[mpen-dayton] FW: "Senate Democrats must block Betsy DeVos" & "Why Single Payer" & "Jeff Sessions" and more

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·         FW: Signature needed: Senate Democrats must block Betsy DeVos
       (with two related articles that were published in this MPEN e-Newsletter:
“President David Hecker and MEA President Steven Cook respond to selection of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education”
and “Detroit Free Press: What you should know about Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education secretary pick

·         FW: Three articles about healthcare

·         FW: Why Single Payer

·         FW: "he is not well"; "he will have to be removed"; "be prepared"

·         FW: the link explains the importance of the information in the linked article

·         FW: [Interfaith_Immigration] Pack the Room & Alert for Confirmation Hearings

·         FW: Jeff Sessions

·         FW: Signature needed: Democrats must block Tom Price’s HHS confirmation

·         FW: Sign if you agree: Keep Big Oil out of the State Department

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Twitter Care

 

 

From: Heidi Hess, Senior Campaign Director, CREDO Action from Working Assets
Subject: Signature needed: Senate Democrats must block Betsy DeVos
     

Senate Democrats: Betsy DeVos is not qualified to be secretary of education The petition to Senate Democrats reads: "Block and resist Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as secretary of education.” Add your name:   The U.S. Department of Education is about to fall into the hands of an extreme right-wing bigot who has no relevant experience as an educator and did not attend or send her children to public school. Among Trump’s horrifying line-up of racist, corrupt, anti-LGBTQ, anti-woman, super-rich elite cabinet nominees, Betsy DeVos – the nominee for secretary of education – stands out. DeVos is a right-wing voucher and charter school activist whose numerous projects include the disastrous effort to spread charters in Detroit, which failed to increase student achievement while allowing charters to operate with little accountability or oversight.1 She also has an appalling record on civil rights, which indicates she will be a threat to LGBTQ children, especially transgender students, who face prejudice, harassment and bullying in schools and suffer from higher rates of depression and suicide than non-LGBTQ classmates. DeVos’ nomination for secretary of education is unacceptable, but the only way to block her nomination is if Senate Democrats push back with every tool at their disposal. Can you help make sure they act? Tell Senate Democrats: Block and resist Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as secretary of education. Click here to sign the petition. DeVos’ work to promote charters extends across the country but has been especially focused on her home state of Michigan. The results of charter school expansion in Michigan, and especially in Detroit, have been dismal, but DeVos and her family have still pushed to limit accountability and oversight of charters. While most other states monitor charters’ results, hold them accountable for poor performance and require them to renew their charters, schools in Michigan can operate as long as they want, and the state exercises minimal oversight.2 Just as troubling as DeVos’ record on charters are her efforts to promote vouchers, which would force states to spend education dollars to pay for children to attend private and religious schools. Data does not show that this strategy improves achievement for children who are historically underserved by public schools, and it dangerously blurs the line of separation between church and state.3 Some Democrats in Congress are pushing for payment of a delinquent $5.3 million dollar fine incurred by a DeVos-led PAC for giving $870,000 to an Ohio school-choice organization in clear violation of state election law.4 It’s a good first step. Now they need to do all they can to keep her from being confirmed. Tell Senate Democrats: Block and resist Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as secretary of education. Click here to sign the petition. DeVos’ record on civil rights is as appalling as her record on education. She has funded a number of anti-LGBTQ organizations that oppose marriage equality.5 She was also supportive of the legal case to overturn affirmative action in Michigan that went all the way to the Supreme Court and resulted in sweeping limits on race-based admissions policies at universities across the country.6 Equal access to high-quality education is one of the cornerstone promises of our democracy. We have a long way to go and much work to do before it’s a promise that is reliably and consistently fulfilled for children of color, children whose first language is not English and children living in poverty. Putting Betsy DeVos at the helm of the Department of Education puts the promise itself at risk. Democrats must do everything they can to defend the Department of Education, starting with standing united against DeVos. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/block_devos?t=7&akid=21138.10312106.yWO5C4 Add your name: References:        1.     Douglas N. Harris, "Betsy DeVos and the Wrong Way to Fix Schools,” The New York Times, Nov, 25, 2016. 2.     Valerie Strauss, "A sobering look at what Betsy DeVos did to education in Michigan — and what she might do as secretary of education,” Dec. 8, 2016. 3.     Kristina Rizga, "Trump's Billionaire Education Secretary Has Been Trying to Gut Public Schools for Years," Mother Jones, Nov. 29, 2016. 4.     Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, "Democratic senators press Trump’s education pick Betsy DeVos to pay years-old $5.3 million fine,” Washington Post, Dec. 14, 2016. 5.     Nidhi Prakash, "Trump’s pick to run the department of education could spell disaster for LGBTQ students," Fusion, Nov. 29, 2016. 6.     Rock Docksai, "School Choice, But Much More: Making Sense of DeVos Family Philanthropy,” Inside Philanthropy, March 1, 2016.

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From: Andrew J. Tierman

Subject: FW: President David Hecker and MEA President Steven Cook respond to selection of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education

The Michigan Education Association, organizing most public school teachers outside of Detroit and some Higher Ed faculty members, and the American Federation of Teachers, organizing Detroit Teachers, disapprove of Michigan GOP activist for private, for-profit charter schools, Betsy DeVos for US Secretary of Education.     - AT.
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From: Julie Rowe, Legislative Mobilization Coordinator
Subject: President David Hecker and MEA President Steven Cook respond to selection of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education

LANSING — The selection of Betsy DeVos to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education is an affront to students and education professionals in Michigan, according to the leaders of Michigan’s school employee unions, the American Federation of Teachers Michigan and the Michigan Education Association.

DeVos brings no credible experience or expertise in education, but rather has pushed for the privatization and dismantling of public education at every turn. She rejects evidence, research and the experiences of front-line educators in pursuit of policy changes that only serve to profit billionaires.

“In Michigan, we know firsthand how disastrous DeVos’ ideology is, as she has spent decades wielding her family’s money and influence to destroy public education and turn our schools and students over to for-profit corporations,” said MEA President Steven Cook.

In 2000, DeVos led a failed effort to use public funding for private schools, which was soundly rejected by Michigan voters. Since then, she has pushed to eliminate restrictions on the growth of for-profit charter schools and has resisted every attempt to hold these corporations accountable for the tax dollars they take from public schools.

“Policies she’s supported – increasing standardized testing and punishing teachers, students, and families – have done nothing to improve education,” said AFT Michigan President David Hecker. “In fact, DeVos policies have consistently left our most vulnerable students behind."

The DeVos family’s billions have bought their influence in Michigan politics and Michigan school policy for decades. Donald Trump’s appointment of Betsy DeVos signals he is not actually interested in changing politics as usual, but is instead perpetuating a pay-to-play scheme. Students, educators, and families across the country will be paying the price.

AFT Michigan and MEA have fought corporate-backed education reform and the DeVos family’s ideology and money for decades. We will continue to stand up for Michigan’s education professionals and the students they serve.
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From: Andrew Tierman
Subject: Detroit Free Press: What you should know about Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education secretary pick
http://on.freep.com/2gi6Hu2

What you should know about Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education secretary pick

This story was originally published on Chalkbeat.org.President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly tapped Michigan philanthropist Betsy DeVos to be his education secretary.“I am honored to work with the President-elect on his vision to make American education great again,” DeVos tweeted Wednesday. “The status quo in ed is not acceptable.”DeVos, an advocate for school vouchers, has chaired the Michigan Republican party and played a key role in some major education policy decisions there in recent years. But unlike former D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee and charter-school leader Eva Moskowitz, two others Trump considered for the education secretary position, DeVos has kept a relatively low national profile. She has neither worked in public education nor chosen public schools for her own children, who attended private Christian schools.

 

 

From: Thomas Scott
Subject: Three articles about healthcare

Fox Doctor Who Thinks Too Many People Have Health Insurance Helps Promote Tom Price For HHS

Fox Doctor Who Thinks Too Many People Have Health Insurance Helps Promote T... By NewsHound Brian Dr. Nicole Saphier, the doctor who previously complained about too many people having health insurance under Oba...

Gutting for Medicaid: With Donald Trump’s win, Republicans want to reform health care for poor and disabled Americans

Gutting for Medicaid: With Donald Trump’s win, Republicans want to reform h... By Christina A. Cassidy Republicans have long wanted to reform the program

In Cancer Trials, Minorities Face Extra Hurdles

In Cancer Trials, Minorities Face Extra Hurdles By Denise Grady As immunotherapy research takes off, the patients getting the treatment have been overwhelmingly white. Research...

 

 

From: albert baca
Subject: Why Single Payer

By the Big O:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1616577

I have long maintained that "Single Payer" is the only way to go for national healthcare.  What the USA needs is a Single Payer system that is better than the Single Payer system that Canada has.

The Big O was for "Single Payer" before he became President.  After he became the Prez, he wanted some kind of national health care system and he was 100% positive that he could never get Single Payer but he wanted something that had bipartisan support.  So he decided to model his effort on Massachusetts "ROMNEYCARE".   The Big O DID NOT get bipartisan support.  And poor old Mitt could not run on his greatest achievement as governor of Massachusetts.  It is no wonder that he lost.

(Old Al, Al Baca’s warning: The article is long.  Please take the time to read it all.)

 

 

From: Andrew Tierman
Subject: "he is not well"; "he will have to be removed"; "be prepared"

to share with your friends and family, especially those who voted for T:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-olbermann-trump-supporters_us_586f0eede4b02b5f858825ca

and the link explains the importance of the information in the linked article:

https://www.thenation.com/article/why-workers-everywhere-should-be-scared-by-kentuckys-assault-on-unions/

 

 

From: Theo Majka
Subject: FW: [Interfaith_Immigration] Re: Pack the Room & Alert for Confirmation Hearings - Please Share! [1 Attachment]

Please share FAR AND WIDE this action alert for people to call their Senators and urge them to lift up the importance of refugee resettlement in the confirmation hearings:
     http://www.interfaithimmigration.org/confirmationhearings/.
Also, attached is the alert as a Word document, so please feel free to modify it, brand it, etc - whatever is best for your networks.

Also, please help us pack the room and demonstrate support for refugees and immigrants for the confirmation hearings for Sessions, Tillerson, and Kelly. Please spread the word and encourage folks to RSVP on this form: http://bit.ly/PackHearings especially since we want to keep folks up to date on any changes. Please note that we are NOT posting this call for folks to pack the room on social media or on websites - so please just share with your networks over email. Also, even if people can't attend this time around, please sign up for the DMV Area Refugee-Immigrant Rapid Response Network to receive information about ongoing ways you can show up to be a part of local actions and demonstrate solidarity with refugees & immigrants: https://goo.gl/forms/0Nhwz6m2Uko5IJHB3.

Attachment(s) from Jen Smyers CWS smyers.jen@gmail.com [Interfaith_Immigration] | View attachments on the web
1 of 1 File(s) compiled confirmation hearings alert_01.05.17_2pm.docx

 

 

From: tbacane
Subject: FW: Jeff Sessions

If you love Trump and the KKK then support Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.  If however you love our country and you believe in Democracy and equality (rather than dictators and slavery) then you must oppose not only Jeff Sessions but Trump as well!  Trump is a Traitor who is attempting (with the help of his Russian handlers) to destroy the United States of America.  Trump is systematically attacking our institutions, news media, intelligence services, military, etc., and nominating individuals like Sessions to complete the destruction of those institutions from within.  They must be stopped and Trump must be stopped.  We must call upon our Senators and Representatives to take action to support our country rather than failed party agendas, and we as individuals must do whatever is required to resist the treason and lies that we are confronted with today and perhaps for the next four years.  WAKE UP AMERICA WE ARE UNDER ATTACK BY A DOMESTIC ENEMY THAT IS ABOUT TO ASSUME THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN OUR COUNTRY!!!

From: Benard Simelton
ou sign and share the petition asking Congress to reject Sessions' nomination for attor

I'm Benard Simelton, the Alabama State Conference president of the NAACP.

I was arrested last night while taking part in a nonviolent sit-in at Senator Jeff Sessions' Mobile office in Alabama to oppose his nomination for attorney general. He is wholly unqualified to be the nation's top law enforcement official, as demonstrated by his long and troubling record in opposition to civil and human rights.¹

Will you click here to sign and share my petition asking Congress to reject Sessions' nomination? It's urgent: congressional hearings to approve his appointment start next week.

Members of Congress must reject the nomination of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. As a known racist with a long record of opposing civil rights and equality, it is unimaginable that he could be entrusted to serve as the nation's top law enforcement official.

Sign the petition

As the highest law enforcement official, the attorney general has the responsibility to protect the civil and human rights of Americans of all races, colors, and genders. Senator Sessions is not that person and presents an extreme danger to the equality, diversity, and inclusiveness that the U.S. has achieved over the last decade.

There are just days left to urge your members of Congress to block the appointment of Sessions. Click here to sign the petition.

There are many reasons for Congress to block the appointment of Jeff Sessions:

• He has a long history of opposing civil rights enforcement and making racist statements.²
• He has championed voter suppression.³
• He opposes hate crime protections for LGBTQ victims.⁴
• He has opposed multiple efforts to address pay equity for women.⁵
• He is a staunch opponent of legal immigration.⁶

...and so much more. In the words of U.S. Representative Luis V. Gutiérrez, "If you have nostalgia for the days when Blacks kept quiet, gays were in the closet, immigrants were invisible and women stayed in the kitchen, Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions is your man."⁷

Diversity, equality, and compassion make America stronger. We must stand together and resist any effort to divide us up and strip away the progress that we've made.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Sources:

1.     "Civil Rights Activists Arrested For Protest Over Jeff Sessions As Attorney General," NPR, January 4, 2017
http://act.moveon.org/go/7378?t=6&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

2.     "Jeff Sessions’ Record on Civil Rights, Race Revisited After Trump’s Attorney General Tap," The Associated Press, November 19, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7379?t=8&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

3.     "Donald Trump’s atrocious attorney general pick: Jeff Sessions will roll back voting rights and civil rights," Salon, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7380?t=10&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

4.     "Jeff Sessions Fought Against Hate Crime Protections for LGBT Victims," Mother Jones, November 22, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7381?t=12&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

5.     "Senator Jeff Sessions’ Problematic Record on Women’s Rights," National Women's Law Center, December 20, 2016
https://act.moveon.org/go/7382?t=14&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

6.     "Sessions' Anti-Immigration Influence Will Go Far Beyond His Role as Attorney General," Mother Jones, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7383?t=16&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

7.     "Trump picks Sen. Jeff Sessions for attorney general," Los Angeles Times, November 18, 2016
http://act.moveon.org/go/7384?t=18&akid=175761.6628592.CR23a-

 

 

From: Nicole Regalado, CREDO Action
Subject: Signature needed: Democrats must block Tom Price’s HHS confirmation

 

Tell Senate Democrats: Block Tom Price’s HHS confirmation The petition to Senate Democrats reads: "Do everything in your power to block Rep. Tom Price’s confirmation as Department of Health and Human Services secretary and protect access to health care for women, LGBTQ people, seniors, low-income families and more than 100 million people who rely on federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid.” Add your name:   We don’t know all the details of Donald Trump’s plans for America yet but one thing’s clear: If you’re not male, wealthy or heterosexual, Trump’s extreme right-wing administration won’t have your back when it comes to accessing health care. Soon, the Senate will begin committee hearings to confirm Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Georgia Rep. Tom Price. Anti-woman, anti-gay Price wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, cut Medicaid, end Medicare and defund Planned Parenthood.1,2,3 Putting Price in charge of important programs that keep millions of women, LGBTQ people, low-income families and the elderly healthy is irresponsible and dangerous. A vote is expected soon, so we must act now to urge Senate Democrats to do everything in their power to stop Price’s confirmation as HHS secretary before it’s too late. Tell Senate Democrats: Block Price and protect access to health care for millions of people. Click here to sign the petition There is no reason to give a hate-group candidate who did not win the majority vote a free pass to appoint anti-woman, anti-gay extremists to leading positions in government. Price is just one of Trump’s many cabinet nominees that Democrats will need to resist and block in order to protect their constituents from Trump’s regime of hate. If the Senate confirms Price as HHS secretary, it will put the health care of more than 100 million people at risk:      ·         Price will help right-wing extremists like Paul Ryan end Medicare. Medicare is a fundamental tool of economic security - a guarantee that seniors will not be denied health care just because they can’t afford it. Price is a leading proponent of destroying Medicare by privatizing the program.4 ·         Price will take health insurance away from millions of people covered under the ACA. He wants to roll back the Medicaid expansion and replace the Affordable Care Act with a plan that primarily benefits people who have high incomes, leaves people with pre-existing conditions behind and makes it more difficult for people to purchase health plans that include abortion coverage.5 ·         Price will continue to push for drastic Medicaid cuts that could strip tens of millions of low-income families and children of their health insurance. If Republicans in Congress succeed at repealing the ACA and pass Price’s proposed Medicaid cuts, funding for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program would decrease by more than 40 percent over the next 10 years.6 ·         He will take away women’s health care. Price is an anti-woman extremist who supported legislation to defund Planned Parenthood and opposed the ACA birth control benefit that gave women access to contraception without a copay.7 ·         Price will hurt the LGBTQ community. As a legislator, Price has supported constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage and voted against a bill that prohibited employers from discriminating against LGBTQ employees. While the ACA prohibits LGBTQ discrimination, Price’s ACA alternative provides no such protections.8 ·         He belongs to a fringe group of physicians who still question whether HIV causes AIDS.9,10 As the head of HHS, Price will have control of the country’s national HIV/AIDS strategy, which includes funding for research, education and treatment to combat the disease. The decisions he makes could mean life or death for many of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States. Right-wing Republicans say that Price’s experience as chair of the House Budget Committee and expertise as a former orthopedic surgeon make him uniquely qualified for the job of HHS secretary. But Price’s record shows that he’s just another out-of-touch extremist who will gladly fleece low-income and elderly people of their health insurance under the guise of fiscal responsibility while lining his own pockets. Over the last four years, Price has traded more than $300,000 in shares of health-related companies while sponsoring and advocating for legislation that could potentially affect those companies’ stocks.11 Senate Democrats must stand their ground and resist confirming all members of Trump’s crony cabinet, and they need to start now by blocking Price’s HHS confirmation. Tell Senate Democrats: Block Price and protect access to health care for millions of people. Click the link below to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/block_price?t=6&akid=21098.10312106.AAHdoX Add your name: References Jenny Kutner, “Tom Price, Trump's pick for health secretary, is a troubling sign for reproductive rights,” Mic, Nov. 29, 2016. Dana Liebelson, “How Donald Trump’s Pick For Health Secretary Could Really Hurt The LGBTQ Community,” The Huffington Post, Nov. 30, 2016. Joan McCarter, “The fight to save Medicare and Medicaid begins in January,” Daily Kos, Dec. 26, 2016. Robert Pear, “Tom Price, Obamacare Critic, Is Trump’s Choice for Health Secretary,” The New York Times, Nov. 28, 2016. Alison Kodjak, “5 Things To Know About Rep. Tom Price’s Health Care Ideas,” NPR, Nov. 29, 2016. Gene Sperling, “The Quiet War on Medicaid,” The New York Times, Dec. 25, 2016. Robert Pear, “Tom Price, Obamacare Critic, Is Trump’s Choice for Health Secretary,” The New York Times, Nov. 28, 2016. Dana Liebelson, “How Donald Trump’s Pick For Health Secretary Could Really Hurt The LGBTQ Community,” The Huffington Post, Nov. 30, 2016. Olivia Becker, “Bad policy: Trump has no plans for tackling HIV/AIDS — and his team has an abysmal track record,” Vice News, Dec. 1, 2016 Matt Shuham and Caitlin MaCneal, “Conspiracies And ‘Witch Doctor’ Obama: Tom Price’s Ties to The Medical Fringe,” Talking Points Memo, Dec. 2, 2016. James Grimaldi and Michelle Hackman, “Donald Trump’s Pick for Health Secretary Traded Medical Stocks While in House,” The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 22, 2016.

 

From: Tessa Levine; Campaign Manager, CREDO Action from Working Assets
Subject: Sign if you agree: Keep Big Oil out of the State Department
     

Tell the Senate: Block climate-denying, friend-of-Putin Rex Tillerson for secretary of state The petition to the Senate reads: Rex Tillerson is a climate-denying billionaire with deep ties to the Russian government. Tell the Senate to block his confirmation as secretary of state. Add your name:   Trump’s proposed cabinet is filled to the brim with corporate cronies, climate-deniers, and billionaires. Rex Tillerson, Trump’s nominee to be secretary of state, is more of the same. Tillerson is the former CEO and chairman of Exxon Mobil corporation. Having spent the past 41 years working there – he has literally built his career on oil, natural gas and ties to the Russian government. On Wednesday he left his position at Exxon Mobil with a $180 million retirement package, just two months ahead of his scheduled retirement.1 We don’t need another climate-denying corporate executive in Washington – especially as the nation’s top diplomat. Tell the Senate: Block Tillerson as secretary of state. Click here to sign the petition. Tillerson has led Exxon Mobil in public lie after public lie about the reality of climate change.2 Not only has he personally been outspoken about his false belief that scientists largely disagree about climate change and its connection to human action, he has used his position and influence as CEO of the oil and gas company to promote lies and propaganda denying the role burning fossil fuels plays in heating our planet. The company is currently under investigation by several state Attorneys General for lying and misleading investors and the public about the risks of climate change.3 Meanwhile, Exxon Mobil continues to fund climate denial groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council, despite commitments from Tillerson to stop funding climate deniers.4 Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have expressed concern about Tillerson’s deep ties to Russia and his personal relationship with Vladimir Putin. In 2013, after the two negotiated an oil drilling deal reportedly worth $500 billion, Putin gave Tillerson one of the highest honors Russia gives to foreigners: the Order of Friendship. The Order of Friendship can be bestowed on someone who makes a "great contribution" to "large-scale economic projects" in Russia.5 Tillerson built his career and success at Exxon on close relationships and business deals to drill oil in Russia – and he has refused to release his tax returns that would show his true financial ties to Russia. With mounting evidence that Russia interfered in the presidential election, now is not the time to install someone with deep financial ties to Vladimir Putin as the nation’s top diplomat. It’s time for the Senate to take a stand and commit to blocking his confirmation. Tell the Senate: Block Tillerson as secretary of state. Click the link below to sign the petition. https://act.credoaction.com/sign/tillerson_sos?t=6&akid=21122.10312106.cSmy3g Add your name: References:     1.     Michele Kelemen, “Rex Tillerson Cuts Ties With Exxon Mobil In Advance Of Confirmation Hearings,” NPR, Jan. 4, 2017. 2.     McKenzie Funk, “Did Exxon Lie About Global Warming?” Rolling Stone, June 30, 2016. 3.     Justin Gillis and Clifford Krauss, “Exxon Mobil Investigated for Possible Climate Change Lies by New York Attorney General,” The New York Times, Nov. 5, 2015. 4.     Lee Wasserman, “What Rex Tillerson's Exxon Mobil track record tells us,” Los Angeles Times, Jan. 3, 2017. 5.     Matt Egan, Julia Horowitz and Chris Isidore, “Behind the deep ties between Exxon's Rex Tillerson and Russia,” CNN Money, Dec. 11, 2016.

 

 

From: John Sellers, Other98
Subject: Did Exxon Just Stage the Perfect Coup?

EXXON’s CEO, Rex Tillerson is possibly the worst, most dangerous of all of Trump’s cabinet picks so far (and that’s no small order). He’s also the one that we have the best chance of blocking. We’re halfway there. GOP hawks are concerned about his ties to Russia and the Dems are standing up to stop him. We need to make sure they deliver the final blow: join us in demanding the Senate block Rex’s appointment.

The job of Secretary of State is one of the four most powerful positions in the entire government. Appointing Rex Tillerson to this position is tantamount to a total Exxon coup of our government and will profoundly change the way America relates to the rest of the world.

When American foreign policy and oil mix, the results are catastrophic. Get connected to your Senators now and demand they reject Rex.

The Secretary of State is the person who conducts our foreign affairs. Let’s say they wanted to lift the sanctions America currently has in place against Russia. You know, the sanctions that are the only thing stopping a 2011 deal for EXXON to rip open the Russian Arctic? That’d be Rex Tillerson’s call -- the same guy who negotiated the deal with Putin in the first place. EXXON has made Tillerson a gazillionaire. The math is obvious.

We can stop this. It’s not just the Dems showing up: John McCain and mainstream Republicans aren’t huge fans of Tillerson’s Russia ties either. And Other98 will be making sure we’re heard loud and clear: we’ll be using a giant projector to beam your messages onto the front of the State Department in DC next week.

Make sure your Senators hear from you: write a personalized message to your Senators and tell them to stop Rex Tillerson. Then, use our call tool to get connected directly with their office and tell them again.

Thank you for everything you do, and for continuing to fight with us.

 

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