tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post3311359076728112620..comments2024-02-05T05:15:04.759-08:00Comments on Wandering Scientist: Interesting Times SuckCloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-1907200178535851002017-01-13T17:45:00.014-08:002017-01-13T17:45:00.014-08:00Will do!Will do!Alexicographernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-87851889924812176292017-01-13T07:08:01.046-08:002017-01-13T07:08:01.046-08:00Our job is to stem the damage being done. The mor...Our job is to stem the damage being done. The more we push back, the less @#$^ they'll try. We can't save all lives, but we are saving lives. <br /><br />Those of us in red states are particularly important because, I don't know about you, but I've always figured my lone voice wasn't important so I've never called. Right now it isn't my lone voice. Lots of blue voices are calling in for the first time and we're keeping phone lines busy and vm boxes full. We're organizing. It's amazing. My senators have changed from supporting repeal before replace to giving lip service to repeal and replace over the course of a week (and are bragging about how they've given themselves 2 years to figure things out, which they will do in a piecemeal fashion despite economic theory saying that's not possible without destroying coverage, but they don't care, but maybe if we keep pushing they'll do comprehensive reform, maybe based on the Heritage plan that formed the ACA and they'll just rebrand it TrumpCare or RyanCare or PenceCare).<br /><br />Angela-- since you're in a red state, if you haven't already, check to see what the indivisible groups in your area are. There's one on my state that is city based (not my city) that is doing an amazing job and helping me to figure out where to target locally. There's also several fantastic list-serves that provide action items each week that you could sign up for. They take the legwork out of trying to figure out who to call about what. (We're listing them on our blog's "Activism" tab.) <br /><br />Fight!nicoleandmaggiehttp://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-65938723313289868852017-01-12T21:45:24.463-08:002017-01-12T21:45:24.463-08:00Hooray! Keep calling. Look at it this way: we alre...Hooray! Keep calling. Look at it this way: we already saved the House Ethics Office and made them slow down confirmation hearings so that the nominees would finish their Office of Governmental Ethics filings. We won't win all our fights, but we'll win some, and the fact that we're fighting will make them think twice about some things, too.Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-2312222001958548272017-01-12T21:43:53.857-08:002017-01-12T21:43:53.857-08:00I was already a news junkie! I had to go off to co...I was already a news junkie! I had to go off to college with that fresh in everyone's minds. I got so much grief about it. In retrospect, that was good practice for traveling abroad in the Bush years.... <br /><br />And we did get a couple of great U2 concerts out of the deal.<br /><br />You are right, it is a lot scarier on a national scale.Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-33173741194845786992017-01-12T21:41:38.218-08:002017-01-12T21:41:38.218-08:00I am a somewhat haphazard filter, but I'm happ...I am a somewhat haphazard filter, but I'm happy to do it!Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-30122060248721746772017-01-12T21:41:17.390-08:002017-01-12T21:41:17.390-08:00You should listen to the interview with the Call t...You should listen to the interview with the Call the Halls author on the 451 podcast I linked above. She talks about how interacting with constituents as a staffer is part of what changed her political views.Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-60796857497642235472017-01-12T07:25:53.557-08:002017-01-12T07:25:53.557-08:00Thank you for discussing your plans. So far today...Thank you for discussing your plans. So far today, I have called both of my red state senators and my congressman. I don't know if it will do any good, but at least I registered my opinions with them.Angela (@Aferg22)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-72099242796939565732017-01-12T05:39:32.882-08:002017-01-12T05:39:32.882-08:00Oh my word, the Evan Mecham thing. We're about...Oh my word, the Evan Mecham thing. We're about the same age so I'm guessing we had similar experiences in being just on the threshold of voting adulthood when that all went down, and it was really what tipped me over from a casual follower of the news to obsessively reading both the morning and evening newspapers and watching as much local TV coverage as I could manage. And the current national mess does remind me of it a bit, but it's a lot scarier on a national scale.<br /><br />2/3 of my congressional reps (one senator and one congressperson) are on your list of people who are helping; I've been feeling a little stuck on actions because yes, they're mostly way ahead of me on these things. Thanks for the reminders of other useful actions to take.<br /><br />Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14043237186777867121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-51398465750638686132017-01-11T21:02:50.704-08:002017-01-11T21:02:50.704-08:00Also, thank you again for all you do and for being...Also, thank you again for all you do and for being my news filter!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-4210710203108857222017-01-11T19:03:07.181-08:002017-01-11T19:03:07.181-08:00Like you, I am trying to remember that things. tak...Like you, I am trying to remember that things. take. time. It is not easy (nor am I sure time will work, this time. But all the same.).<br /><br />I am in a red state (though not a red district. But still: both Senators). I am calling. I am being polite (I am allowing my politeness to lead to the calls taking longer than the staffers, surely, want them to. "Hello, my name is [], and I am a constituent of Senator X/Y calling because I want to share my views about some of what's coming up in Washington." Longish pause...I sit silent. Staffer asks, "What would you like to tell me about?" I say, "Issue issue issue [I probably get bits wrong, but oh well]." Staffer says, "Thank you, I'll let Senator know." I say, "No, no, thank you. I appreciate your taking the time to record my comments, I know they're probably not what you were hoping to hear. I hope you'll have a nice day, and that it's not too cold where you are." And so on. Not ad nauseum, but every moment of delaying effective action on the part of Republican MCs and their staff helps, as far as I'm concerned. <br /><br />I'm also trying at times to phrase my calls to appeal to the thought that there is an effective and sensible segment of the Republican party and that Trump (et. al.'s) behavior is going to ruin it. So I sometimes work in phrases like, "The effect this is having on my image of the Republican party is horrific. [Action] is an embarrassment to the principles of the G.O.P." While I have long not been a fan of the GOP, I do actually nonetheless believe that statement is often true, even from my perspective -- it's one thing to endorse dreadful social-net policies, another entirely to want to disenfranchise Americans and eliminate our civil rights -- so I am actually able to say with an entirely straight face and serious tone.<br /><br />Argh.Alexicographernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-77677470675206187702017-01-11T16:44:42.215-08:002017-01-11T16:44:42.215-08:00I have multifaceted worries about Russia! If I thi...I have multifaceted worries about Russia! If I think about them too long I start looking at job postings in NZ.Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29235839.post-28830822540794288932017-01-11T16:12:11.418-08:002017-01-11T16:12:11.418-08:00We're fighting and getting organized in our re...We're fighting and getting organized in our red state. Things are finally starting to get together and we have seen our senators change their tunes on at least two issues, possibly based on our calls.<br /><br />This national push may also affect things locally as we're starting to get informed about state bills early on. And if we're paying attention we can act.<br /><br />But I'm still really worried about Russia. My colleague from the W admin told me that much of the Rs in congress are too for all their talk. And that there are 6 books that claim Putin was an assassin for the KGB and killed people.Nicoleandmaggiehttp://nicoleandmaggie.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com