Today’s Action: Make plans to take action during August recess
Today's Top Stories:
Pro-Trumper arrested after Capitol bomb threat shuts down federal buildings, forces evacuations
Floyd Ray Roseberry told cops he had a bomb in his truck, leading to the evacuation of the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, a House office building, and offices of the RNC.
Take Action: Arrest and charge every insurgent involved with the Trump-inspired MAGA coup on the Capitol!
VIDEO OF THE DAY: Brian Williams showcases powerful video from Occupy Democrats on MSNBC
Republicans want you to forget that Trump paved the way for the Afghan calamity, but the Democratic group is fighting back.
DeSantis finally gets what he deserves
No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen: About time.
Gov. Abbott caves, drops mask mandate ban enforcement in Texas public schools
Enforcement in the state’s public school systems of Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates has been dropped, for now, the Texas Education Agency said Thursday.
Ex-Kushner associate again charged with cyberstalking months after Trump pardon
Ken Kurson, a former close associate of Jared Kushner, was hit with cyberstalking charges less than a year after the disgraced ex-president gave him a federal pardon for related allegations.
Texas Democrats' effort to freeze voting bill ends
Texas House Democrats' historic quorum break unexpectedly ended Thursday evening, paving the way for state Republicans to pass restrictive voting legislation.
Ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani reportedly fled Kabul with $169 million in cash
According to reports the president fled the country "with four cars and a helicopter full of cash," but it appears the actual monetary amount was, at the time, not yet known.
After the terrorist threat on the Library of Congress, its more important now than ever to hold the GOP and the MAGA terrorists responsible
No Dem Left Behind: Veteran and Democratic star Richard Ojeda demands accountability in the powerful video.
Biden erases billions in student debt for people with severe disabilities
The Biden administration announced Thursday that it is moving to wipe out $5.8 billion in federal student loan debt held by more than 300,000 people with severe disabilities.
Take Action: Tell Congress to strengthen and expand Social Security!
State Department memo in July warned of Kabul's likely fall
The July 13 memo was sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and another State leader by 20 embassy officials. In it, the group said the capital could collapse shortly after the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline and that the US needed to be more forceful in condemning the Taliban’s attacks against Afghan cities.
GOP Rep. Mo Brooks slammed by fellow lawmakers for statement about D.C. bomb threat suspect
Fellow House members criticized Brooks after he released a sympathetic statement regarding the car-bomb suspect police arrested earlier in the day outside the Library of Congress.
Take Action: Call on Twitter to make Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ban permanent!
Fox News issues company-wide policy requiring employees to disclose vaccine status
The network has for months railed against vaccine mandates and sowed doubt over public health precautions.
Truth...
And consequences...
Hope...
Today’s Action: Make plans to take action during August recess
We’re working our way through August recess, when members of Congress traditionally return home for the month. Our representatives and senators are holding town halls, taking meetings, and attending local events — which gives us plenty of opportunities to make our demands face to face! Make a commitment during this recess to get personal with at least one of your congressional reps.
Ask for a one-on-one meeting. Contact their local office to make your meeting request, and follow up after a week if you haven’t heard back! Arrive with your three biggest requests prepared, and ask for clear action on each (e.g. cosponsor a bill, make a public statement, join a caucus). Type up your requests in a letter to deliver to your rep at the end of the meeting, just in case they weren’t taking notes!
Attend a town hall. If your reps are offering a public forum, this is a great opportunity to make your demands with witnesses. Contact their office to ask if any town halls have been scheduled (and if not, why not?), and visit Town Hall Project to search for events near you (this site includes both Democratic presidential candidate and congressional events).
Organize a protest visit. Is your rep refusing to hold a town hall and declining private meetings? No problem. Ask their offices if they’ll be attending ANY public events during August recess, and join them there to ask your questions. Be sure to film it and broadcast it on social media! No events? Make the signal loud and clear: you cannot hide from your constituents. Gather your friends, family, and community to protest at their offices.
And the topics? There are so many, but here’s a few to get you started:
- End the filibuster in the Senate so meaningful legislation can be discussed and passed.
- Champion strong, progressive climate action in the budget reconciliation bill and otherwise.
- Pass the For The People Act and work to protect their most marginalized constituents’ right to vote.
- Raise the national minimum wage to $15/hour – cosponsor and pass the Raise the Wage Act .
- Secure equal rights protections with the Equal Rights Amendment for women and the Equality Act for the LGBTQ+ community.
A congressional recess isn’t time off — it’s your opportunity to remind our leaders who elected them and what our communities’ needs are!
PS — Please don't forget to sign the petition calling on school districts in states with mask mandate bans to defy their governors and put kids first, and be sure to follow OD Action on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
