End Private For-Profit Detention Centers
The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that Calliburn’s contract to run the Homestead Detention Center will not be renewed on November 30.
Homestead has been closed for several months, but taxpayers until recently had been paying Calliburn to staff the site at a cost of $720,000 per day, so this is a victory, not only for immigrants and immigration activists, but for taxpayers as well. The center has been put on “warm” status, but the bed capacity has been reduced to zero, and it is unlikely to re-open. Now that we’ve closed Homestead, let’s tell our members of Congress to push for ending all privately operated detention centers and ask them to make sure there are prohibitions for this when the next budget deal is negotiated.
H/T Rogan's List
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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Oppose DNA Collection from Immigrant Detainees
We had been warned that this was coming.
Comments are due in 14 days on the proposed rule from Dept. of Justice on DNA-Sample Collection From Immigration Detainees. We can read it and comment here.
H/T Rogan's List
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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Text with Black Voters Matter
With November 5 almost here , Black Voters Matter will have live texting campaigns from now to Election Day, texting more than 500,000 Black folks in seven states to encourage them to vote and help build electoral power across our communities. We can let Black Voters Matter know what days and times we’re available to text by clicking on this link, and we will receive info on the campaigns for that day.
H/T Rogan's List
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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Support the Proposed Carbon Fee
A bill to impose a fee on carbon and give the revenue directly to households, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 763), is gaining traction in Congress with 68 cosponsors. Call your representatives to tell them to vote yes.
H/T The Nation's Take Action List
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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Pressure Car Companies to Support CA Emission Standards
General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Isuzu, Suzuki, Maserati, McLaren, Aston-Martin, and Ferrari have chosen to side with the administration in a lawsuit challenging California’s right to set lower auto emission standards. In contrast, BMW, Ford, Volkswagen and Honda are siding with California.
Let’s contact these companies and either thank them for being on the side of the environment, or ask them to change their position if they aren’t. And if we currently own their products, let’s make sure to let them know that we will consider their stance on this issue when it’s time for us to buy our next vehicle.
H/T Rogan's List
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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Make a Call for the Safe Communities Act in MA
The Safe Communities Act will have a hearing at the State House in early December. We need to create buzz. Our first request is small. We have a brand-new Phone2Action campaign that makes it easy to create a personalized message to your legislators. Even if you’ve already called/emailed before, can you do it again today, and share the link with your networks?
Here it is. People can also text SAFEMA to 52886 to join the campaign.
Submitted by Kristan Smith-Park, Indivisible Acton
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What You Can Do Now for a Big Blue Wave in Virginia
Picture waking up next Wednesday, after the GOP has narrowly won in Virginia yet again.
Imagine the sinking feeling of knowing we missed a once-in-a-decade chance to put a pro-democracy majority in charge in Virginia and undo years of racial gerrymandering.
Think of the national headlines, and wishing you had done more.
This doesn’t have to be our reality. Democrats can flip Virginia on Tuesday.
It’s going to be close, and it’ll take every one of us doing what we can to help. Even if you haven't been able to volunteer so far, there's still time to make an impact on the most important weekend of this election.
There is so much you can do to help!
- Knock doors with Swing Left Greater Boston in Sheila Bynum-Coleman's district, just south of Richmond (just an 8 hour drive). Or join Swing Left to knock doors in other parts of Virginia
- Tell friends, family, and colleagues, about the Swing Left bus from DC or the Sister District bus from NYC
- Make phone calls from home, phone bank with Sister District, or host a phone bank
- Donate. It's not too late to combat negative attack ads.
Everything you need is right here.
Let's win this!
#SwingLeft, #IVolunteered, #AllinforVA, #flipVAblue
Submitted by L. Plato, Swing Left Greater Boston
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Urge Sen. Markey to File the We the People Amendment
An email from We the People Massachusetts.
Given Senator Ed Markey's strong record of taking on corporate abuses, he is the senator who should file the We the People Amendment in the U.S. Senate.
Our leaders from all over Massachusetts met in person with Senator Markey on October 3 and discussed with him why he should file and lead the charge for the constitutional amendment proposal that will actually lead to real change: ending big money in politics and corporate use of constitutional rights. We also gave him signatures from 2,500 residents who are asking him to take this leadership.
Senator Ed Markey is now considering this.
So please phone him today: Markey's DC office phone number is 202-224-2742
If you called him before on this, please call again! Experts tell us that phone calls make a bigger impact than emails.
You can say to his staff:
"I am a Massachusetts voter. It is important to me that Senator Markey file the We the People Amendment in the Senate. I know he is considering it and I urge him to take this leadership because action on all the issues I care about is being blocked by corporate power and big money in politics."
Then if you make this call, please report back so we can track the number of calls. Send a quick email to: Info@WtPMass.org
Submitted by Denise Falbo, Indivisible Canton
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Women in Democracy Dedham Plan Events
In advance of the Dedham Town Meeting in November and the upcoming election season, Women in Democracy Dedham (WINDD) is hosting several events and workshops to provide information for anyone interested in understanding and getting more involved in town government.
Local Government 101: How You Can Make a Difference will be held on Tuesday, November 5, from 7:00 PM 9:00 PM at the Endicott Estate at 656 East Street.
In this free event, we'll help you understand:
- The role of Town Meeting and other boards and committees in Dedham
- Issues Town Meeting will discuss this Fall
- How to work with our local government about the issues you care about
- The basics of the election process
Refreshments will be served. The last half hour will be reserved for networking so you can meet neighbors and talk to representatives who are serving on Town Meeting and in other elected positions.
This event is free and open to the public! Please reserve a seat to help us plan appropriately.
Local Government 101: Getting Elected or Appointed will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at the Endicott Estate at 656 East Street in Dedham. Please save the date and stay tuned for more details on the program!
Also, be sure to check us out on Facebook or Instagram each week to see a calendar of town meetings and community events!
You can email us with questions and suggestions at winddedham@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you (at our events and on the ballot) soon!
Hosted by Women in Democracy-Dedham (WINDD), a non-partisan organization committed to engaging more women in local politics and educating the public about local government. WINDD supports voters and candidates by providing information and resources through our events and workshops.
Submitted by Trish Boyden, Indivisible Canton
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Indivisible Acton Area Hosts Speakers at November Meeting
Come hear inspiring speakers and then join us for take-action breakouts at Indivisible Acton Area’s November General Meeting. Representative Tami Gouveia will be our guest speaker presenting on Universal Basic Income (UBI) and H.1632. Alex Howlett, host of the Boston Basic Income discussion group, will also join us.
Social half hour starts at 6:30 PM and the meeting starts at 7 PM. We look forward to seeing you!
Day Monday, November 4
Time 6:30 PM - 8:45 PM
Place Acton Memorial Library
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Voter Registration in Maine: Final Days
Swing Left Greater Boston has registered well over 1,000 voters since June.
Join us on Wednesday, November 6 to register voters at colleges in Lewiston and Auburn.
Learn more and RSVP here.
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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Coalition for Social Justice to Speak to Dems, Indivisibles in Canton
Indivisible Canton joins the Canton Democratic Town Committee to hear from two speakers from the Coalition for Social Justice (CSJ) about legislation currently being considered in the State House.
- The Work and Family Mobility Act, which would permit all qualified residents regardless of immigration status to apply for and receive a standard state license
- The Fair Share Amendment, which would impose a 4 percent income tax surcharge on annual income beyond $1 million
The speakers are Maria Fortes, CSJ's New Bedford Organizer, and Anabel Santiago, CSJ's Regional Coordinator.
Day Thursday, November 7
Time 7:00 PM
Place Community Room at Canton Public Library
Submitted by Denise Falbo, Indivisible Canton
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"Suppressed: The Fight to Vote" Film in Chatham
Lower Cape Indivisible is screening the powerful documentary, "Suppressed: The Fight to Vote," at the Chatham Orpheum Theater, with all proceeds to benefit Fair Fight, a national campaign led by Stacey Abrams to build voter protections in 20 states.
"Suppressed: The Fight to Vote" weaves together personal stories from voters across the state of Georgia to paint an undeniable picture of voter suppression in the 2018 midterm election where Stacey Abrams fought to become the first Black female governor in the U.S. Polling place closures, voter purges, missing absentee ballots, extreme wait times, and a host of voter ID issues disproportionately prevented many students and people of color from casting their ballots. The film shows that the basic constitutional right to vote continues to be under siege in America, and that this will continue into 2020 unless we act.
Pre-film conversation and refreshments are available (for sale) in lobby.
The film will be followed by guest speaker Attorney Rashaan D, Hall, Director, Racial Justice Program for the ACLU Massachusetts. Atty. Hall will speak to the audience by Skype on the ACLU's advocacy approach to racial justice issues that deeply impact communities of color and historically disenfranchised communities.
RSVP here, and donate to Fair Fight here.
Day Saturday, November 9
Time 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Place Chatham Orpheum Theater, 637 Main Street, Chatham
Submitted by Fran Schofield, Lower Cape Indivisible: United in Hope
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Meet Rep. Abigail Spanberger (VA 07) in Lincoln, Newton, or Rockport
Meet one of the women changing the face of Congress! Force Multiplier is sponsoring fundraisers to support the re-election of Abigail and help Hold the House.
Abigail has always been committed to public service. Most of her career has been as a CIA operative under both Republican and Democratic administrations where “My most useful skill was listening.” Abigail describes her political stance as one of “passionate pragmatism” and she is one of the “Security Democrats” whose Washington Post op-ed was crucial in launching the House impeachment inquiry.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger is the first woman to represent her House district and the first Democrat to do so in 47 years. She won by only 2% in 2018. She needs our help to hold onto that Blue seat.
Come meet Rep. Spanberger at one of these events!
Lincoln
With special guest Rep. Katherine Clark.
RSVP and donate here.
Day Sunday, November 10
Time 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Place Home of Larry and Sarah Cannon Holden, 60 Weston Road, Lincoln
Newton (Waban)
RSVP and donate here.
Day Sunday, November 10
Time 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Place Home of Laurel Leff and Jeremy Paul, 1548 Beacon Street, Waban
Rockport
Live stream of the Newton event, with special guest Rep. Seth Moulton.
RSVP and donate here.
Day Sunday, November 10
Time 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Place 8 Andrews Hollow, Rockport
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Climate Change Discussion in Andover
Are you worried about climate change, but don’t know how you can help to address it?
On November 19, Greater Andover Indivisible (GAI) and WECAN (Working to Educate for Climate Action Now) will co-sponsor a meeting to discuss some of the strategies for tackling climate change at the national and local levels.
Guest speakers Claire Teylouni and Nolan O’Brien from Senator Ed Markey’s office will give us a presentation on the Green New Deal, the congressional resolution that lays out an ambitious plan for tackling climate change on a national level.
Next, Carol Oldham, Executive Director of the MA Climate Action Network (MCAN), will introduce us to a state program known as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), and explain why CCA is one of the best ways for an entire community to cut its carbon emissions overnight.
Following these presentations, Andover’s Deputy Town Manager, Michael Lindstrom, will discuss a plan in the works to bring CCA to Andover.
Finally, GAI and WECAN will provide some ways to support state and local efforts to address climate change and make us more sustainable.
Doors open at 6:30 PM for signing in and socializing, and the meeting will begin promptly at 6:45 PM. Your beverage, snack, or dessert contributions are always appreciated!
Please join us. All are welcome!
RSVP here.
Day Tuesday, November 19
Time 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Place Parish Hall, Christ Church, 25 Central Street, Andover
Submitted by David Kronman, Indivisible Andover
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Online Action Network 101: Data
Learn how to migrate and manage your data in Action Network! We'll dive into tags and custom fields (and when to use each) and go through the process of uploading a list. Can't attend at this time? RSVP anyway! Action Network will send out a recording in a follow-up email.
RSVP here.
Day Thursday, November 7
Time 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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Final Canvass with the Maine Dems
The Cook Political Report is now calling Susan Collins’ Senate seat a toss-up! We can win that seat, but we have to work for it.
Want to help defeat Susan Collins and take control of the Senate away from Mitch McConnell? Join Swing Left Greater Boston in southern Maine!
We'll be helping the Maine Dems gather critical data. Are voters inclined to vote for or against Collins? What issues will sway their decision? This information will help shape the Dems’ campaign strategy in the months ahead.
- Canvass Saturday, November 9 in Biddeford, Maine
- Canvass Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10 in Kennebunk, Maine. Overnight on Saturday at a charming AirBnB and enjoy a fun activity on Sunday. It is a holiday weekend, so Monday off!
Want to learn more about canvassing in Maine? Join us for a training webinar Monday, November 4 at 7:00 PM.
To learn more, go to https://swingleftboston.org/maine-matters-mass-mobilizes/ or contact Paula Joseph (paula@josephemail.net).
Carpools are available.
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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Online Action Network 102: Actions
Engage your activists while building your list through petitions, events, letter campaigns, and more! The 102 training walks through how to create, manage, and customize actions. Can't attend at this time? RSVP anyway! Action Network will send out a recording in a follow-up email.
RSVP here.
Day Thursday, November 14
Time 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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Online Webinar: Learn Person-to-Person Fundraising
Raising money for progressive candidates is the most effective thing you can do to flip the Senate (and hang onto the House) in 2020. Learn how to make a personal pitch to friends, family, and colleagues.
The training will take you from where you are (“I hate to ask for money”) to where you need to go (“Using a data-driven approach, I developed my own thought-out dialogue for making a personal ask” – an actual comment from a training participant.)
31st Street Swing Left raised more than $1,024,000 for Congressional and Senate races in 2018. As of October 1, they have raised more than $242,000+ for the 2019 Virginia legislative races.
This training will be conducted by Lynn Fletcher, Mary Pence, and Lisa Herrick, who head up the fundraising component of 31st Street Swing Left, a chapter based in the DC/MD/VA area. Learn from the pros at 31st Street Swing Left!
Learn more and RSVP here.
Donate here.
Day Wednesday, November 20
Time 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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Online Action Network 103: Email
Join Action Network for a monthly deep dive into sending emails! We'll cover targeting and personalizing emails, deliverability, and more. Can't attend at this time? RSVP anyway! Action Network will send out a recording in a follow-up email.
RSVP here.
Day Thursday, November 21
Time 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Submitted by L. Plato, Action Network
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NEWS FROM the BERKSHIRES to BOSTON
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Links to Local News From Around MA
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Get this free audio version of the whistleblower complaint.
This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West
By Christopher Ketcham
A hard-hitting look at the battle now raging over the fate of the public lands in the American West and a plea for the protection of these last wild places
The Mueller Report
Looking for some light summer reading or listening? Here are ways to read the Mueller Report so that you know exactly what is at stake.
Here are a couple of ways to get a quick overview:
- Read or listen to Mueller's Executive Summaries: the 10-page summary of Volume I, which deals with Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and its interactions with the Trump Campaign, and the 6-page summary of Volume II which focuses on the obstruction of justice portion of the Investigation.
- Watch Mueller's televised statement (<10 minutes) or read it here.
H/T Indivisible Acton Area newsletter
Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right
by Jane Mayer
One of the New York Times best books of the year.
Who are the immensely wealthy right-wing ideologues shaping the fate of America today? From the bestselling author of The Dark Side, an electrifying work of investigative journalism that uncovers the agenda of this powerful group.
In her new preface, Jane Mayer discusses the results of the most recent election and Donald Trump's victory, and how, despite much discussion to the contrary, this was a huge victory for the billionaires who have been pouring money in the American political system.
Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America
by Nancy MacLean
“[A] vibrant intellectual history of the radical right . . . [MacLean] has dug deep into her material—not just Buchanan’s voluminous, unsorted papers, but other archives, too—and she has made powerful and disturbing use of it all. . . . The behind-the-scenes days and works of Buchanan show how much deliberation and persistence—in the face of formidable opposition—underlie the anti-governing politics ascendant today. What we think of as dysfunction is the result of years of strategic effort.” —The Atlantic
The People Are Going to Rise Like the Waters Upon Your Shore: A Story of American Rage
by Jared Yates Sexton
A first-hand account of the events that shaped the 2016 presidential election and the cultural forces that powered Donald Trump into the White House.
“Sexton grapples with the Trump campaign from the perspective of the crowds reveling in the candidate’s presence and message. It is a useful vantage point given the increasingly blatant bigotry in the months since the election.” —The Washington Post
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life
by Eric Klinenberg
Eric Klinenberg is a professor of sociology and director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. In this book, he focuses on how social infrastructure can help fight inequality, polarization, and the decline of civic life. "In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg offers a new perspective on what people and places have to do with each other, by looking at the social side of our physical spaces." —New York Times
Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History
by Kurt Andersen
“The single most important explanation, and the fullest explanation, of how Donald Trump became president of the United States . . . nothing less than the most important book that I have read this year.”—Lawrence O’Donnell
How Democracies Die
by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
Both authors are Professors of Government at Harvard University. Based on years of research into the breakdown of democracies in Europe and Latin America, the authors present a deep understanding of how and why democracies die; an alarming analysis of how democracy is being subverted today in the US and beyond; and a guide for maintaining and repairing a threatened democracy, for governments, political parties and individuals.
Fascism: A Warning
by Madeleine Albright
A personal and urgent examination of fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today’s world, written by one of America’s most admired public servants, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state. #1 New York Times Bestseller.
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Running for Office? Let Us Know!
While Indivisible-MA may not do any candidate endorsements this year, we can let other Indivisibles across the state know about your race. Use this form to tell us about your candidacy. Thank you for stepping up!
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Submit Items to the Mass Action Newsletter
Submit any events you would like to place in our online calendar and this newsletter using the this form.
Or use this form to tell us about your recent activities or current issues.
Please include a picture of your fellow activists if you have one.
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Keep in Touch - Join Us on Slack
MA Indivisibles have a place to chat and share events and ideas on Slack. If you're not familiar with Slack, don't worry, it's easy to use. Ask your group leader to send you an invitation.
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Give a Little to Keep Indivisible Growing
Both the national organization and local groups are building tools and infrastructure so that we can coordinate to have a stronger voice here in Massachusetts as well as nationally as we carry this work forward to the 2020 elections. This all takes a bit of cash. Please donate to the national organization or to your local group to help us continue this work.
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Our Mission
The Indivisible mission is to fuel a progressive grassroots network of local groups to resist the Trump Agenda.
Indivisible Massachusetts is a consortium of leaders from more than 250 local Massachusetts Indivisible groups, working together to bring our groups together for events and to leverage our numbers to make our efforts more effective.
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