UPCOMING MVCAN EVENTS
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MVCAN MONTHLY MEETING - |
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WOMEN’S ANNIVERSARY MARCH |
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CODE RED MOBILIZATION |
MVCAN Wag newsletter schedule: Look for a January 4th New Year edition. Happy holidays from the Wag editorial staff!
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MVCAN RAPID MOBILIZATION -
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Credible sources are ringing alarm bells that Trump may fire Mueller or cause some related constitutional crisis in the near future!
Firing Mueller would be a constitutional crisis for our country. It would demand an immediate and unequivocal response to show that we will not tolerate abuse of power from Donald Trump. People’s responses in the minutes and hours following a power grab will be critical in dictating what happens next, and whether Congress will do anything to stand up to Trump.
IF MUELLER IS FIRED, WE NEED TO TAKE TO THE STREETS!
On a national level, MoveOn.org has organized a rapid response plan for this scenario, with progressive organizations nationwide signing up to host “Nobody is Above the Law” rallies.
MVCAN has a rapid response plan organized if Trump removes Mueller (or commits some other outrageous act). We are collaborating with all of the other Marin progressive groups in hosting a Marin-wide rally in a single location to have better visibility and also make it easier for the media and our elected officials to attend as well.
Rally Location: Court Street Plaza in front of Coldstone Creamery, 4th St., San Rafael.
Rallies will begin hours after news breaks of a Mueller firing.
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If Mueller is fired BEFORE 2 P.M. local time —> events will begin @ 5 P.M. local time,
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If Mueller is fired AFTER 2 P.M. local time —> events will begin @ noon local time the following day.
CODE RED MOBILIZATION ALERT SIGN-UP: Please sign up today so that you will
receive the national text alert from MoveOn.org when Code Red is activated. The MoveOn alert will also trigger an MVCAN alert to our members.
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MVCAN WILL MARCH TOGETHER - |
JOIN FELLOW MVCAN MEMBERS -
Just like last year, MVCAN is organizing CHARTER BUSES to take us to and from the Women’s March. (Buses will meet behind Mill Valley Middle School.)
This is a chance to get together with other MVCAN members and relive the experience of the AMAZING Women’s March of last January. Let’s have some fun and keep the spirit of the Resistance alive as we go forward in 2018!
Join MVCAN members via RSVP on our Eventbrite page, which is coming soon. (Watch for details in future newsletters and the MVCAN Facebook page.)
if you need - or know of someone who needs - a sponsored seat, email Leigh Ann Townsend at townsendleighann@gmail.com
Details on the march can be found at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-march-2018-san-francisco-tickets-39714824108
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MVCAN MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN TUNNEL RALLY |
In a rally this weekend about 50 people carrying flashlights, including MVCAN members, walked through the tunnel below Highway 101 that connects Sausalito and Marin City. They were commemorating the stabbing death seven years ago of a young man, Larry Robertson, in the almost completely dark tunnel. The tunnel has remained in a state of disrepair and unlit, despite numerous requests over the years on the behalf of residents (mostly kids going back and forth from Willow Creek Academy) to improve conditions and make it safe for the community to use.
But now, thanks to persistent activism and efforts of members of the community, and the help of Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, Caltrans, and Marin’s Department of Public Works, there is a plan to LIGHT THE TUNNEL! The work plan even has an official name: the “Donahue Undercrossing Lighting Project. Backers of the project say the work should take about 45 days, which would mean improved illumination by March.
Kudos to all who participated in these activism efforts. The Marin Independent Journal quoted Sausalito resident Sonja Hanson, who led the lighting effort, “It was great to see people from both communities come together over this issue, the two communities that are most affected,” she said. “There have been a lot of people working on this for a long time.”
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DIANNE FEINSTEIN CHANGES STANCE & SUPPORTS THE DREAMERS! |
From the Daily Kos:
Every day that legislators refuse to act on the DREAM Act, 122 DACA recipients lose their work permits and driver’s licenses, and become vulnerable to deportation. Already,12,000 DACA recipients have fallen out of status since Donald Trump announced the end of the program in September.
California’s junior senator, Kamala Harris, voiced her position early that she would not vote for the spending package unless the DREAM Act is attached. “With the state being home to the largest population of DACA recipients in the nation—200,000 young immigrants live, work, and study in California—using any and all means to protect them shouldn’t even be up for a debate.
NOW, BECAUSE OF MASSIVE EFFORTS BY THE CALIFORNIA RESISTANCE, AS OF THURSDAY MORNING DEC 21, the state’s senior Senator, Dianne Feinstein, who had been holding out, has stepped up and pledged not to pass a continuing budget resolution until dreamers are protected from deportation and also to demand that CHIP insurance funding for children is included in the budget.
In addition to many personal appeals from MVCAN members, MVCAN had communicated our support for the “clean dream” bill through our open connection with the Senator’s state director.
Call Senator Feinstein and thank her for changing her position:
MVCAN CELEBRATES DOUG JONES’ VICTORY!
WE HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN BY PHONING AND TEXTING
THOUSANDS OF VOTERS!
Kudos to all who worked tirelessly and also donated to Alabama grassroots groups that made all the difference. Talking about devotion - On Election day MVCAN and the electoral team still had 20 VOLUNTEERS phone banking for last minute GOTV!
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And it worked! |
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AIRLIFT SPECIAL BULLETIN |
WHY THE FUNDS RECOMMENDED BY AIRLIFT ARE UNIQUELY EFFECTIVE AND CREATE THE MOST BENEFIT FOR PROGRESSIVE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES.
It is more and more widely acknowledged that the sweeping victories by Democratic candidates in Virginia and Alabama were overwhelmingly driven by grassroots groups like our own MVCAN doing the hard work of elections: calling/texting voters directly, walking the neighborhoods (especially the neighborhoods of people of color), knocking on doors and talking to voters, and much more.
AIRLIFT recommendations target the grassroots groups doing the very best type of on-the-ground election activities.
Unfortunately, the traditional big-money campaigns of the national and state-level democratic party have in many cases not yet gotten the message. They spend millions on expensive big-name consultants and TV advertising that have doubtful benefit.
For example, Steve Phillips, author of Brown is the New White, explained in the New York Times on Sunday how the Doug Jones campaign actually spent their money:
The Jones campaign did not spend its money in a fashion that reflected a true appreciation of the voters he needed to win. Of the $9 million spent by late November, nearly $7 million was spent for TV ads aimed at white voters and online fund-raising to continue to pay for those ads
In contrast, the donations that were directed by members of MVCAN to the AIRLIFT recommendations directly funded local black groups in Alabama who poured their hearts out to get out the vote for Doug Jones. Guess what? It worked. 56% of Doug Jones votes came from the black community.
Let’s continue to support the outstanding effectiveness of AIRLIFT in working for progressive causes! See https://airlift.fund/
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STAND WITH CONGRESSMAN JARED HUFFMAN |
This past Wednesday, Congressman Jared Huffman was one of 58 courageous members of congress who voted to consider impeachment for President Trump.
While too many in the political establishment still ignore the threat of Trump's presidency, these members of congress -- from coast to coast and in urban and rural districts alike -- voted with the plurality of Americans who support impeachment.
This is a huge step forward for our movement. Now, our representative Jared Huffman needs to know we'll stand with him.
KUDOS TO OUR WEEKLY WAG editorial team for making it happen: Annie Cooperman Associate editor, Danny Altman, Tom Keefe, June Cooperman, and Wag Founder Suz Lipman.
CONTACT OUR ACTION TEAMS
CHECK THEM OUT! : Much of MVCAN's work is done in one of our 10 awesome action teams. Click the team name to read their latest news and find their next meeting.
Civil Rights/Immigration battles for justice and fair treatment of women, immigrants, working people and followers of all faiths.
Communications works on strategy, branding, messaging and program development for MVCAN. They are looking for bright ideas and people who want to make them happen.
Dump Trump's 25 active team members work on ways to remove Trump from power, with special focus on Russia collusion. This topic is hot!
Eco Warriors are engaged in change at the local, state and national levels, to impact the CA carbon tax, climate change, and community outreach and action.
The Economic Action team has launched AIRLIFT, our first national project. AIRLIFT funnels money to grassroots groups in winnable 2018 districts. These are seriously vetted groups that work all year round in their communities-- they get tangible results without blowing through millions of dollars. Read about it in the Huffington Post.
Electoral works to elect candidates for the 2017 state house and governor races, and other targeted races from now through the mid-term elections, following the recommendations of the flippable.org team, which are analyzing and selecting winnable races. The Electoral team uses phone banks and travel to targeted districts to talk with voters through phone calls and door-to-door canvassing, voter registration, and campaign volunteering.
The Events team creates special events to engage our friends and neighbors to take political action with MVCAN.
Health Care is forging ahead after their successful fight over the repeal/replace of ACA.
Tech supports MVCAN through technology.
Women's Rights fundraises and canvasses for NARAL and Planned Parenthood; supports women in public office(s); and engages in local, state and federal legislation for women's protection and rights.
NEW TO MVCAN?
Visit MVCAN.org to learn about the organization and strategies, join a team, read past MVCAN newsletters, and gain helpful Resistance tools.
Thank you for all you do!
– June, Bernard, Suz, Danny, Eileen, and everyone at MVCAN
