Take Action
Congress must act to #ReleaseTheFullReport
Attorney General William Barr released his summary of the Mueller report. Celeste Pewter has this short list of things to do next:
- Continuing to push for Congress to get the full report
- Continuing to push for the public to receive a declassified version of the report
- Supporting the call by House Judiciary to call Barr to testify
- Support the call by some in the Senate to call on Mueller to testify
- Try not to focus too much on the pundits
Tell your state representative to vote for Medicaid expansion in the House budget on Wednesday
Medicaid expansion is an item that tops Indivisible Austin’s list of #txlege priorities this session. Round Rock-area Rep. John Bucy is a House leader on Medicaid expansion this session. Along with Rep. Celia Israel (HB 590 and HJR 40) and Sen. Nathan Johnson (SB 524 and SJR 34), Rep. Bucy (HB 840 and HJR 46) has filed legislation for a constitutional amendment ballot measure to all the people to vote to expand Medicaid.
Rep. Bucy has also pre-filed a Medicaid expansion amendment to the House budget (HB 1), which will be debated on Wednesday, March 27.
Call your #txlege House rep Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday with the following messages:
- It’s unacceptable that Texas has the highest rate and number of uninsured, including children
- It’s criminal that state leaders have refused for 6 years to accept Medicaid expansion funds to expand coverage to as many as 1 million uninsured Texans
- Several polls have shown that at least two-thirds of Texans support Medicaid expansion
- Please vote FOR Rep. Bucy’s budget amendment for Medicaid expansion
Need to find your rep’s contact info? >> Who Represents Me?
Join the HB 1 Watch Party Wednesday in the House gallery at the Capitol and you might get a cool t-shirt courtesy of Bumperactive! >> Event info
Tell your state senator to oppose SB9
Indivisible Austin joined Texas Civil Rights Project and other grassroots groups in signing a letter to the Texas Legislature opposing SB9, which would have devastating consequences for our democracy.
From Texas Civil Rights Project:
“It’s already difficult to cast a vote in Texas, thanks to our archaic voting system and State-imposed hurdles between voters and their ballots. SB9 would turn honest mistakes in the voting process into felonies.”
Here is some of what SB9 would do:
- Prosecute volunteers outside polling places for vaguely worded ordinance against impeding walkways
- Deter volunteers helping non-English speakers cast their ballots
- Impose harsh sentences on people who mistakenly believe they are eligible to vote, even if they only cast a provisional ballot that is not counted
Read the full letter from Texas Civil Rights Project
How your voices are making a difference
- The commandant of the marines chastised Donny’s sending troops to the southern border for his made-up national emergency
- Retired UT professor Karen Uhlenbeck is the first woman to win the international Abel Prize for math
- In a direct response to mass protests led by activists, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo announced they will no longer fund private prisons
More ways your voices are making a difference
Events
Wednesday, March 27
Deeds Advocacy Day
Hosted by Deeds Not Words
Our Generation Z #Changemakers are working to ensure that Women achieve Freedom from sexual assault, realize Economic opportunity, and Menstrual equity. They’re also fighting for the right to be healthy – from access to Reproductive Rights to Maternal Health improvements. We hope you’ll become one of our #Changemakers and join the fight at our Advocacy Day on March 27th!
RSVP at: https://sign.deedsactionfund.org/advocacyday/
Tuesday, April 2
Texas Gun Sense Advocacy Day
Hosted by Texas Gun Sense
Now is the time for gun safety in Texas.
Agenda
7:30AM Press conference live stream
8:30AM Presentation in banquet room
10:00AM to Noon Group visits to key legislators around the capitol
Immunize Texas Rally Day
Hosted by Immunize Texas
Join your fellow pro-vaccine, pro-science, anti-disease advocates at the State Capitol to rally for pro-vaccine public policy and legislation! We must make our voices heard and send the message that we want to keep our communities protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Thursday, April 11
Planned Parenthood Texas Lobby Day
Hosted by Planned Parenthood Texas Votes & others
Join 1,000 fellow Planned Parenthood advocates at the State Capitol to rally for reproductive rights and talk to our legislators about the top issues impacting women’s health care. Together, we will make our voices heard and take a stand for access to confidential, expert, and comprehensive reproductive care for all Texans. No matter what.
Congress Critter of the Month: John Carter
Photo: Christine Eady Mann
Rep. John Carter held two town halls last week, in Hutto and Leander. Our correspondent Felicia M. Miyakawa was there.
The town hall itself was a typical question-and-answer format. I expected that his staff would pre-screen questions, but this was not the case. Congressman Carter took questions for about an hour, and it was my impression that everyone who wanted to ask a question was able to do so. He opened with a statement about being there to learn from us and to have real conversation. Unfortunately, each time he was asked a question that did not conform to his worldview, his responses devolved into partisan pivots and whataboutism.
Read “That Time Rep. John Carter held a town hall in Hutto,” by Felicia M Miyakawa
Funding the Fight
Important, essential things are happening here in the Texas at the legislature, and we need you to be with us on expanding Medicaid and protecting voting rights.
But let’s be honest you’re probably thinking about the Mueller Report. What has changed though?
Yes, the escape hatch from this presidency that we all hoped would appear didn’t, but deep down, we knew that the authoritarians in the Senate would almost certainly do nothing to protect this country no matter what the report said.
But whose mind has been changed? Who had doubts yesterday that have suddenly been wiped away?
No one.
It is up to us to get ourselves and our country out of this, as it always has been, at the ballot box and working in our communities. It’s up to us. Be a part of the work. Support Indivisible Austin.
Your Moment of Zen
For those of us old enough to remember the original Grumpy Cat, this whole thread is pretty amazing.
Earlier this month, @hannahjdotca alerted me to the existence of this weird novelty calendar with a cat in front of an old HP computer. I couldn’t help but grabbing it and scanning it all. pic.twitter.com/RhDh6MZnDz
— Marcin Wichary (@mwichary) March 18, 2019