Thursday, October 12, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Indivisible Guide to help fight Trump and his agenda
NOTE FROM THE INDIVISIBLE TEAM
Since this guide went live as a Google Doc, we’ve received an overwhelming flood of messages from people all over the country working to resist the Trump agenda. We’re thrilled and humbled by the energy and passion of this growing movement. We’ll be updating the guide based on your feedback and making it interactive ASAP. You can sign up for updates at www.IndivisibleGuide.com.
Every single person who worked on this guide and website is a volunteer. We’re doing this in our free time without coordination or support from our employers. Our only goal is to help the real leaders on the ground who are resisting Trump’s agenda on their home turf. We hope you will take this document and use it however you see fit.
We want to hear your stories, questions, comments, edits, etc., so please feel free to ping some of us on Twitter: @IndivisibleTeam, @ezralevin, @angelrafpadilla, @texpat, @Leahgreenb. Or email IndivisibleAgainstTrump@gmail.com.
And please please please spread the word! Only folks who know this exists will use it.
Good luck — we will win.
Since this guide went live as a Google Doc, we’ve received an overwhelming flood of messages from people all over the country working to resist the Trump agenda. We’re thrilled and humbled by the energy and passion of this growing movement. We’ll be updating the guide based on your feedback and making it interactive ASAP. You can sign up for updates at www.IndivisibleGuide.com.
Every single person who worked on this guide and website is a volunteer. We’re doing this in our free time without coordination or support from our employers. Our only goal is to help the real leaders on the ground who are resisting Trump’s agenda on their home turf. We hope you will take this document and use it however you see fit.
We want to hear your stories, questions, comments, edits, etc., so please feel free to ping some of us on Twitter: @IndivisibleTeam, @ezralevin, @angelrafpadilla, @texpat, @Leahgreenb. Or email IndivisibleAgainstTrump@gmail.com.
And please please please spread the word! Only folks who know this exists will use it.
Good luck — we will win.
NOTE TO IMMIGRANTS AND NONCITIZENS
The US Constitution ensures equal representation for all individuals living in the United States, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or immigration status. Noncitizens, though they may lack the right to vote in federal elections, have the right to have their voices heard by their representatives in Congress.
This guide is intended to serve as a resource to all individuals who would like to more effectively participate in the democratic process. While we encourage noncitizens to participate to the extent that they are able, individuals should only take actions that they are comfortable taking, and they should consider their particular set of circumstances before engaging in any of these activities.
The US Constitution ensures equal representation for all individuals living in the United States, regardless of income, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or immigration status. Noncitizens, though they may lack the right to vote in federal elections, have the right to have their voices heard by their representatives in Congress.
This guide is intended to serve as a resource to all individuals who would like to more effectively participate in the democratic process. While we encourage noncitizens to participate to the extent that they are able, individuals should only take actions that they are comfortable taking, and they should consider their particular set of circumstances before engaging in any of these activities.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxrptVsGwD7kcXVzbDQ5QXhkS1E
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Senator Chuck Grassley's town hall meeting for next week!
Senator Chuck Grassley's town hall meeting for next week!
Schedule for the meetings is as follows:
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Hardin County Town Meeting
7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Iowa Falls Fire Department
218 South River Street
Iowa Falls
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Hardin County Town Meeting
7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Iowa Falls Fire Department
218 South River Street
Iowa Falls
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Hancock County Town Meeting
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Hancock County Courthouse
855 State Street
Garner
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Hancock County Courthouse
855 State Street
Garner
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Floyd County Town Meeting
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Floyd County Courthouse
101 South Main Street
Charles City
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Floyd County Town Meeting
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Floyd County Courthouse
101 South Main Street
Charles City
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Butler County Town Meeting
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Parkersburg Civic Center
502 3rd Street
Parkersburg
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Butler County Town Meeting
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Parkersburg Civic Center
502 3rd Street
Parkersburg
*Grassley will be available for 15 minutes after the meeting to answer questions from local reporters.
Republican Senator Jason Schultz has been running a secret committee!
This morning Progress Iowa discovered "Republican Senator Jason Schultz has been running a secret committee, to help create Senate File 213 -- that's the bill which would strip away collective bargaining rights for more than 180,000 of Iowa's public workers. Before the bill was even filed for the public to see, Senator Schultz and his group of lawmakers -- who he refused to identify when challenged during debate -- had already decided what would be included, without any citizen input.
Time after time, Senator Schultz was asked who had input in Senate File 213, who was part of his secret discussions, and time after time he refused to tell his fellow Senators who was involved or how the process worked. Schultz has showed little interest in hearing from the public, or in clueing anyone in on the true motivation for this bill."
Please contact him. Tell him to stop working in secret to attack the rights of Iowa's public workers!
(712) 269-2178 jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov.
(712) 269-2178 jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov.
You can contact your legislator too. Find their info here-
Many rural Iowans were overlooked regarding DAPL. It is difficult to find a civil engineer actually willing to discuss DAPL due to job security. Join this site if you want to see a video by a civil engineer and local farm owner discussing serious issues with the pipeline.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/378611329182008/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/378611329182008/
Why are corporations spending millions to crush unions? Guesses?
Why are corporations spending millions to crush unions? Guesses?
Walter Reuther once said, " There’s a direct relationship between the ballot box and the bread box, and what the union fights for and wins at the bargaining table can be taken away in the legislative halls".
Unions empower workers and changes their lives through collective bargaining. A worker's right to be involved in the collective bargaining process is a major inconvenience to those who wish to exploit the working class for their own gain.
The definition of hypocrisy is when ALEC fueled Republicans claim to represent the values of middle class Iowans but yet seek to strip away the voice of 184,000 middle class, public sector employees at the bargaining table by disemboweling Iowa Code's Chpt.20 collective bargaining law.
Republicans know that the annual $21 million loss of revenue from corporate welfare has to be recovered somehow. Therefore, Republicans have to make cuts to fall within the budget. And screwing Iowa's public employees will help them achieve their objective. Unfortunately, it comes at the expense of the people who keep our state and communities functioning properly. Fortunately, labor is standing together and fighting back
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about this matter and said, 'Let them know we will show up en masse to protest at the capitol' . And that is exactly what thousands of angry and frustrated Iowans have done over the course of the last few days. They have blown the ringers off of the phones of Republican state legislators. And they have been racing to get employment contracts signed before this attack on public sector workers is passed. I feel amazed and inspired by the pushback from the people of our state. I hope all of them take this to heart and pushback in the voting booth, as well.
People equals power !
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2017/02/15/schools-unions-race-sign-contracts-before-law-changes/97913630/
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence
Trump
Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence
New York Times
By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT, MARK MAZZETTI and MATT APUZZO
FEB. 14, 2017
American law enforcement
and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time
that they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the
presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, three
of the officials said. The intelligence agencies then sought to learn whether
the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians on the hacking or other
efforts to influence the election.
The officials interviewed
in recent weeks said that, so far, they had seen no evidence of such
cooperation.
But the intercepts
alarmed American intelligence and law enforcement agencies, in part because of
the amount of contact that was occurring while Mr. Trump was speaking glowingly
about the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. At one point last summer, Mr.
Trump said at a campaign event that he hoped Russian intelligence services had
stolen Hillary Clinton’s emails and would make them public.
The officials said the
intercepted communications were not limited to Trump campaign officials, and
included other associates of Mr. Trump. On the Russian side, the contacts also
included members of the Russian government outside of the intelligence
services, the officials said. All of the current and former officials spoke on
the condition of anonymity because the continuing investigation is classified.
The officials said that
one of the advisers picked up on the calls was Paul Manafort, who was Mr.
Trump’s campaign chairman for several months last year and had worked as a
political consultant in Russia and Ukraine. The officials declined to identify
the other Trump associates on the calls.
The call logs and
intercepted communications are part of a larger trove of information that the
F.B.I. is sifting through as it investigates the links between Mr. Trump’s
associates and the Russian government, as well as the D.N.C. hack, according to
federal law enforcement officials. As part of its inquiry, the F.B.I. has
obtained banking and travel records and conducted interviews, the officials
said.
Mr. Manafort, who has not
been charged with any crimes, dismissed the accounts of the American officials in
a telephone interview on Tuesday. “This is absurd,” he said. “I have no idea
what this is referring to. I have never knowingly spoken to Russian
intelligence officers, and I have never been involved with anything to do with
the Russian government or the Putin administration or any other issues under
investigation today.”
Mr. Manafort added, “It’s
not like these people wear badges that say, ‘I’m a Russian intelligence
officer.’”
Several of Mr. Trump’s
associates, like Mr. Manafort, have done business in Russia, and it is not
unusual for American businessmen to come in contact with foreign intelligence
officials, sometimes unwittingly, in countries like Russia and Ukraine, where
the spy services are deeply embedded in society. Law enforcement officials did not
say to what extent the contacts may have been about business.
Officials would not
disclose many details, including what was discussed on the calls, which Russian
intelligence officials were on the calls, and how many of Mr. Trump’s advisers
were talking to the Russians. It is also unclear whether the conversations had
anything to do with Mr. Trump himself.
A published report from
American intelligence agencies that was made public in January concluded that
the Russian government had intervened in the election in part to help Mr.
Trump, but did not address whether any members of the Trump campaign had
participated in the effort.
The intercepted calls are
different from the wiretapped conversations last year between Michael T. Flynn,
President Trump’s former national security adviser, and Sergey I. Kislyak, the
Russian ambassador to the United States. During those calls, which led to Mr. Flynn’s resignation on
Monday night, the two men discussed sanctions that the Obama administration
imposed on Russia in December.
But the cases are part of
the routine electronic surveillance of communications of foreign officials by
American intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
The White House did not
immediately respond to a request for comment. The F.B.I. declined to comment.
Two days after the
election in November, Sergei A. Ryabkov, the deputy Russian foreign minister, said that
“there were contacts” during the campaign between Russian officials and Mr.
Trump’s team.
“Obviously, we know most
of the people from his entourage,” Mr. Ryabkov said in an interview with the
Russian Interfax news agency.
The Trump transition team
denied Mr. Ryabkov’s statement. “This is not accurate,” Hope Hicks, a
spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, said at the time.
The National Security
Agency, which monitors the communications of foreign intelligence services,
initially captured the communications between Mr. Trump’s associates and
Russians as part of routine foreign surveillance. After that, the F.B.I. asked
the N.S.A. to collect as much information as possible about the Russian
operatives on the phone calls, and to search through troves of previous
intercepted communications that had not been analyzed.
The F.B.I. has closely
examined at least three other people close to Mr. Trump, although it is unclear
if their calls were intercepted. They are Carter Page, a businessman and former
foreign policy adviser to the campaign; Roger Stone, a longtime Republican
operative; and Mr. Flynn.
All of the men have
strongly denied they had any improper contacts with Russian officials.
As part of the inquiry,
the F.B.I. is also trying to assess the credibility of information contained in
a dossier that was given to the bureau last year by a former British
intelligence operative. The dossier contained a raft of salacious allegations
about connections between Mr. Trump, his associates and the Russian government.
It also included unsubstantiated claims that the Russians had embarrassing
videos that could be used to blackmail Mr. Trump.
The F.B.I. has spent
several months investigating the leads in the dossier, but has yet to confirm
any of its most explosive allegations.
Senior F.B.I. officials
believe that the former British intelligence officer who compiled the dossier,
Christopher Steele, has a credible track record, and he briefed F.B.I. investigators
last year about how he obtained the information. One American law enforcement
official said that F.B.I. agents had made contact with some of Mr. Steele’s
sources.
The F.B.I.’s
investigation into Mr. Manafort began last spring as an outgrowth of a criminal
investigation into his work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and
for the country’s former president, Viktor F. Yanukovych. The investigation has
focused on why he was in such close contact with Russian and Ukrainian
intelligence officials.
The bureau did not have
enough evidence to obtain a warrant for a wiretap of Mr. Manafort’s
communications, but it had the N.S.A. closely scrutinize the communications of
Ukrainian officials he had met.
The F.B.I. investigation
is proceeding at the same time that separate investigations into Russian
interference in the election are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill. Those
investigations, by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, are examining
not only the Russian hacking but also any contacts that Mr. Trump’s team had
with Russian officials during the campaign.
On Tuesday, top
Republican lawmakers said that Mr. Flynn should be one focus of the
investigation, and that he should be called to testify before Congress. Senator
Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said
that the news surrounding Mr. Flynn in recent days underscored “how many
questions still remain unanswered to the American people more than three months
after Election Day, including who was aware of what, and when.”
Mr. Warner said that Mr.
Flynn’s resignation would not stop the committee “from continuing to
investigate General Flynn, or any other campaign official who may have had
inappropriate and improper contacts with Russian officials prior to the
election.”
Correction: February 14, 2017
An earlier version of
this article misstated the number of people (in addition to Paul Manafort) whom
the F.B.I. has examined. It is at least three, not at least four.
***ACTION ALERT***
***ACTION ALERT***Over 4,500 Iowans came to the State Capitol last night to stand up for teachers, firefighters, nurses, law enforcement and other workers who deserve a voice in their own workplace. We've never seen anything like it at the State Capitol. While Republicans let just 38 people speak at the public hearing, Republicans couldn't escape the message from thousands of Iowans who packed in the State Capitol and said "kill the bill." We also got some good news this morning when one of the Republicans in the House said she would NOT vote for the bill because of the hundreds of calls and emails she received against this bill. That means your hard work is making a difference. Unfortunately, Republicans are still moving this bill on the fast track because they don't want to hear from you. They've schedule debate for TODAY in both the House and Senate. Here's what you can do to fight back and STOP this bill:
|
Americans Say Trump Keeps Promises, Is Strong Leader
Americans
Say Trump Keeps Promises, Is Strong Leader
by Frank Newport
- 62% of
Americans say Trump keeps his promises; 42% believe he is honest
- Trump
rated better now than before the election on five qualities
- Republicans
much more positive than Democrats
WASHINGTON,
D.C. -- Majorities of Americans believe President Donald Trump keeps his
promises, is a strong and decisive leader, and can bring about changes the
country needs. Trump scores worse on other characteristics and qualities: Less
than half of Americans perceive him as honest and trustworthy, able to manage
the government effectively, inspiring confidence and caring about the needs of
people like themselves.
Trump Qualities and
Characteristics
Thinking about the following characteristics
and qualities, please say whether you think each applies or doesn't apply to
Donald Trump.
|
Applies
|
Doesn't apply
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
|
|
Keeps
his promises
|
62
|
36
|
|
Is
a strong and decisive leader
|
59
|
40
|
|
Can
bring about the changes this country needs
|
53
|
46
|
|
Cares
about the needs of people like you
|
46
|
54
|
|
Inspires
confidence
|
44
|
55
|
|
Can
manage the government effectively
|
44
|
55
|
|
Is
honest and trustworthy
|
42
|
57
|
|
GALLUP, FEB.
1-5, 2017
|
||
These
results are based on Gallup interviewing conducted Feb. 1-5, updating
Americans' views of Trump on seven presidential qualities and characteristics,
including five that Gallup assessed during the presidential campaign.
The
characteristics that Americans are most likely to say apply to Trump clearly
reflect the key message of his inaugural address and his actions since taking
office over three weeks ago. He made a large number of promises during his
presidential campaign, and Americans give him the most credit for following
through on those promises. His series of executive orders and Cabinet
appointments show a president who is decisive and trying to bring about change,
also qualities that a majority of Americans (59% and 53%, respectively) say
apply to him.
Americans
are, however, less positive about his honesty -- echoing views that plagued
both him and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during last year's
campaign -- and majorities are not convinced that he is able to manage the
government effectively, that he inspires confidence or cares about the needs of
"people like you."
Notably,
Trump's job approval rating was 42% at the time of the Feb. 1-5 poll, meaning
the credit the public gives Trump for possessing several of these qualities
doesn't necessarily translate into broad approval of the way he is performing
his job as president.
Gallup has
measured these qualities and characteristics for previous presidents but has
typically done this further into their presidencies, making comparisons at this
point difficult.
There are,
however, five parallel measures from early February 2001 for George W. Bush,
the last Republican president before Trump. Bush fared better than Trump on
four of the five -- not surprising, given that Bush's job approval and
favorable ratings were higher than Trump's in the initial weeks of the two
men's presidencies. The exception is "strong and decisive leader," a
relative Trump strength, which about as many Americans say applies to Trump now
as said applied to Bush then.
Republicans,
Democrats See a Different Trump
Large
majorities of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say all seven
characteristics apply to Trump, ranging from 94% who say he is a strong and
decisive leader, to 81% who say he inspires confidence and is honest and
trustworthy. Democrats and Democratic leaners are much less positive in general,
but, on a relative basis, are most likely to say that Trump keeps his promises
-- 36% say this applies. Also, 29% of Democrats believe Trump is a strong and
decisive leader, and 20% say he can bring about the changes the country needs.
Thirteen percent or less say the other four characteristics apply to Trump.
In this
same poll, 4% of Democrats and leaners say they approve of the overall job
Trump is doing, underscoring the finding that some Democrats see Trump as
strong on certain dimensions even while disapproving of his performance
overall.
The two
partisan groups show a slightly smaller gap in terms of believing that Trump
keeps his promises, while the biggest gap is in terms of caring about the needs
of "people like you." Still, these are relative differences; the
general pattern is one of significantly different partisan views on all of the
measures.
Republicans
have become more positive about Trump generally since the election,
and one would expect that they would also become more positive about him on
these specific qualities -- as they have. Gallup measured Trump on five of
these characteristics before the election, and Republicans are more likely to
say each of these applies to Trump now than they were five months ago.
Democrats' pre-election ratings have generally stayed the same or edged
slightly lower since he became president.
Trump Qualities and
Characteristics: Trends
% Applies to Donald Trump
|
2016 Sep 14-18
|
2017 Feb 1-5
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
%
|
%
|
pct. pts.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Is
a strong and decisive leader
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All
Americans
|
57
|
59
|
+2
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republicans/Leaners
|
87
|
94
|
+7
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Democrats/Leaners
|
29
|
29
|
0
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Can
bring about the changes this country needs
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All
Americans
|
40
|
53
|
+13
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republicans/Leaners
|
75
|
93
|
+18
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Democrats/Leaners
|
9
|
20
|
+11
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cares
about the needs of people like you
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All
Americans
|
37
|
46
|
+9
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republicans/Leaners
|
71
|
89
|
+18
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Democrats/Leaners
|
8
|
9
|
+1
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Can
manage the government effectively
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All
Americans
|
41
|
44
|
+3
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republicans/Leaners
|
74
|
86
|
+12
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Democrats/Leaners
|
11
|
8
|
-3
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Is
honest and trustworthy
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
All
Americans
|
33
|
42
|
+9
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republicans/Leaners
|
64
|
81
|
+17
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Democrats/Leaners
|
7
|
9
|
+2
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
GALLUP
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The
exception to this trend is the measure of Trump's perceived ability to bring
about needed change. The percentage of Democrats and Democratic-leaning
independents who say Trump can bring about change has increased from 9% to 20%
since September; for Republicans and leaners, the increase is 18 percentage
points (from 75% to 93%). While on an absolute basis these Democratic views are
still low, the 11-point jump is the only statistically significant increase for
Democrats out of the five qualities with trends.
Bottom
Line
Trump
begins his presidency with a majority of the public believing that he keeps his
promises, is a strong leader and can bring about needed changes. These traits
fit well with his steady stream of sometimes controversial executive orders
that have reflected what he said he would do during his campaign, continuing to
exemplify a "bull in the china shop" style and persona.
At the same
time, Americans' acknowledgment of Trump's dynamic leadership style and keeping
his promises has not translated into the same level of overall approval of his
performance as president, either because of these style considerations or
because Americans disagree with the substance of his policy decisions. Overall,
it appears that one of Trump's most significant challenges will be to convince
Americans that his hard-charging leadership style is ultimately going to be
good for them and for the country.
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