Friday Actions: Stephen Miller, Gun Safety, Fair Maps, and More

****Actions 11/15/2019****

STATE:

Fair Maps:
Our ongoing gerrymandering takes its latest turn today, a twist as sharp as some of the district lines the GOP likes to draw. The NC senate will be voting on the new Congressional map today. The map is still an 8-5 gerrymander with no swing districts, so it’s only marginally an improvement in terms of numbers but in terms of principle (having competitive districts where the representatives actually have to work for our votes), it’s actually worse. There are Call your NC senators and tell them to demand more competitive and more representative maps. The senate will be in session and discussing the maps, so if you can show up, please do so.

Aylett’s update:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220269018373131&set=a.1475917695432&type=3&theater

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FEDERAL:

Gun Safety:
There was another mass shooting at a high school on Thursday. Two more young people have died senselessly because of the GOP leadership’s absolute cowardice in the face of the NRA. The House has passed three bills that would reduce access to dangerous guns for people who should not have them. They have passed expanded background checks, reductions in high-capacity magazines, and more. The Senate needs to bring up these bills and vote to protect its citizens. CT Sen Richard Blumenthal was actually on the Senate floor debating HR 8 when news about the mass shooting was passed along to him. He then attempted to get HR 8 passed by unanimous consent, but MS Republican Cindy hyde-Smith blocked it. Our lax gun laws are making us unsafe and creating a generation of kids and young adults who constantly live in fear. It’s time to fix this.

Details:
https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/senator-finds-school-shooting-gun-control-debate

Script:
[Senate only] Hello, my name is ________ and I am a constituent from ____________. I am calling to urge Sen. ____________ to support HR 8 and the two other gun safety bills recently passed by the House. We need expanded background checks and to ban high-capacity magazines. We also need to ban assault-style weapons. Thank you.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972

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Demand Stephen Miller’s Resignation:
Stephen Miller is the author of Trump’s immigration and refugee policies. His history of expressing sympathy with white nationalists was not exactly a secret, but recently leaked emails show that he was coordinating with white nationalist website Breibrat and that he had privately expressed views that are explicitly promoting a white nationalist viewpoint. This also includes his practice of relying on data produced by the Center for Immigration Studies, a right-leaning think tank, to shape policy at the White House. He is toxic to our democracy. He needs to go. Our Congressional representatives need to speak out against him (PS: I’m guessing our Democratic reps have, so this is really for our GOP reps).

Details:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/us/politics/immigration-trump.html

Script:
Hello, my name is ___________ and I am a constituent from ______________. I am calling to urge Rep./Sen. ______________ to demand the resignation or firing of Trump advisor Stephen Miller. We now have compelling evidence that Miller is coordinating with white nationalist organizations including VDare, Breitbart, and the Center for Immigration Studies. Miller needs to go immediately, and I want Sen./Rep. ____________ to speak out against him.

Federal Contact Numbers:
Thom Tillis: DC: (202) 224-6342
Richard Burr DC: (202) 224-3154
Tim Scott (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-6121
Lindsey Graham (SC): Washington, DC: 202-224-5972
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/

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VOTING RIGHTS:

Spread the Word about Voter ID:
As you no doubt know, North Carolina voters will be required to show ID when they vote in the 2020 elections. There is a LOT of confusion about what IDs will count, and even some inconsistencies for certain institutions. From what I can glean, some school IDs will allow students to vote, some will allow employees to vote, and some will allow both students and employees to vote using school-issued IDs. For Fayetteville State, for example, student IDs won’t be considered valid, but employee IDs will (which makes NO sense, but also makes perfect sense). This is sure to sow chaos and confusion, which, of course, is the point. Please start spreading the word to all your friends, especially college students and people who may not have a driver’s license or passport and tell them to make sure they have proper ID when they vote in the general elections in 2020.

Voter ID Info:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voter-id