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PEG 12th Congressional District
Newsletter #106, Thursday, April 18, 2019
127 weeks down, 81 weeks to go until Election Day!
Hold up...
When did the environment become a partisan issue?
Protecting the environment has always been important to Americans. Regardless of party affiliation we pride ourselves in our beautiful national parks. Whether we like it or not, environmental regulation and the economy are intertwined. That is what causes the partisan split to occur. When does environmental regulation become governmental overreach? “Our challenge now is to learn how to sustain the good life without destroying the environment on which that good life — and ultimately life itself — depends.” Read more from Medium . Get the numbers from the Pew Research Center .
Below, are a few ways that you can learn more and get involved in speaking up for Mother Nature during local Earth Day events and initiatives.
Bentley Johnson from Michigan League of Conservation Voters and a member of Citizens Climate Lobby will illuminate how we can help Mother Earth. 1730 Ivywood Dr, Ann Arbor . 7 pm

Monday, April 22. Earth Day Celebration in Downtown Ann Arbor
Musicians, speakers, artists, poets, organization, food. Family and child friendly. 5th Ave and Library Lane, Downtown Ann Arbor . 11 am–9 pm

Monday, April 22. “Your Body’s Environmental Chemical Burden”
Learn about the chemical burden that your body bears as a result of exposure to environmental chemicals. In her free community lecture, nutritionist and integrative health specialist Cindy Klement, MS, CNS, MCHES, will pull from her latest book to discuss how human bodies are exposed to environmental chemicals before they are even born and what this means for the body as it carries the burden of chemical buildup. Towsley Auditorium at Washtenaw County Community College, 4800 E River Dr, Ann Arbor . 7–9 pm
More Events
Michigan Resistance Calling Parties
This week we will call to Stop Republican State Representatives from banning sanctuary cities in Michigan ( HB 4083 and HB 4090 ).
Monday, April 22. Eastern Washtenaw County Dems Meeting
Tuesday, April 23. Healthcare Town Hall
Rep. Debbie Dingell and State Rep. Yousef Rabhi will discuss efforts in Washington and Lansing to save you money and improve the care you receive. The lawmakers will also take questions from attendees. Annenberg Auditorium, 735 S State St, Ann Arbor . 6:30–8 pm
Wednesday, April 24. Public comments for Michigan Social Studies Curriculum
Remember reading about the proposed changes to the Michigan social studies curriculum a few weeks ago? Michigan citizens helped prevent the dangerous changes by giving feedback to the State Board of Education. Locally, there will be public meetings for citizens to give feedback on the proposed curriculum next week at the Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48202 . 6–8 pm. Read more here and find more meetings to attend across the state.
Wednesday, April 24. ACLU 100 National Tour : Detroit
Here's what you can expect:
  • TED-style talks by ACLU experts on voting rights, immigrants' rights, and criminal justice reform
  • Spoken word by Tawana "Honeycomb" Petty
  • Discussion with novelist and Marvel Comics writer Saladin Ahmed
  • Performances by Mosaic Youth Theater, DHDC Urban Arts, Prison Creative Arts, and music arranged by the Arab American National Museum.
 For more information and to register click here . 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit . 10:00 am –7:25 pm
Wednesday, April 24. Southwestern Wayne Democratic Club Chili Cook-off
Join Representative Debbie Dingell at this family friendly event, tickets $10 at the door — or compete for $20! Chili, hot dogs, mac and cheese and dessert (vegetarian options) provided. Wayne County Fairgrounds 10871 Quirk, Van Buren Township . 6–8 pm
Sunday, April 28. Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival
This free, family-friendly event will feature displays from over 30 local environmental, nonprofit and governmental organizations; live animal demonstrations; learning presentations around sustainable living, energy and agriculture; hands-on activities; live entertainment; crafts; green building and commuting solutions; water awareness displays; proper recycling clinics; and much more. A complete schedule here . Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd, Ann Arbor . Noon–4 pm

Monday, April 29. State Representative Alex Garza,12th House District Coffee Hour
Panera Bread, 23301 Eureka Road, Taylor. 10–11 am
 
Monday, April 29. Representative Lasinski’s Chelsea Drafts with Donna
Join Rep. Donna Lasinski to discuss the issues that matter to you! Chelsea Alehouse Brewery , 115 S. Main Street, Chelsea . 6–7 pm
Things to do
National Action Needed
The US House has passed the Violence Against Women Act, now it's time to get the Senate to follow suit. Tell the Senate: Reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) .




Watch the video of Mark Grebner
The latest installment of the PEG Speaker Series, featuring Mark Grebner, was well received. Find this and more PEG Speaker videos on the PEG website. Thanks to our favorite videographer, Roger Rayle, for another great production!
For those who are interested in learning more, read Get Out the Vote by Donald Green and Alan Gerber. “ Get out the Vote provides real insight for any political professional and even those activists who strive to find a winning edge. It will transform your performance. My only regret is the left has access to this insight.” David Carney, former campaign manager for Gov. Rick Perry and for Sen. Robert Dole
State Action Needed
Stop Republican State Representatives from banning sanctuary cities in Michigan (HB 4083 and HB 4090)
What: Ask Republican members of the House Committee on Ways and Means to stop these bills from coming out of committee. Michigan follows the current federal law on immigration, and bills 4083 and 4090 do nothing to improve public safety or to give local officials more enforcement tools. We can tell our legislators that these bills will encourage racial profiling and discourage crime reporting and witness participation by immigrants. Opponents to the bill fear that immigrants would be deterred from reporting crimes, will more likely become victims of crimes, and will become recipients of racial profiling. Police departments would be hampered in how their officers maintain ongoing investigations and already stressed resources could be diverted to immigration investigations, a Federal issue. Bill 4083 also allows for individuals, who may have unclear motives, to seek legal action against local authorities.
Who: CALL Republican Members on the Committee for Ways and Means:
  • Brandt Iden (R) Committee Chair,  61st District (517) 373-1774
  • Jim Lilly (R) Majority Vice-Chair,  89th District (517) 373-0838
  • Eric Leutheuser (R) 58th District (517) 373-1794  
  • Roger Hauck (R) 99th District (517) 373-1789
  • Beth Griffin (R) 66th District (517) 373-0839
  • Jason Wentworth (R) District (517) 373-8962
  • Bronna Kahle (R) 57th District (517) 373-1706

Ask your representative to introduce and support automatic voter registration!
Automatic Voter Registration works. Why do we not have it in Michigan? Automatic Voter Registration was a part of Proposal 3 that was passed in November, but no implementing legislation has been passed in the state legislature. There have been big strides in voting rights in Michigan, but there is still room for improvement. Contact your representatives and ask them to introduce and support automatic voter registration in Michigan. Read the report from the Brennan Center for Justice here .
Comments welcomed on rooftop solar policy
The Michigan League of Conservation Voters and partners have launched a web portal called SaveMISolar.com  to engage and inform citizens about a rate case DTE is currently trying to push through that could significantly undermine rooftop solar in Michigan.
 This rate case before the Michigan Public Service Commission — to be decided May 6th — would dramatically curtail the benefits homeowners would receive from solar, and effectively make it so DTE would control the solar market in our state. DTE is an important partner in clean energy, but their proposal here is quite counterproductive for the needed transition to a clean energy economy. To submit a comment, go to online action form .
More things to listen to, read, and watch
Domestic Terrorism is a Global Phenomenon
In the past month, three predominantly black churches in Louisiana were deliberately burned to the ground. This week, the 21-year-old white male accused of committing this devastating violence was charged with hate crimes in addition to previous charges of arson. While there is more to be learned about the perpetrator’s ideology and motivations, the church burnings, coming on the heels of the New Zealand mosque massacres, (perpetrated by an avowed white supremacist who referenced Donald Trump in his manifesto) follow an alarming trend of domestic terrorism carried out by individuals who traffic in all forms of hatred.
As described in a recent New York Times analysis , networks of white supremacists are becoming increasingly intertwined, with perpetrators of domestic terrorism inspiring one another through global connections. The notion of the isolated “lone wolf” killer is now being replaced by the chilling reality that white supremacy is gaining momentum as a global movement with individual terrorists finding inspiration in the deadly acts of their predecessors. According to the director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project, Dr. Heidi Beirich, “It has never been the case that these people didn’t think in a global way. They may have acted in ways that looked domestic but the thinking was always about building an international white movement.”
Is the U.S. a democracy? A social studies battle turns on the nation’s values
Michigan spent five years debating how to teach American history. One of the biggest questions was how to describe the nation’s government. Read the The New York Times article by Dana Goldstein here .To see the proposed standards from the Michigan State Board of Education, go here .
Newly appointed Interior Secretary being investigated for ethics violations
The Department of the Interior has launched an ethics investigation into Trump appointee Secretary Bernhardt, who was only confirmed last week. He is being investigated for working for lobbyists and special interests rather than the American people whom he was appointed to serve. "Among the chief complaints have been allegations, revealed by three separate New York Times investigations, that Mr. Bernhardt used his position to advance a policy pushed by his former lobbying client; that he continued working as a lobbyist after filing legal paperwork declaring that he had ceased lobbying; and that he intervened to block the release of a scientific report showing the harmful effects of a chemical pesticide on certain endangered species." Read more here . -The New York Times .
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Thanks to Newsletter contributors: Roger Rayle, Bernie Banet, Leslie McGraw, Roger Rayle, Ellen K. Halter, Sonya Lewis, Alexa Cooley, Richard Gaeth, Susan Ayer, and Chuck Newman for their help preparing this newsletter. Write us at info@equalityingov.org if you would like help create our weekly newsletter. It’s fun and no ongoing commitment is required.
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