Action Alerts – Week of Sept 25th – CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity Coalition members and supporters:
Please find below the weekly action alerts from our legislative action team.

First, a few informational items from our state legislative action team:

· CNY Solidarity voted overwhelmingly to oppose the Constitutional Convention on Sept. 19; in fact we reached consensus. To spread the word, we recommend getting a yard sign, available for $2 apiece here: https://mac.nysut.org/resources-and-links

· CNY Solidarity voted overwhelmingly to support the community grid option for I-81 replacement on Sept. 10; in fact we reached consensus. To learn more about it you can go here: http://rethink81.org/. The coalition will be signing on to this website to show our support & you can, too. Please sign on to show your support for the community grid—the only option that addresses racial equity, economic equity & environmental equity.

· If you’re hoping to vote in next year’s Democratic primaries, but are currently registered with another party or as an independent, the deadline to change your registration is Oct. 13 of THIS YEAR. We know that’s crazy, but just want to make everyone aware of it.

Also, please note that the Trump administration issued a revised Muslim Ban executive order late last night. For the first time, the ban now lists some non-Muslim majority countries, but that doesn’t make it any less discriminatory or unconstitutional. More details here. Stay tuned for further updates and actions on this front. And now, on to this week’s action alerts:

Monday (Sept 25)

Another way to weigh in against TrumpCare

As of now, the Senate is still planning to vote on Graham-Cassidy (aka TrumpCare 3.0) sometime between Wed. and Fri. of this week. Our two Senators are firmly opposed to the bill (and we made calls to them on this issue last week!), so today, we encourage everyone to devote a few minutes to calling VOTERS in key states and encouraging them to call their Senators. Click here to do so. More than 190,000 calls have already been placed via this tool, but there are still lots more voters to call!

Tuesday (Sept 26)

One phone call today and one educational event tonight.

Celebrate national voter registration day

Today, please call Gov. Cuomo 518-474-8390 and say that you want him to make registering to vote easier in NYS. Urge him to put a priority on voting reforms, especially AVR (Automatic Voter Registration). IL just became the 10th state to pass AVR. NY should follow in the footsteps of these 10 progressive states.

“The Art of the Murky Deal: Russian Gangsterism & the Trump Presidency.”

7-9pm @ OCC Storer Auditorium, sponsored by Rise Up CNY and OCC Politics Club. More details here. If anyone would be willing to distribute some CNY Solidarity flyers at this event, please let us know.

Wednesday (Sept 27)

One phone call today, and a mayoral candidate forum in Syracuse tonight.

Demand Congress provide immediate disaster relief to Puerto Rico

Our thoughts are with the 3.5 million people of Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria has devastated the Island, leaving at least ten dead, and millions without power. Puerto Ricans are American citizens and they deserve the same protection and federal support as any other American city or state. Congress must act THIS WEEK to provide emergency disaster relief to the Island. Please call Rep. Katko today and demand that he support such relief. Katko’s numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC). If you can, please also make a donation to Unidos to help people on the ground right now. The fund will be managed by the Hispanic Federation, a leading Latino nonprofit organization with more than 25 years of experience in providing disaster-relief assistance to Latinos in the United States and Latin America. One hundred percent of the proceeds will help hurricane victims and the recovery efforts through fellow community and civic organizations in Puerto Rico.

Syracuse Mayoral Candidate Forum

Upstate University Hospital and Mayor’s End the HIV Epidemic Task Force are hosting a mayoral forum on public health issues at The Atrium (201 E. Washington St, Syracuse, NY 13202). Doors open at 5pm and the event starts at 5.30pm with three Upstate physicians giving a 10 minute overview of the local impact of HIV, Lead Poisoning and the Opioid Epidemic. Mayoral candidates Juanita Perez Williams, Ben Walsh, Laura Lavine and Howie Hawkins will then answer questions from the public and discuss their plans to address these issues. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. More details here.

Thursday (Sept 28)

One phone call today, and a meeting with Gov. Cuomo staffers this afternoon.

Support the Disability Integration Act

At our meeting last week, CNY Solidarity voted to endorse a nationwide campaign for the Disability Integration Act (HR 2472). This bipartisan legislation would ensure that disabled Americans have a right to live and receive services in their own homes. The DIA further secures our constitutionally protected right to liberty by preventing people with disabilities from being forced into costly institutional settings by unnecessary government regulations. More details here. The bill has five Republican co-sponsors; John Katko isn’t one of them. Please call him today and urge him to add his name. As always, his numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC).

SLAT meeting with Gov. Cuomo staffers

1pm @ the Syracuse Center for Peace & Social Justice, 2013 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13210. Our state legislative action team has arranged a meeting with Gov. Cuomo’s area rep, Colleen Deacon, and the governor’s Director of Upstate Affairs, Jessica Decerce. Email aquaactioncny@gmail.com if you’d like to attend.

Friday (Sept 29)

One phone call today, and a public appearance by Rep. Katko this afternoon.

Denounce Trump’s reckless war-mongering

Today, please call on Rep. Katko to make a bold, public statement denouncing the Trump administration’s reckless rhetoric and making clear that he will not support any congressional authority for Trump to use military force with North Korea. We’ve previously called on Katko (without success) to support the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act (HR 669), which would make explicit that Trump cannot launch a nuclear strike absent a declaration of war from Congress. If you haven’t weighed in on that bill yet, please urge Katko to sign on as co-sponsor. If you’ve already made that call, please urge Katko to publicly condemn Trump’s recent reckless comments and call for a sane diplomatic approach to resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis. Katko’s numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC).

Public appearance by Rep. Katko

This morning, Rep. Katko is speaking at an event hosted by CenterState CEO, 8:30-10am at the Embassy Suites Syracuse. More details here. The event itself is only open to CenterState CEO members. If you know of any such members, please encourage them to attend and ask Rep. Katko a question, if possible. If anyone is interested in organizing a peaceful rally outside the event, please let the legislative action team know.

Saturday (Sept 30)

No actions today (until further notice!). Enjoy the day with friends and family.

Sunday (Oct 1)

CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting

3-5pm @ Bishop Harrison Center, 1342 Lancaster Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210

Save the date for these upcoming events:

Wed., Oct 4, 12-1pm: As of now, rallies are planned today at Katko’s Syracuse, Oswego, and Auburn Offices Against GOP Tax Giveaways, though there is some talk of pushing these back to a later date.

Wed., Oct 11, 12-130pm: Rally for the Community Grid, Hanover Square in Syracuse.

Wed., Oct 11, 7-9pm: Rev. Liz Theoharis Speaks on Ending Poverty, Hendricks Chapel at SU. If anyone would be willing to distribute some CNY Solidarity flyers at this event, please let us know.

Mon., Oct 16, 6-8pm: Screening and discussion of From the Ground Up: Economic Growth Powered by Community Strengths, Southwest Community Center, 401 South Ave in Syracuse. If anyone would be willing to distribute some CNY Solidarity flyers at this event, please let us know.

Sun., Oct. 22, 2-3:30pm: The Strathmore Speaker Series hosts the League of Women Voters and Professor Thomas Keck for a discussion of the ballot measure that could mandate a state constitutional convention next year and current threats to the US Constitution. Onondaga Park Firebarn, 500 Summit Ave, Syracuse 13207. More details here.

Tue, Oct 24, 6pm: Syracuse Mayoral Candidate Debate

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