Does not stay at Spring Break if you’re a member of Congress. Today is Congress’s first day back after their two-week April recess and chances are they did not get the kind of R and R they had hoped for. Over the last two weeks, thousands of people showed up at town halls across the country to voice their opposition to Trump’s extreme agenda and to hold their representatives accountable.
The most common topic of conversation? Health care. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)—known for shouting “You lie!” at President Obama during an address to Congress, got a taste of his own medicine when a crowd shouted the same thing at him after he claimed that the ACA was hampering health services. Rep. Wilson was far from the only congressman to get heat for his support of Trumpcare. Many members even refused to meet with their constituents, but people continued to voice their concerns anyway. And it wasn’t just health care. People showed up to demand answers on climate change, immigration, Russia, and more.
The good news? It is paying off. In the last two weeks, several key members of congress came out in firm opposition to Trumpcare after hearing concerns from their constituents. The bad news? That message doesn’t seem to have gotten all the way to the Trump Administration. The Trump Administration, along with some leaders in Congress, remains intent on moving forward with its shoddy plan to strip health care away from millions of people and they could take steps to do so as soon as this week. You know what that means: Keep resisting.
ACTION OF THE DAY
#MessageInAPillBottle. Congress is back from recess today and despite the huge turnout at town halls across the country, majority leaders remain intent on repealing the Affordable Care Act. And that’s not all: they’re also making Trumpcare even worse than it already was. We need your help to deliver the message—in pill bottles—that you won’t stand for it. Here’s how:
- Go to MessageInAPillBottle.org
- Fill out the form with a message telling your Rep. to resist Trumpcare and click send
- Call and tweet at your Representative to tell them a #MessageInAPillBottle is coming their way
- Share the form!
We’ll deliver the pill bottles this week!
WHAT’S TRENDING
#MarchforScience. The Trump Administration has launched a full-on attack on science at the EPA. And the American people aren’t having it. This weekend, thousands gathered on the National Mall and across the world on Earth Day to defend science and evidence-based research from threats by the Trump Administration. Bill Nye even made an appearance. Couldn’t make it on Saturday? You have another chance this coming weekend (April 29th) to participate in the People’s Climate March.
Polar Opposites. Yesterday, French voters took to the polls in the first round of what’s shaping out to be a defining presidential election for Europe. Emmanuel Macron, the young centrist candidate who supports greater integration in the E.U., came out on top with 23 percent of the vote. Marine Le Pen, who leads France’s far-right nationalist party, finished in second place, ahead of 9 other candidates. Despite Le Pen’s strong finish, it’s widely predicted that French voters will likely coalesce around Macron in the May 7th runoff, in what many hope will be a decisive defeat for France’s far-right nationalist movement.
Showdown. Unless Congress acts, the government is going to run out of funding on Friday, which might throw a wrench in Donald Trump’s usual weekend plans of vacationing and golfing on the taxpayer’s dime. It’s not clear if the Republicans and Democrats will be able to avert the government shutdown, as congressional Republicans, pushed by the White House, are trying to fund Trump’s border wall (that Mexico still isn’t going to pay for), while Democrats are trying to protect the Affordable Care Act. Priorities.
Empty Promises. One of Trump’s most commonly repeated promises is his promise to “bring back” coal and “put our miners back to work.” To be clear: the coal industry is not coming back, no matter what actions the Trump Administration takes. Contrary to Trump’s (and many of his peers) rhetoric, the decline in the coal industry is more a result of shifting energy markets and increasing demand of natural gas than a so-called “war on coal” waged by the Obama Administration. But Trump isn’t just making empty promises to the coal community, he is also taking actions that will actively hurt coal communities. According to a new CAP analysis, Trump’s skinny budget would cut more than a billion dollars from 12 federal programs aimed at revitalizing struggling coal communities. These programs offer services like workforce training and economic development initiatives to help support communities hit hardest by the decline in the coal industry. Check out this interactive map to see the communities hit hardest by Trump’s budget.
UNDER THE RADAR
Coincidence? Over the weekend, the Trump Administration abruptly asked U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to resign. Murthy—an Obama appointee—was replaced by his deputy, Rear Adm. Sylvia Trent-Adams. The Surgeon General typically serves a four-year term and Murthy’s term would have been completed at the end of this year. The Trump Administration did not give a reason for the unusual move. One guess? Murthy’s stance on gun safety. Murthy has called gun violence a public health issue, a position that led the National Rifle Association to vehemently oppose his nomination. Speaking of the NRA… Trump is scheduled to speak at their convention later this week.
good news
Bright Future. Present day feeling ~bleak~ to you? Let these kid scientists give you hope for the future.