of protest and your request that all lame-duck legislation be vetoed. They will probably say some variation of, "Your statement is too vague. Please provide the bill numbers."
Fine. Let’s give them the bill numbers. Here are the bill numbers with brief keyword descriptions of the focus of each bill so that you know for your own edification exactly what you are protesting. Here is information about some of the more controversial bills.
See Suggested Script below for your call . If it is at all possible, please try to power through to make the call. It shouldn’t take too long. One very important component of the call is to read off the numbers and then ask the staffer to read them back to you. This will ensure that the staffer wrote down the numbers (s) he requested and that your message will count.

Here’s the list with the keywords:
  • SB 1238-1242 – undermines Prop 3 (Promote the Vote)
  • HB 6553 and Bills 1251 and 1252 – all designed to impede the powers of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
  • [SB 1197UPDATE: Line 5 – we’re leaving this one out – Snyder scrapped to put Line 5 under the Mackinac Bridge authority on Monday, December 3, 2018.
  • SB 1243 – reduces the portion of the funds from the sales of marijuana that are intended for MI’s schools
  • SB 1254 – limits the redistricting commission (Prop 2 -- anti-gerrymandering)
  • SB 1171 – attacks One Fair Wage
  • SB 1175 – attacks sick time
  • SB 1176 -- limits the amount of disclosure of money to political organizations
  • SB 796 and HB 6474/HB 5368 – blocks union members from using release time during any grievance process
  • SB 1211 – attacks wetlands protections
  • HB 5916 and HB 5917 – puts puppy mills back in business with retail pet stores.

Suggested Script:
Again, a warning. You may be cut off mid-sentence while delivering your intro statement. If that is the case, proceed right to the list of bill numbers.

“I am calling to ask Gov. Snyder to please veto all of the bills that the Michigan Republican legislators are trying to ram through during this lame duck period in an unprecedented power grab which is an appalling attack on our democracy. Here are the numbers of all the bills Gov. Snyder must veto.
  • SB 1238-1242
  • HB 6553 and Bills 1251 and 1252
  • SB 1243
  • SB 1254
  • SB 1171
  • SB 1175
  • SB 1176
  • SB 796 and HB 6474/HB 5368
  • SB 1211
  • HB 5916 and HB 5917
Could you please read the numbers back to me to make sure we have them all? Thank you.

Good luck! 
The PEG staff. 
Voters have their eyes and ears fixated on Lansing
The overflow crowd for the Lame Duck Senate committee hearing on Tuesday of this week is shown above.
12 days of Christmas left to enroll in Obamacare!
Open Enrollment for 2019 runs from November 1, 2018 to December 15, 2018. Make sure to enroll now, and spread the word to those who need it. Click here healthcare.gov to enroll.
Read the latest Affordable Care Act news: Politico , NPR , New York Times
Events
Calling parties to protect Family Sick Leave  with Michigan Resistance
There's something called MI Time to Care. It guarantees that everyone across our state can get a little time off if they're sick. Everyone should be able to take a day off if they're feeling sick.
But here's the thing. It was supposed to be a ballot proposal. If it had passed on the ballot, it would've been really hard for the legislature to change. So instead, the Republicans passed it earlier this year in the legislature so they could prevent it from going on the ballot and then gut it later on. And that's precisely what they're doing. They think nobody is paying attention. Click here to RSVP for a calling party.
Saturday, December 8. Donna Lasinski Manchester Coffee Hour
Join her for coffee and conversation about the issues that matter to you including the Lame Duck legislative session! Manchester Village Room, 912 City Road, Manchester . 10–11 am
Saturday, December 8. Ann Arbor Dems monthly membership meeting
Breakfast is free of charge – donations are optional. Breakfast included. Washtenaw Administration Building, 200 N Main St, Ann Arbor. 9:30 am-noon
Monday, Dearborn 10. Dearborn Heights Dems Monthly Meeting
Canfield Community Center, 1801 North Beech Daly Road, Dearborn Heights . 7–8 pm
Tuesday, December 11. Planned Parenthood planning meeting
This will be a chance to move forward with plans to embed Planned Parenthood in the community. A free dinner will be served. Ann Arbor Health Center, 3100 Professional Dr, Ann Arbor . 6:15–7:45 pm
Tuesday, December 11.  Action against the awful lame duck legislation
Planned Parenthood is holding this action, specifically to fight a bill that would permanently ban telemedicine abortion . Abortion access means that we cannot abandon rural communities, who often don’t have access to a provider near them. This is discrimination, plain and simple, and they will fight this with everything that they have. Complimentary Pizza will be provided as we make sure that healthcare is protected. Ann Arbor Health Center, 3100 Professional Dr, Ann Arbor . 6:15 pm
Wednesday, December 12. Calling parties to protect One Fair Wage with Michigan Resistance
There's something called the One Fair Wage. It increased Michigan's minimum wage and protected Michigan's workers.
But here's the thing. It was supposed to be a ballot proposal. If it had passed on the ballot, it would've been really hard for the legislature to change. So instead, the Republicans passed it earlier this year in the legislature so they could prevent it from going on the ballot and then gut it later on. And that's precisely what they're doing. They think nobody is paying attention. Click here to RSVP for a calling party. 9200 Huron River Dr, Dexter . 6–8 pm
Wednesday, December 12. Wyandotte Dems monthly meeting
Copeland Center, 2306 4th St, Wyandotte . 7–8 pm

Thursday, December 13. 12th District Dems monthly meeting
Please email 12thdems@gmail.com with any questions. Executive meeting is at 6:15 pm. UAW, 9650 South Telegraph Rd, Taylor . 7–8 pm
Saturday, December 15. Downriver Young Dems monthly meeting
Contact Jason Overall for more info: (586) 388-2181 or joverall15@gmail.com. Zodiac, 14795 Dix Toledo Rd, Southgate . 12:30–1:30 pm
Saturday, December 15. Affordable Healthcare Enrollment Closes
Open enrollment period ends December 15. Visit healthcare.gov to enroll.

Monday, December 17. Allen Park Dems Monthly Meeting
Questions? Please call Dan Geb at (313) 600-6720. American Hungarian Reformed Church, 9901 Allen Road, Allen Park . 7–8 pm

Wednesday, December 19. Brownstown Dems Monthly Meeting
For more information click here . Brownstown Township Parks & Recreation, 21311 Telegraph Rd, Trenton . 6:30–7:30 pm 
Things to read, watch, and listen to
What’s up with the state legislature?
Some bill information can be tracked at legislature.mi.gov . The Michigan House of Representatives agenda can be found at legislature.mi.gov by clicking on Today's Calendars on the menu to the left.

Lame duck ala Orange is also on the menu in other states
Wisconsin and Ohio as well as Michigan are facing aggressive lame duck legislation to undermine what the voters approved in the midterms.  Read more here.
Americans are still struggling with drug costs
More than 2 out of 5 Americans say paying for their prescription drugs in the past year was difficult, even though most have health insurance, according to a new survey from GoodRx, a consumer site that compares drug costs. Read more here. - Axios
Trump moves to lower Medicare drug costs by relaxing some patient protections
The Trump administration proposed on Monday to cut costs for Medicare by reducing the number of prescription drugs that must be made available to people with cancer, AIDS, depression, schizophrenia and certain other conditions. Read more here . - The New York Times
Nearly 2500 teenagers are being held in a tent detainment camp in Texas
Under the inspired leadership of Rabbi Josh Whinston (Temple Beth Emeth, Ann Arbor, MI) a multi-faith pilgrimage was made to Tornillo, Texas. The reason? A “camp” which was established in June on Federal land for allegedly just a few hundred young people, has since expanded to detain 2354 teenagers… and it’s increasing in size. The situation is abhorrent.
The teenagers are seeking asylum. They are unaccompanied. Many are being detained illegally for weeks or months.
Two important articles have been written elucidating the conditions in the tent camp, aka “prison,” in Tornillo by the Associated Press and The Atlantic.
Please read these articles, publicize your outrage, write letters to elected officials, and let the world know what this administration is doing to the children!
Good News
League of Women Voters lawsuit can go forward
This lawsuit seeking to correct the existing gerrymandered districts is pending before a three judge panel of federal judges. Denying a motion by defendant Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, the judges noted profound bias by those who drew the districts. Read more here.

ELLE.com is commemorating the election of 35 new women to the US House of Representatives to join nearly 70 women incumbents
To celebrate the election of this diverse class of Representatives, ELLE has captured 27 of these Congresswomen-elect reciting the Preamble to the Constitution. Watch this powerful 34-second video !
Socio-Politico
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