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It seems that the President is moving closer to creating an alternate reality in which he reigns supreme, at least for him and his supporters. This week, he encouraged a group of veterans (to applause) to “just remember, what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.” He threatened to to remove security clearances from top officials for political reasons. After many past threats against the press, his aides followed through by banishing a CNN correspondent after the President objected to her questions. On Air Force One, real news is prohibited and Fox News is hard-wired for those aboard, even for Melania.

It is difficult to know what the President would actually have us believe from one day to the next. After denying that Putin was behind interfering in the 2018 election, then denying his denial, this week he tweeted that he’s “very concerned” that Russia will “have an impact on the upcoming Election” by “pushing very hard for the Democrats.” 

Still, the very real impact of the President and GOP-controlled Congress continues amidst the rhetoric and it can feel daunting. So each week we carefully prioritize a small group of actions, quick to manage, so that together we can have an impact. Please read them, along with our 2018 Election information, and take the time to contact your representatives.
Respect the hustle. We won because we outworked the competition. Period.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-Cortez, primary winner in NY’s 14th district
 
 
ISB Spotlight: Voter Outreach
 
Background: A Blue Wave and the key to our success in November will require that we mobilize voters at an unprecedented level so that a newly elected Congress can put the brakes on Trump’s destructive agenda. This means committing ourselves to contacting voters, making sure they are registered, and, most importantly of all, having them show up and vote on Election Day!
 
What we can do: Register to vote.  Make sure you, your family, friends, especially those who live in flip-able districts, are registered to vote.  You can check here to confirm their (as well as your own!) registration status. Learn the ins and out of registering voters here. And lastly, participate in grass roots registration drives. We’ll alert you to ones that you can volunteer for so that together we can make the Blue Wave a reality.  Keep in mind, the  last day to register is Monday,  October 24.
 
 
ISB Spotlight: Salud Carbajal (D)
 
Background: Salud Carbajal, our representative in the 24th District, is locked in a fierce battle with Justin Fareed, the Republican conservative he defeated in 2016.  The GOP is anxious to flip this important seat to red and keep their House majority. In 2016, Fareed held Carbajal to a modest 53-47 win even as this district was moving from 54-41 Obama to 57-36 Clinton. Fareed is out this week with a poll from Olive Tree Strategies giving Carbajal just a 47-46 lead in their rematch for this Santa Barbara-based seat.
 
What we can do: Volunteer with the Salud for Congress campaign by walking Santa Barbara neighborhoods, talking to voters, and hearing from them what’s on their minds. The Carbajal campaign hosts neighborhood canvassing each Sunday, starting at 1:00pm. Meet at the Carbajal headquarters at 1025 Castillo Street. Convenient, free parking is available right next door on the Commuter Lot on the  corner of Carrillo and Castillo St. Haven’t canvassed before or feel a little rusty? Trained volunteers will go over the instructions with you, guide you in how to talk to voters, and answer all your questions. Come with a friend or get paired with an experienced canvasser—it’s a great way to get involved!
 
What we can do:  Attend Rep. Carbajal’s Town Hall to be held this Monday, July 30 at 5:30-7:00 at the Santa Barbara Auditorium in the Santa Barbara County Education Administration Office, 4400 Cathedral Oaks Rd. This is a great chance to hear from Salud directly, ask questions, and learn about the issues he is championing. At this Town Hall Salud will be focusing on the impacts the drought and devastating wildfires have had on our community and how we can better prepare for and prevent these natural disasters. The event is free and open to the public.  For purposes of accommodating everyone, RSVP by registering here.
GUNS
 
1. Unthinkable:  “Ghost” Guns and Gun Control
 
The Justice Department has recently settled with Defense Distributed, an organization led by anarchist Cody Wilson, to permit it to download free blueprints for making 3-D printed, plastic, and even more frightening, possibly untraceable guns. These guns can be made at home by anyone, no background checks required, and though Cody Wilson’s instructions include inserting a non-functioning piece of metal to comply with federal law, there’s no guarantee that the do-it-yourselfer will follow through. It is feared that this agreement will upend in a very dramatic way any possibility of enforcing meaningful gun control, increase the chances of untraceable firearms being smuggled onto planes, and allow for guns to get into the hands of felons, children and terrorists. Please call your members of Congress and demand that they take action to block this ruling which will go into effect Aug. 1.
 
More info
 
Sample Script: I am calling Sen. [Feinstein, Harris], Rep. Carbajal from [zip code] and asking that they take immediate action to block the settlement that the Justice Dept. has made with Defense Distributed.  Allowing for the unrestricted distribution of blueprints for making “ghost guns” available to anyone with a computer and a 3-D printer is a threat to our communities as well as our national security, and can only increase the devastating carnage of gun violence in our country.
 
 
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
 
2. Last chance to Stop Trump’s Gag Rule
 
Title X is the only federal domestic program focused solely on providing family planning and preventive health care services to women with and without insurance. Most users of Title X are uninsured or ineligible for Medicaid. Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has proposed a “gag rule,” that not only would strip Title X funding from clinics and healthcare providers who discuss abortion or make referrals for abortion services, but would impose onerous and expensive requirements on providers – like having a physical and financial separation between Title X programs and abortion services. (By way of reminder, abortion services are never paid for with federal or government dollars.) A new satirical website – brilliantly branded as the Department of  Reproductive Control – lays out the Trump administration’s vision of the future that awaits us, our daughters and granddaughters.
 
While the Department of of Health and Human Services has made it difficult to comment,  Planned Parenthood has a convenient way to post your comments and objections to the “gag rule.” Click here.   
 
More info
 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
 
3. Restricting Science: Scott Pruitt’s Final Bad Idea
 
Under the pretense of transparency, the EPA has proposed a rule to restrict the type and number of human health studies that the EPA can use when forming regulatory policies. This rule will in effect weaken and in some cases block the EPA’s ability to make regulations that protect human health. By requiring that the EPA only consider research that is fully available to the public for review, it will disallow many studies that have been used to address the effects of air pollution, pesticide use and chemical exposure on human health. As many scientists have pointed out, much of this research includes personal health information for thousands of individuals, who agreed to participate only if the details of their lives were kept confidential. For information, see Restricting the Use of Science Under the Guise of Providing Transparency.
Comment here before August 16.
 
More info
 
Sample Script:  Although the proposed rule claims its purpose is to ensure the quality and transparency of the science the EPA uses, the proposal would dramatically reduce the number of human health studies the EPA can use to support development of health-protective regulations, eliminating critically important scientific research from the policy-making process. Researchers typically offer confidentiality to participants, and such health data is legally and ethically required to be kept confidential. Ultimately, the policy’s effect would be to prevent or delay use of important scientific studies by EPA in regulatory decision-making – which would prevent or delay new requirements needed to protect public health. The fact that the policy is aimed solely at EPA shows that the purpose of this proposal is not science transparency; the purpose is to inhibit EPA’s use of science to support regulations.  Published, peer-reviewed health studies are not “secret science.”  I strongly oppose this proposed change.
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3841
San Francisco: (415) 393-0707
Los Angeles: (310) 914-7300
San Diego: (619) 231-9712
Fresno: (559) 485-7430
Email

Senator Kamala Harris
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3553
San Francisco: (415) 355-9041
Los Angeles: (310) 231-4494
San Diego: (619) 239-3884
Sacramento: (916) 448-2787
Fresno: (559) 497-5109
Email

Congressman Salud Carbajal
Santa Barbara: (805) 730-1710
San Luis Obispo: (805) 546-8348
Washington, DC: (202) 225-3601
Email
CALIFORNIA:

Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson
Santa Barbara: (805) 965-0862
Oxnard: (805) 988-1940
Sacramento: (916) 651-4019
Email

Assemblywoman Monique Limon
Santa Barbara: (805) 564-1649
Ventura: (805) 641-3700
Sacramento: (916) 319-2037
Email
The Santa Barbara News-Press, owned by billionaire Wendy McCaw, had fired workers who had attempted to form a union and now owes its former employees $2.2 million. The National Labor Review Board (NLRB) determined that the News-Press actions were illegal and that it had bargained in bad faith.
 
EPA reverses Pruitt-era rule on diesel emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency will now enforce an Obama-era rule that limits diesel truck emissions, reversing one of the final decisions made under former agency chief Scott Pruitt.
 
Good news for California voters who vote by mail: mail-in ballots will now include a pre-paid postage envelope to return your ballot.
 
Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration were handed another stark defeat in their effort to punish sanctuary cities, with a judge declaring a law the administration had been relying on to be unconstitutional.
 
United Airlines is donating flights to reunite immigrant families.
Below is a small selection of local upcoming events. Please go to our Calendar to see all events inviting participation, including a SoCal March on the NRA and voter registration drives in Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley and Simi Valley.

Salud Carbajal Drought-Wildfire Town Hall
Monday, July 30, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
4400 Cathedral Oaks Rd, Santa Barbara

Stand with La Casa Vigil
Monday, July 30, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
601 E Montecito St, Santa Barbara

SURJ Book Club: All the Real Indians Died Off And 20 Other Myths
Monday, July 30, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Fed Up? Show Up! Peace Corner
Friday, August 3, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Carpinteria Ave. & Linden Ave., Carpinteria

Monique Limón’s 1st Annual Fiesta Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, August 4, 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County headquarters, 1025 Castillo St, Santa Barbara

Heart 2 Heart August Group: Sharing Stories of Race and Culture
Sunday, August 5, 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
21 W Anapamu St, Santa Barbara

Pen Connection
Sunday, August 5, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Santa Barbara
This motivated group meets most Sundays to use Indivisible’s action guide in penning letters, mail art and signs to recipients of your choice. Discussion, snacks and writing supplies included.
As a reminder, Indivisible Santa Barbara is part of a national network. Stay connected by visiting the national Indivisible website for information on what other Indivisible groups are doing and for a variety of press and other postings. For example, the Indivisible Blog shared a podcast from FiveThirtyEight, which discussed the tensions within the Democratic Party and the role of the far left moving forward.

We recently introduced a collaboration between the Lost Art of Love Letters and the Immigrant Advocacy Collaborative. The groups have continued to meet from 5:30 pm - 7 pm on Thursdays at Trinity Episcopal Church (State and Micheltorena Streets) to make cards for kids in detainment centers and they welcome participation. Representative Salud Carbajal took a batch of letters to a center in Texas last week and a delivery is planned for San Diego in a few weeks.
 
Copyright © 2018 Indivisible Santa Barbara, All rights reserved.


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