Trump’s outrageous statements since Charlottesville have caused international backlash and protests across the country. Just last night in Charlottesville, thousands of people rallied against violence, hatred, and racism. And a new poll shows that the majority of Americans disapprove of the President’s response.
Who isn’t joining in to voice their anger and frustration? Ninety four percent of Congressional Republicans have not explicitly criticized Trump’s response to Charlottesville. In fact, only 16 out of 292 Republicans have been willing to confront the President. See the full list here. If these elected officials can’t even condemn the President when he defends neo-Nazis and white supremacists, will they ever be able to stand up against the Bully-in-Chief?
For those that have spoken up, they have faced attacks from Trump. Most notably, Trump went after Sen. Lindsey Graham on Twitter after Graham said, “Through his statements yesterday, President Trump took a step backward by again suggesting there is moral equivalency between the white supremacist neo-Nazis and KKK members who attended the Charlottesville rally and people like Ms. Heyer.”
ACTION OF THE DAY
#TakeThemDown. Trump took to Twitter this morning to criticize the efforts to remove confederate statues and monuments, writing, “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments…” But the history he refers to only features the perpetrators of the violence and oppression, rather than those who courageously fought to end slavery and oppose racism. Read more about how confederate monuments memorialize white supremacy.
If you have a confederate symbol in your town, take action now! Call on your local elected officials to #TakeThemDown using this handy tool! And then sign the national petition here.
WHAT’S TRENDING
Tragedy in Barcelona. This afternoon, a van plowed into a crowd of people in Barcelona, Spain. Current estimates put the number injured at 50, and the death toll at 13. Local police are calling it a terror attack.
Student Debt. With student debt continuing to balloon and the Trump administration making matters worse today, state efforts are more crucial than ever. The Higher Ed Not Debt campaign has released a Borrower’s Bill of Rights that can be used by state legislators to write into law protections for student borrowers. To see which states have already suggested or enacted student debt legislation, check out this map.
Sanctuary Cities. Yesterday, in Florida, Attorney General Jeff Sessions viciously attacked Chicago over its status as a sanctuary city, saying Chicago is “a trafficker, a smuggler, or predator’s best friend.” Criticizing Chicago is a theme throughout the Trump administration. Ironically, in his speech, Sessions made the case for sanctuary cities, noting that undocumented immigrants are often afraid to come forward and report crime out of fear of being deported. This is just one reason why limiting local police involvement in immigration enforcement actually increases public safety.
Journalism 101. For the second time in just a matter of weeks, a senior official in the White House has called a journalist, supposedly not expecting the conversation to be published as an interview. White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon called a reporter from The American Prospect, a progressive magazine, to rant about his colleagues, white supremacists, and North Korea. The interview increased tensions within the White House, after Bannon reportedly claims he did not know it was going to be published.
GOOD NEWS
Women Taking Charge. As the Trump administration continues to lose support, resistance is growing even in counties that voted for Trump—and women are at the forefront of the fight. They are organizing communities that were formerly pro-Trump and mainly rural, and the women who are leading are seeing a huge increase in people willing to stand up against Trump. The Washington Post notes that this trend is a clear “sign that ‘the resistance’ has gone rural.”
#QuitTheCouncil Worked. We are thanking the business leaders who stepped down from Trump’s advisory councils in light of his remarks. Here’s a quick tool you can use to send them a thank you tweet.
UNDER THE RADAR
Budget Fight. With September creeping closer, the budget showdown in Congress is nearing. Not only could the proposed budget add to the deficit with tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, but it would also cut key resources for people across the country. The #HandsOff campaign is fighting against austere budget cuts—learn more here. Then, tell us how these budget cuts will impact you.