Rise Up, Oh Heart, For There is Another Battle to Win

leupagus:

sashayed:

sashayed:

I heard something amazing last night: a longterm Congressional aide who said “I got 30,000 calls a week to impeach Bill Clinton. I’ve gotten 5,000 this week about the ACA.”

That’s partly because we communicate differently now than we did in the 90s, of course. But in my opinion, it’s a sign of something else. This first-week offensive of jaw-droppingly vile legislation is intended to fragment the opposition. We can’t all fight every battle–and if we try, the aides we speak to won’t tabulate us in all of them. So while 30,000 or more of us may be calling, some of us are focusing on the ACA and some on Jeff Sessions and some on the wall and some on the Muslim ban and on and on and on. 

This is important and necessary. We must and will focus on the many, MANY different issues that brought us to this point. But it is also time to pull Congress’s attention to one, and that one is impeaching Donald Trump. 

When you call your reps tomorrow, try something like this. (Feel free to send me corrections.)

Hi, my name is [your name], I’m a constituent from [your town], and I want to tell [representative’s name] that Congress needs to act immediately to impeach President Trump. Not only has his behavior been unhinged, but he is in direct and obvious violation of the Foreign Emoluments clause of the Constitution. He is empowering deluded bigots like Steve Bannon over national security experts. He is dangerous and unfit to lead. As a [parent, lawyer, child of immigrants, friend and neighbor of immigrants], I have a stake in this fight, and I will personally work to remove any member of Congress who doesn’t stand against Trump. Thanks.

This is ESPECIALLY important if you have a Republican representative. Make it personal for them. Tell them how hard you and your community will work to ensure they lose in the next election if they don’t stand up to Trump.

Mike Pence is a nightmare, but he’s not a nightmare who wants to put Steve Fucking Bannon on the National Security Council. He’s not a nightmare with populist cachet. He is not the nightmare that makes David Duke and Richard Spencer so fucking happy. We must and will fight him as President – but we will be able to do it on our terms. Impeach this motherfucker now.  

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE! Happy Monday! Donald Trump and his administration remain a clear and present danger to literally everyone in the world, and they must be removed from power. Today’s assignments are:

1. Call your reps (that’s the people in the House, you have just one of them) and encourage them to support a Judiciary Committee impeachment investigation. Emphasize Trump’s failure to release his tax returns and his ties to foreign businesses. Emphasize also that you are an Ordinary Decent Citizen. That’s just always a good idea. 

If they showed up to fight the Ban this weekend, thank them. Show that you noticed. If they didn’t, tell them you noticed. ALWAYS MAKE IT PERSONAL. House terms last just two years, so all of these spineless motherfuckers are up for reelection in 2018. If yours didn’t show up, make it clear – politely – that you and your community will work to ensure his or her removal. 

2. Call your Senators (you have two of them) and demand that they block ALL of Trump’s nominees. I don’t think it would be a bad idea to drop the word “impeach” in there too, just to get them used to hearing it: “I want to express how concerned I am about the President’s unhinged behavior, his unconstitutional executive actions and his ties to foreign powers and businesses. Until such time as he can be IMPEACHED, Senator [Name] must block every one of his nominees.” 

If you have hostile Senators or representatives, try to use your anger creatively. “I want to tell the senator that my community and I are furious at his support of/inaction as regards the President’s unconstitutional actions this weekend. Unless he steps up to represent his constituents, we will throw our support behind any primary or general challengers in [year your senator is next up for re-election, maybe Google it].”

If you get a busy signal, please: keep trying. I PROMISE YOU THAT PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT TRUMP WILL BE CALLING UNTIL THEY GET THROUGH. Most of them are not self-conscious and do not have problems with entitlement. They do not feel “bad” about how they “sound,” because they believe that anything they personally want is good. WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT LET THEM OUTNUMBER US. 

Okay. Cool. Love u guys. BREAK!!!!

And in case you forgot/haven’t done this yet (although I say this lovingly: you should already have it), check here to find out who your Congressperson and your Senators are. It also shows you a handy-dandy map of your congressional district, if you live somewhere that has more than one Congressperson!