Icon by @ThatSpookyAgent. Call me Tir or Julian. 37. He/They. Queer. Twitter: @tirlaeyn. ao3: tirlaeyn. 18+ Only. Star Trek. The X-Files. Sandman. IwtV. OMFD. Definitionless in this Strict Atmosphere.
winged-wolf-dreamer: Wil, what do we do now? I feel so angry right now. There's still the Senate and hopefully it dies there, but even so... why are they like this? Why do Republicans hate people who aren't rich and white so much? And why do their constituents support it? Why would they support millions of people losing their healthcare? How can they stand risking millions of lives? Have they no empathy?
wilwheaton:
I’m angry, too.
What we do is make them pay RIGHT NOW by showing up at town halls, offices, and in DC. We flood them with faxes, calls, tweets, and emails. We fund their opponents as much as we can, and we make sure that they know why we’re doing it. We mobilize like never before and we sweep them out of office in 2018.
We also put pressure on the Senate, and do our best to have the bill die there. That’s a fight that has to happen in parallel to making life absolutely miserable for the House members who voted for this.
Right-wing media have been pushing myths about ‘Obamacare death panels’ for years. This is what a death panel actually looks like.
“Not one of the 217 people who voted for this ‘Trumpcare’ can ever call themselves ‘Pro-Life’ again. They voted for a bill that specifically targets stripping women and children the pre/post natal & maternity care that ensures that children are born healthy and women survive child birth. A lot of bodies will drop, including babies, if this gets thru the senate.”
— Amy Cherowitz (via honey-and-gin)
ACLU will sue over Trump’s “religious freedom” executive order
- The American Civil Liberties Union announced Thursday that it plans to sue Trump over a recently signed executive order allowing religious organizations to endorse political candidates.
- In the statement, ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero said the executive action served as a “broadside to our country’s longstanding commitment to the separation of church and state.”
- “Whether by executive order or through backroom deals, it’s clear that the Trump administration and congressional leadership are using religion as a wedge to further divide the country and permit discrimination,” he said. "We intend to file suit today.“
- In addition to giving religious leaders more political freedom, the executive order, called “Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty,” also provides “regulatory relief” for religious organizations that object to an Affordable Care Act mandate that forces employers to provide health coverage, including contraception, according to CNN. Read more (5/4/17)
House Republicans just passed Trumpcare. So what’s next?
Some of the things this bill does, aside from repealing ObamaCare:
- Only covers 5% of people with pre-existing conditions.
- Exempts Congress from the worst parts of this bill, though they say they’ll fix that.
- Lets insurers once again put annual and lifetime limits on coverage for people with employer plans, effectively ends Medicaid expansion, leaves gaps in benefits, threatens Medicaid home- and community-based services for people with disabilities, and more.
The bill goes on to the Senate, where many are saying it’s dead on arrival. Regardless, we need to send a message to House Republicans that they’ll pay for their “YES” votes by losing their seats. Here’s what you can do:
- Use Contacting Congress to find out who represents you in the House.
- If your representative voted “YES” [here’s the list]: Use Contacting Congress to call their office and tell them you disapprove of their vote.
- Whether your representative voted yes or not, do the following:
- Donate to SwingLeft’s campaign to raise funds for Democratic challengers to the 35 swing district Republicans who voted for TrumpCare.
- Use Town Hall Project to find out if your representative is holding a town hall during recess. So far, only 6 of the 217 are.
- Sign up to volunteer for SwingLeft and/or check out Indivisible Guide for more actions for you to take.
After you’ve done that, you can contact your Senators. Use the same website listed first above (Contacting Congress) to find your two Senators. Give them a call, show up at their town halls, and donate to their Democratic opponents if they indicate that they’ll vote for TrumpCare.
The only way we’re going to take down this bill is if we keep the pressure on the GOP and let them know that voting for it will result in them losing their seats.
- Find out if you’re registered to vote. If not, find out how to.
- Here are some answers to some questions you might have about registering.
- Student voters: This is for you.
- What to bring with you to the polls.
- Click here for more voting information, and to find out who’s going to be on your next ballot.
Special Elections coming up:
- Montana At-Large: Vote for Quist - May 25th
- Georgia’s 6th District: Vote for Ossoff - June 20th
- South Carolina’s 5th District: Vote for Parnell - June 20th
Most other midterms are November 6th, 2018. Get ready.
Breaking: GOP health care just passed in the House. It faces a tough path in the Senate.
- House Republicans barely passed the American Health Care Act on Thursday, sending their version of a GOP health care plan to the Senate.
- The bill passed with 217 votes.
- Zero Democrats voted for the bill and 20 Republicans defected, with vulnerable GOP House members voting against the plan that is estimated will kick 24 million people off insurance, increase premiums for older Americans and possibly nuke protections for pre-existing conditions.
- While the House bill squeaked by, the legislation is expected to face serious obstacles in the Senate where it will likely undergo significant changes, including easing the cuts to Medicaid, which millions of poor Americans depend on. Read more (5/4/17 2:20 PM)
Which means, House Republicans voted to defund Planned Parenthood
- Like its predecessor, the revised AHCA cuts federal funding to organizations that provide abortion, a measure specifically aimed at bringing down Planned Parenthood.
- “This is the worst bill for women’s health in a generation,” Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in an emailed statement.
- “This disastrous legislation once again makes being a woman a pre-existing condition; ‘defunds’ Planned Parenthood; guts maternity coverage; strips 24 million of their health insurance; lets insurance companies charge people with pre-existing conditions exorbitant rates; forces new moms back to work shortly after giving birth; and reduces access to contraception.” Read more (5/4/17 2:45 PM)
The most effective protest, and the one with the best optics, is the one you make physically: showing up at your shitbag Representative’s district office, camera in hand. Be there when he gets to work in the morning. Be there when she leaves. Ask her if she is embarrassed. Ask him if he is ashamed. Tell her interns and assistants about yourself, about your loved ones. Explain to your local newspaper, to neighborhood blogs, to your facebook friends and Twitter followers why you are furious and disappointed and why you will not forget.
If you would rather call, here’s a potential script. It is maybe not the best? I’m pretty angry.
Hi. I’m calling to register my anger and disappointment at Rep. ____’s Yes vote on the AHCA. [I/my loved ones] am now at risk of losing my insurance, and I am appalled that social programs that personally affect me and my loved ones will be stripped in order to provide tax breaks to the wealthy. Rep. ____ should be ashamed of himself. I and my community will not forget this vote. Will you please take down my information and send me confirmation that the Congressman is listening to constituents? Thanks.
If your rep voted YES and you don’t want to call them, there are PLENTY of people on tumblr who will call on your behalf.
My love letter to all Republicans
I further hope they all die slowly, alone, and afraid.
(Receipts: His name was Johan de Witt if you feel like catching the backstory and whatnot.)