Something to do today instead of watching that thing
You don’t have to watch television today. Instead, you can write postcards to elected officials asking them to take action. A suggested list of prompts, with names and addresses, is below.
Postcards are better than emails, which are too easily ignored. Elected officials put a higher value on written communication because they know it involves more effort on the part of the sender.
It’s good to write to people who agree with us because they will hear a lot of criticism. Hearing from people who agree with them is uplifting.
Please write!
Postcard Prompts for week of Jan. 20, 2025
To: Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Sen. Gary Peters
Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense is unfit for office due to his drunkenness in public, rejection of women in combat, and infidelity, including fathering an illegitimate child. He also refused to rule out using the military against American citizens, as Trump tried to do during a protest outside the White House. Peter Hegeseth, a former Fox News host, has no experience running large organizations like the Pentagon. The FBI background report is inadequate, having failed to include people with credible accusations against him. Please vote against confirming Hegeseth. He is a threat to our national security. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/01/14/pete-hegseth-confirmation-hearing/ and https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/01/14/robin-givhan-pete-hegseth-hearing/ and https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/1/14/2296875/-Republicans-are-covering-up-Hegseth-s-behavior-to-get-him-confirmed?pm_source=ICYMI&pm_campaign=ICYMI01142025
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, 315 W. Allegan Street, Suite 207, Lansing, MI 48933.
Sen. Gary Peters, 124 West Allegan Street, Suite 1400, Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: (517) 377–1508
To: 7th District Congressman Rep. Tom Barrett
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association estimates 27 percent of Michigan residents use Medicaid for their health care, but Republican plans to cut billions from health care for Americans are a threat to their health. Those plans include rolling back the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and capping the amount of money sent to states for Medicaid, thus leading to rationing of health care for these Americans. Surely you have more compassion for your constituents than to slash their health care to pay for tax cuts for the rich. Please show your constituents that you will fight for them and tell House leadership to stop considering these cuts.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republican-medicaid-food-energy-cuts_n_6782acf1e4b0064bbc0b4399 and https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/10/spending-cuts-house-gop-reconciliation-medicaid-00197541
Rep. Tom Barrett, 328 W Ottawa St, Suite A, Lansing, MI 48933, Phone: (517) 993–0510
To: House Speaker Matt Hall
Several bills passed in the last legislative session have not yet been forwarded to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her signature. Sending the bills to her is a mere formality and your request for a legal review is a smokescreen for your attempt to block them. You are holding up important bills, including House Bill 6058 to increase the public employers’ contribution to health insurance premiums for teachers. Stop your stalling and send those bills on to the governor’s desk.
House Speaker Matt Hall, H-167 Capitol, P.O. Box 30014, Lansing, MI 48909 Phone: (517) 373–1784
TO: Senator Elissa Slotkin
Since 2017, the percentage of Michigan schools in which vaccination rates have fallen below 90% of students has grown from one in four to four in nine. If a case of measles, whooping cough, or chicken pox occurs in one of these schools it will be nearly impossible to stop the spread. The prospect of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., becoming the nation’s health tsar, threatens to further increase the risk of a resurgence of these diseases, including the possible return of polio. I strongly urge you to oppose his nomination and to stand up to the “medical freedom” MAGA zealots who disrespect science at our children’s peril.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/13/upshot/vaccination-rates.html
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, 315 W. Allegan Street, Suite 207, Lansing, MI 48933
(Paid for by Livingston County Democratic Executive Committee, 8028 Grand River, Woodland Plaza Suite 7, Brighton, MI 48114. Labor donated.)
