We are six weeks in with #45. This week we learned that healthcare is complicated, there is hot lava in the oval office and celebrating our first amendment rights is not a priority. This is also the first week #45 acting mildly presidential when addressing Congress. Maybe he’s getting the hint? Ha! We shall see.
Here’s my weekly roundup of articles, food for thought, ways to take action, ongoing resources and lighter stuff to keep sane. You can take a look back at week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4 and week 5.
As per usual, I hope you will take the time to read and understand what’s going on and then take some action that goes beyond sharing a Facebook post or sending an email. If you have something to add, please do so via a comment.
I will continue to do this for as long as necessary. We can’t look away.
Read
- Underground network readies homes to hide undocumented immigrants (CNN, Feb. 23, 2017)
- Trump admin rescinds plan to reduce private prison use (The Hill, Feb. 23, 2017)
- Trump just said he can’t ‘find a country where we actually do well.’ We just did. (Washington Post, Feb. 23, 2017)
- Bannon Admits Trump’s Cabinet Nominees Were Selected To Destroy Their Agencies. (Daily Kos, Feb. 23, 2017)
- [Vermont] Senate passes bill to limit Trump’s executive orders (Vermont Press Bureau, Feb. 24, 2017)
- Trump Intensifies His Attacks on Journalists and Condemns F.B.I. ‘Leakers’ (New York Times, Feb. 24, 2017)
- Trump Will Be First President In 36 Years To Skip White House Correspondents’ Dinner (NPR, Feb. 25, 2017)
- Bush breaks with Trump, calls media ‘indispensable to democracy’ (Politico, Feb. 27, 2017)
- Twitter EXPLODES After Sean Spicer’s Hunt For Leakers Is Leaked (Occupy Democrats, Feb. 27, 2017)
- Trump: ‘Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated’ (MSNBC, Feb. 27, 2017)
- 229 House Republicans just voted to keep Trump’s tax returns secret (Think Progress, Feb. 27, 2017)
- Betsy DeVos Makes A Joke About ‘Free Lunch’ – Twitter Reminds Her Why It’s Not Funny (Scary Mommy, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump signs bill reversing Obama rule to ban gun purchases by mentally ill (USA Today, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump Greeted The Nation’s Governors By Welcoming Them ‘And Their Wives’ (Huffington Post, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump finally says why he will skip the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (Huffington Post, Feb. 28, 2017)
- President Trump suggests anti-Semitic threats across U.S. are coming from within Jewish community (New York Daily News, Feb. 28, 2017)
- House Democratic women are wearing white — a symbol of women’s suffrage — to Trump’s speech (Vox, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump’s Tribute to a Slain Navy SEAL Was Crassly Manipulative (Slate, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump critic Van Jones: ‘One of the most extraordinary moments you have ever seen in American politics, period’ (Washington Post, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Fact Check: Trump’s First Address to Congress (New York Times, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Trump Has ‘Total’ Confidence in Sessions; Lawmakers Seek Recusal (New York Times, Mar. 2, 2017)
- Trump transition team canceled plan for ethics training for staff: report (Mar. 2, 2017)
Food for Thought
- Pope Francis’ Guide to Lent: What You Should Give Up This Year (Time, Feb. 18, 2017)
- Trans Kids Are In Danger. It’s Our Job To Protect Them. (Huffington Post, Feb. 23, 2017)
- It’s Time to Start Calling Evangelicals What They Are: The American Taliban (Medium, Feb. 23, 2017)
- This Is What Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Doing To School Kids (Huffington Post, Feb. 27, 2017)
- ‘Staying Out Of Politics’ Or ‘Not Caring’ About Politics Is Not A Thing Unless You’re Privileged (Scary Mommy, Mar. 1, 2017)
Take Action
- Send a letter and tell Congress we can’t cut foreign aid. (via ONE)
- Add your name to pledge to be a part of People Power, ACLU’s new grassroots organizing arm.
- How to find town hall meetings (CNN, Feb. 10, 2017)
- Do These 10 Things, And Trump Will Be Toast (Huffington Post, Feb. 21, 2017)
- Get involved with A Day Without a Women on International Women’s Day
- Join the United State of Women
- Make 5 Calls
- Take action on CREDO
- Pay attention to Indivisible’s Action Calendar
- Run for office:
- She Should Run
- Running Start
- Emerge America (many states, like Maine, have their own local programs)
Ongoing Resources
- What The Fuck Just Happened Today?
- Trump Human Rights Tracker
- ACLU Action Page
- Countable
- Presterity
- New and Guts
- Trump archive
Now stop, take a few breaths and enjoy these last fun articles and videos.
- President Hillary Rodham Clinton NEWS FROM THE REAL AMERICA, WHERE THE MAJORITY RULES (hillarybeattrump.org)
- Kellyanne Conway’s Ultra-Casual Oval Office Photo Is Already A Weird New Meme (Huffington Post, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Kellyanne Conway Gotta Get Her Feet Off That Couch (Awesomely Luvvie, Feb. 28, 2017)
- Donald Trump’s Call For Millions To Rally Fizzles (Huffington Post, Feb. 28, 2017)
