Icy Roads

Hello Resisters,                                                                                            

“The last check on power after the checks and balances of government have failed are the people, you and me.  It’s the union of people around a common set of values now that’s all that stands between democracy and authoritarianism.  So, at the end of the day, all we’ve got is each other.”  Bruce Springsteen.  

National: 

The One Big Bullshit Bill passed the House.  The Senate will consider their version of the bill this summer under special rules that require 50 votes to pass (they can only lose 4 Republicans). I’m sure you have heard about it in the news and read about it in social media feeds.  It’s 1116 pages long.  Here are just a few of the cuts that will happen under the budget as it exists right now:

• Cut Medicaid  by $625 billion

• Cut SNAP by $300 billion

• Cut student aid by $351 billion

• Triple the budget for ICE

• Greenlight the sale of public lands

• Ban state-level AI regulation for 10 years

• Repeal clean energy programs

• Increase overall federal deregulation

• Divert funding from public schools

• Give Trump power to censor nonprofits

• Block access to Planned Parenthood

• Defund the CFPB 

• And much more. 

This isn’t just another bill.  It’s the Project 2025 playbook written into law.  It abuses budget reconciliation rules to jam through non-budget items, like education authority, rollbacks, environmental deregulation and civil service purges.  The most expensive provision in the bill is to make permanent the cuts implemented in 2017 which expire at the end of the year and is expected to cost over $2 trillion over the next ten years.  But let’s cut funding for cancer research while we are at it!

Here are some things you can do to put pressure on Congress:

• Thank Democratic Congressmembers for standing strong and voting against the bill. 

• Check out the STOP THE CUTS | Indivisible  toolkit and look for updated information on future actions, such as national phone banking in June. 

If you use the app Waze for navigation, here is a tip. If you see “snow” or “Ice” reported on Waze or GPS, someone is warning you of an immigration checkpoint.  All 50 states.  Waze has an “icy road” warning and a “fog” warning.  Icy road for ICE and add a “fog” alert if the officers are masked.  

State: 

The State Senate voted 30-9 against a Republican amendment to block the transition to zero-emission vehicles and scapegoat climate and energy efficiency regulations for higher energy process.  Our Senator, Michael Rodrigues was a Nay on the bill.  Please call his office to thank him.  Senator Mark Montigny was one of four democrats who joined the republicans.  He represents parts of Bristol and Plymouth district and has been in office since 1993.  If he is your Senator, please call and express your displeasure about his support of the bill.  Boston: 617-722-1440  New Bedford:  508-984-1474.

Local:

Town Election is this Wednesday, May 28, at the Council on Aging, Dexter Lane.  Please vote.  Nate Reece for Parks Commission, Kristin Jimenez for RMS School Committee.  Vote yes on hiring versus electing our town clerk.  Polls are open from 8 am until 8 pm. 

The town is also looking for people to fill vacancies on several Boards, Committees, and Commissions.  The following have openings:

• Soil Board

• Cultural Council

• Historical Commission

• Historic District Commission

• Personnel Board

• Zoning Board of Appeals. 

While there is no job description for these boards (I asked at Town Hall) if you are interested, you can email alacerda@townofrochester.com to be considered.   

My Two Cents:

I learned a new word this week.  Bumfuzzle.  To confuse or fluster, implying a state of being baffled or unable to make sense of something.  That’s how it’s felt these past 100 plus days.  All because of the GOP’s Jiggery-pokery, their deceitful and dishonest behavior.  So, two new words made it into my vocabulary this week. 

You can register for free tickets to the 14 June US Army’s Grand Military Parade in Washington, otherwise known as the Trump Military Parade.  Tickets are limited, 2 RSVP’s per mobile number per event. Google 250^th anniversary of the US Army Grand Military Parade and it will take you to the registration site. Wouldn’t it be nice if a bunch of tickets were reserved for this event and no one showed up!  

Shareholders of Southern Company, one of the largest US Utility companies (mainly in the South) rejected anti-DEI proposals.  They join Costco, Levi’s, Yum!Brands, Goldman Sachs, VRBO, Delta Airlines in this rejection.

On the other hand, Verizon became the latest big company to end its policies around DEI to keep this republican administration happy.  What Verizon got in return was approval from the Federal Communications Commission to buy broadband provider Frontier Communications.  In its announcement approving the deal, the FCC specifically cited Verizon’s commitment “to ending DEI-related practices. “ I plan on dumping Verizon and going with another mobile carrier.  

There will not be an email next week because I’ll be out of country.  If anyone wants to join our PAC Committee, please reach out.  We can use help and ideas on what else we can do to RESIST.