Good News 3/5/17

Everyone’s working so hard, it’s important to remind ourselves of the good news and keep our spirits up. Hurrah for people who are keeping track of happy news for us all! Check out the PeaceIsLoud blog for some things to celebrate this week!

AZ SB1243 FAILED in the Senate on Tuesday! It would have required public establishments to allow anyone with a gun permit to carry firearms inside unless the facility had security guards and metal detectors. Republican senators who joined Democrats to defeat the bill: Brophy-McGee (R-28), Pratt (R-8) and Worsley (R-25). Contact them with your thanks!

AZ SB1142, designed to suppress protests, was killed by a wave of calls and emails to House Speaker Mesnard. (source)

Arizona Action: Week of 3/5/17

The Iyer Report: AZ Legislature Weekly Update Read it! Print it! Make notes! Do it NOW! I know, there’are so many things to do. But even with just 10 minutes each day, you can make a really important difference! Here’s a preview from the Iyer Report. Keep this link handy since you can go back to it during the week for updates!

Our #1 Priority today: Last Thursday night, the AZ House passed a package of bills that would make sweeping changes to the Arizona Constitution’s citizen initiative process, NOT to the benefit of voters. CONTACT the Senate Judiciary Committee chair, Judy Urges (R-22) at jburges@azleg.gov or 602-926-5861 and urge her NOT to assign the bills HCR2002, 2007, 2320, 2404 and 2029 for a hearing.

Other URGENT Alerts include action on AZ bills regarding #2 Health & Reproductive rights, #3 Defending our Constitution from a Koch brothers push for an Article V convention where our US constitution could be re-written, and #4 Supporting Common-sense Gun Laws. See the Iyer Report for what to do!

* If you have not yet setup an account with AZ Request to Speak, email Mickey for help.

One More Thing! We’ve been forwarded an email from the Arizona Heritage Alliance alerting us to HB2369 which would eliminate the State Parks Board which provides a citizens’ oversight of our parks. It’s passed the AZ House, but hasn’t yet been put on the Senate Government Committee agenda. HB2369 is opposed by the Alliance as well as Sierra Club and other groups. They’re asking that we sign on to their open letter that will be sent to the Governor and Senate soon. Sign on here and scroll to the bottom to add your name.

If you live in Phoenix City Council district 3, we encourage you to vote for Deb Stark who is in a run-off election against extreme right-wing Chris DeRose on March 14!  You can even canvas this one last Saturday for her.  Supporters will be meeting up in the Safeway parking lot at 7th Street and Thunderbird at 9 am to distribute door hangars with a group of 2-4 others.   Deb has dedicated her life to public service, worked closely with Mayor Greg Stanton on many issues, and is by far the best candidate.  And if you have a mail-in ballot, please mark it and send it in!

 

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National Action: Week of 3/5/17

Check out tonight’s Rogan’s List: Today’s To-do List for what’s on our national radar right now. There’s always so much. Here are a few priorities I’ve selected from Susan Rogan, retired university librarian and information, fact-checking geek and partner in Action Alliance, a collaboration of call-to-action websites.

DREAMers were not supposed to be deported. Call Homeland Security and demand that DREAMer Daniela Vargas be released. Find background information and call script at 5Calls.

Demand an independent investigation into whether Jeff Sessions perjured himself. If you haven’t called yet your DC representatives yet, here are phone numbers and a call script from the ACLU.

This March 8, International Women’s Day, organizers are holding an International Women’s Strike, calling it “A Day Without a Woman” Find out more about it here and go to the Women’s March website for more about how to participate.

Don’t get distracted by disinformation from the White House. Go to Rogan’s List for important actions this week!

 

Subscribe to the Desert Progressives mailing list to receive email alerts about upcoming actions, group meetings, and events.

Citizens Share Concerns with Absent Rep. David Schweikert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Judy Schwiebert
Organization: Desert Progressives
Phone: 602-769-5149
Email: jschswieb3@cox.net
Website URL: www.DesertProgressives.org
Press Release: 20170224_desert_progressives_press_release.pdf

Phoenix, Arizona: After Representative David Schweikert ignored weeks of requests from his constituents’ for a Town Hall meeting, two grassroots Indivisible groups from Phoenix came together to invite him to their own joint Citizens’ Town Hall Friday night, February 24.

Still, Rep. Schweikert didn’t show up, but 223 of his constituents did. They were Republicans, Independents and Democrats. And since their congressman was still not available to them, they addressed their concerns to an empty chair.

The people of his Congressional District 6 shared moving stories and pleaded with him to listen and – asked him to please represent them.

Video and written copies of their concerns will be sent to Rep. Schweikert’s office with the uncertain hope that he will listen and respond. (See Addendum for concerns, stories and questions from some of the participants)

One organizer commented, “It’s really too bad Mr. Schweikert wasn’t here tonight. It was a powerful evening – and he missed the chance to listen to caring, smart people who are counting on him. He could have done so much just by listening.”

The Citizens’ Town Hall for Rep. David Schweikert was organized and hosted by two new Indivisible groups, both begun since January of this year: Desert Progressives (DP) and Arizona Indivisible CD6 (AICD6).

DP Co-founders Mickey Tucker and Judy Schwiebert opened the meeting by inviting people to join them in taking action on state and national issues. People can subscribe to their newsletter at www.DesertProgressives.org and/or find them on Facebook.

AICD6 co-founder Chris Hanlon shared the story of their leadership in urging Rep. Schweikert to hold a Town Hall, and invited people to join their Facebook page as well. Sharon Kirsch moderated the event.

The Town Hall was held at Shadow Rock Congregational Church, 12861 N. 8th Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona. Staff member Abeth Spencer  welcomed the group with the church’s motto, “All are welcome here.”

For more information or future events, contact Judy Schwiebert at jschwieb3@cox.net or at 602-769-5149.

 

Desert Progressives Facebook Group

Join our Facebook group! Share your stories, get updates on actions and upcoming events, and network with other Desert Progressives.

To join the group, please browse to the link below and select Join Group. You will receive a notification once you’ve been added to the group.

www.facebook.com/groups/DesertProgressivesIndivisible

Please feel free to share the link with any Facebook friends you think might be interested in organizing for Progressive causes in the Phoenix area.

See you there!

National Action: Week of 2/21/17

National Action

Resistance Recess

The week of February 18-26 is the first recess of the 115th Congress – the perfect time to join fellow constituent and raise our voices.

Join us at Congressman David Schweikert’s office, 10603 N. Hayden Rd, (NE corner) Suite 108, Scottsdale, AZ any day this week to continue to show up and ask for a Town Hall meeting with the Congressman.

  • Monday, 2/20, 10 am – President’s Day Post-it Notes
  • Tuesday, 2/21, 10 am
  • Wednesday, 2/22, 10 am
  • Thursday, 2/23, 9:30 am
  • Friday, 2/24, 10:30 am

Our representative is most likely to be at the office on Thursday or Friday, but we’ll be showing up every day to emphasize to him that we want him Town Hall meeting and to remind him that we are voters who want to speak with their representative.

You can also find other local Resistance Recess events here.

Each Sunday, volunteer Jen Hofmann sends out an Action Checklist for Americans of Conscience. Use it to find hype-free suggestions for action based on well-considered research. Join us in using it to act on our own beliefs and values.