INDIVISIBLE CEDAR MILL OREGON
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OUR MISSION: Rebuild and maintain a progressive majority in every level of government – federal, state and local.
January 12, 2018
Day 356 of 1461 days
Dear Co-defendants –
Once more to the battle!!!
Hickory, Dickory, DACA
With both houses of Congress now back in session, the main topics of contention are DACA, CHIP and the budget, and all are closely entangled with one another. The government is set to run out of operating funds on January 19, and it appears that there is no way a budget will actually be legislated this year at all. So, that leaves a series of Continuing Resolutions (CRs) as the only way out. This gives the Democrats a convincing hand to get some of their priorities considered.
Both parties want something done on DACA, although there is considerable opposition to it in the House with the Freedom Caucus going full nationalist. The Circuit Court of Appeals in California has issued a stay on enforcing the Trumpian executive order. So far there has been no immediate appeal of that decision to the Supreme Court, indicating that the administration thinks something will be worked out.
And something will be worked out on DACA, and with the Appeals Court injunction, the timeline has become less critical. The only question is how much will have to be given to keep the administration happy on border security. They are currently looking at a compromise number between $1.8 and $3.0 billion dineros, far short of what Trump would like for the wall.
CHIP funding is more critical than DACA right now, and that will likely be covered with whatever CR is employed to get around the funding crisis.
See Calls to Action for some suggestions on these issues.
House Resignations and the 2018 Election
With Darrell Issa’s decision to opt out of the 2018 elections, that brings the number of Republicans resigning from the House to thirty. Fifteen Democrats have also decided to get out. The Republican resignations should help in our effort to get control of the House in 2018. But, the majority of these resignees come from districts where Donald J Trump won by 15 or more points, so there are few slam dunks here. Much depends – everything depends – on the amount of damage Trump has done to his support from the run-of-the-mill Republican voters.
Watch next Tuesday’s special election in Pennsylvania to get some insight into these possible changes in Trump support. Conor Lamb (D) and Rick Saccone (R) will square off for the House seat of the disgraced Tim Murphy. Both Trump and Pence, along with others, will be making appearances in the district to support Saccone. Trump won this district by 20 points in 2016, and, despite a majority of Democratic voters, the district has gone Republican in the last three elections. A win by Democrat Lamb would put the fear of a wrathful, just and watchful God into Republican circles. And would put unrestrained joy into our hearts!!!
Your Senators’ Town Halls
Senator Jeff Merkley will be hosting a Town Hall for Multnomah County at 7:00 PM on Sunday, January 14, 2018. Location: Parkrose High School Gym, 12003 NE Shaver Street, Portland OR 97220
Not to be outdone, Senator Ron Wyden will have a Town Hall on Saturday, January 20, 2018, at Portland Community College’s Rock Creek Campus in the Event Center at Building 9. Location : 17705 NW Springville Road, Portland OR
CALLS TO ACTION
Call Senators Merkley and Wyden and Representative Suzanne Bonamici to urge them to fund CHIP and to support DACA without giving Trump funds for a border wall. In fact, tell them that a border wall is a non-starter, although they will have to relent a bit on personnel and hardware funding to get Republican support.
Senator Ron Wyden – 202-224-5244
Senator Jeff Merkley – 202-224-3753
Representative Suzanne Bonamici – 202-225-0855
MONTHLY MEETING
The meeting is set for Monday, February 12, at 1750 NW 131st, 97229. Doors open at 6:30PM and the meeting starts promptly at 7:30 PM. Refreshments, both adult and juvenile will be provided along with a few tasty snacks.
L’audace, encore l’audace, et toujours l’audace!
Thank you.
John Fox