Whitney Bauck at The Guardian has a great feature on Climate Cabinet:
... an organization focused on supporting pro-climate candidates in under-the-radar races at the state or city level. Climate Cabinet uses data science to comb through the more than 500,000 public offices that US citizens have the opportunity to vote on every cycle, identifies candidates who could make a real impact on the climate, and offers them financial and policy support.
Climate Cabinet has had extraordinary impact by getting climate-aware candidates elected at local levels where they can make a huge difference:
“There has been so much focus on national politics in the last decade that people are missing really monumental decisions that are happening at the local level. The nine members of the Naperville city council have a major impact on one of the 10 largest greenhouse gas generators in the country,” said Holzhauer. “We’ve had two elections the last four years, and both of those elections were decided by under 60 votes.”
Bauck makes an important point about how this approach isn't limited to climate issues:
Though Climate Cabinet’s approach is focused specifically on climate, its focus on using local offices to advance action offers a blueprint for anyone looking for ways to make progress in a challenging political moment. Holzhauer, the city council member from Naperville, said he saw local government as a “lab” where leaders can try out policies that can sometimes go on to influence broader policy, citing two separate bans Naperville passed on assault weapons and puppy mills – both of which Illinois eventually decided to implement statewide.
It's a great article, well worth a read. It reminds me how much change can happen all over the country, even when the federal government is dismissing the needs of the people.
Virginia news station 29 News reports on a town hall in Charlottesville, VA, sponsored by Indivisible:
Roughly 1,000 people from the area filled up Charlottesville High School’s Performing Arts Center, with attendees including Democrat State Representatives from the area, Charlottesville City Councilors, and Albemarle County Supervisors.
Those participating took turns asking “questions” to McGuire, who was not there. In his place, a full-sized cardboard cut-out of the Congressman.
Some of the most common concerns shared included cuts to federal funding, with many calling for McGuire to take a stronger stance against President Trump’s actions.
Most of all, the people there wanted to be able to voice concerns to their Congressman.
People in Republican districts are angry about cuts to federal funding, and they're asking questions and making their voices heard.
Things you can do:
Call your reps and ask them to hold a town hall.
If your rep has recently held a town hall, contact their office and thank them.
Look for organizations in your town or state to discuss requesting a meeting with your representative.
On April 19, large protests took place in cities across the USA - Washington, New York, Chicago - and states like Rhode Island, Maryland, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, California, and Pennsylvania. Americans abroad also signaled their opposition to the Trump agenda in Dublin and other cities.
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction after finding that an executive order by President Trump and a State Department policy prohibiting updates to sex designations on passports is likely unconstitutional and in violation of the law. The preliminary injunction requires the State Department to allow six transgender and nonbinary people to obtain passports with sex designations consistent with their gender identity while the lawsuit proceeds. Though the court order applies only to six of the plaintiffs in the case, the plaintiffs plan to quickly file a motion asking the court to certify a class of people affected by the State Department policy and to extend the preliminary injunction to that entire class.
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen was able to meet with Kilmar Ábrego García, who was sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador despite a government order that he could not be sent there. Authorities in El Salvador originally refused to allow the meeting, but Sen. Van Hollen persisted.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont ruled that Rümeysa Öztürk’s challenge to her unconstitutional detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should continue in Vermont and that the government should transfer her back to a facility in Vermont no later than May 1.
Harvard University responded to a slew of illegal demands to "audit" the viewpoints of Harvard students, faculty, and staff by refusing to comply and defending the students' and faculty's right to free speech and free thought, despite the administration's threat to illegally withhold Congressionally-mandated funds.
Harvard University professors are suing to block the Trump administration’s review of nearly $9bn in federal contracts and grants. The Harvard faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the national arm of the academic organization said in a lawsuit filed on Friday in a Boston federal court that the administration was trying to unlawfully undermine academic freedom and free speech on the school’s campus.
The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court defeated a challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, touting her victory as a win against powerful interests and cementing a liberal majority for at least three more years.
Check out Mobilize to find protests, postcard-writing parties, virtual events, and volunteer opportunities.
Action is the antidote to fear and despair.
Even doing small things - learning more about how we can strengthen our democracy, sharing what you know with others, making a phone call - can make a difference.
