2024 New Year's Resolutions for Brandon Williams
Energizing Meeting at Energy Zone!
Thanks to all who attended our final IMV meeting of the year in Utica at the Energy Zone. We had about 40 members in attendance including a few who have participated in public demonstrations and other political actions over the years but had never been to a monthly meeting. If you couldn't make it, we missed you!
We discussed our efforts to call attention to Brandon William's terrible behavior, support of MAGA extremist policies, and his poor representation of and accountability to the people of his district.
We made a big poster based on more than 100 of your post it note suggestions for "2024 New Year's Resolutions for Brandon Williams" and it was delivered to his office yesterday by a small group of IMV volunteers.
Delivering our New Year’s resolutions to Unrep Williams’ office.
The five resolutions we want Williams to make for 2024:
Stop scapegoating immigrants.
Move to the district
Treat everyone with respect
Quit promoting disinformation
Oppose Trump for president
Also on the poster are the legislation we want him to vote for in the House:
Common sense gun reform
Protecting our planet
Reproductive freedom
LGBTQ healthcare
Ukraine funding
Support public schools
But....turns out that Brandon Williams' Utica office is a sham office, just like his town halls are sham town halls.
1) Office hours are appointment only. Call the number on the door.
2) No appointments are available now because the office is closed until Jan.2.
3) The DC staffer who answered the phone said he also could not make a constituent appointment for afterJan. 2
Check out IMV's Facebook page if you want to see the pictures of constituents who were denied access to the district of their member of Congress, because basically, no one works there.
What Else Happened at the December Meeting?
At the meeting we also brainstormed actions for January 6th to commemorate the third anniversary of the insurrection and attack on the Capitol in 2021. The Steering Committee took all those ideas and is planning to attract the media and concerned members of the public to a vigil honoring law enforcement officers who were killed, injured, or traumatized by the assault inspired and led by Donald Trump on that day, an assault enabled, excused, and then denied by many Republican members of Congress.
We will meet in front of the Utica Police Station (413 Oriskany Street W.) on Saturday, Jan 6th at 12:30 pm and hold a moment of silence at 12:49 pm, the time that Capitol Police responded to reports of an explosive device, later identified as a pipe bomb, followed by the breaking of the perimeter by Trump's supporters minutes later. Please attend and bring friends and family to this peaceful and meaningful demonstration. Our message is: never again. Donald Trump should be incarcerated for his crimes, not nominated for re-election. If you are talking with family and friends about what happened on Jan. 6th, here is a helpful tool for what to say.
*******
Finally, we heard reports from the leaders of IMV's Climate Crisis workgroup. Maggie Reilly talked about the Birds and Bees Protection Act and moving away from fossil fuels. Jennifer Geiger explained the dangers of plastics and our recent affiliation with Beyond Plastics, and Mona Perrotti gave an update on the long fight to divest state pensions, including the NYS teachers' pension fund, from fossil fuels.
All three climate crisis group speakers emphasized the importance of the calls to elected officials n the weekly email, and encouraged everyone to make those calls every day. The calls are counted, and state legislators and the Governor's office feel the pressure of those calls. Please keep calling!
Climate Crisis Actions
The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A.7640/S.1856) was delivered to the governor this week. That means that there is now a 9-day countdown for the Governor to make a decision on the bill. In other words, it’s now the LAST CHANCE to voice our support for the bill! We urge everyone to do so by:
Calling the Governor! Instructions below
Emailing the Governor too! Nothing pairs better with a call than a nice follow-up email. Instructions also below.
Participating at the 12/20 Action Party! Everyone is welcome to our virtual action party in support of the bill, Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 PM. All the information is available at this Eventbrite page, and hope to see you there!
Every call and email counts.
GOVERNOR’S PHONE AND INSTRUCTIONS
1-518-474-8390 | Office hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Whether you reach a live person or an answering machine, please tell the office your name, where you are from, and that you want Governor Hochul to sign The Birds and Bees Protection Act (A7640/S1856A) to protect New York’s food supply, water, and public health from highly toxic neonic pesticides. It’s as simple as that, although more information for talking points is available at this blog.
GOVERNOR’S EMAIL
For Individualized Emails from Organizations or for Sending Organizational Support Memos: legislative.secretary@exec.ny.gov
For Large Blast/Form Emails: Correspondence.office@exec.ny.gov
Individualized emails from organizations or individuals are best. Information on the bill is available at this blog, but writing a supportive email does not need to be more than a paragraph or two. Simply state why the bill is important to you or your organization, and urge the governor to sign the bill into law. Sending an official support memo can also be helpful for those groups that are so inclined—some examples are here.
Ask Our Senators to Reject MAGA Immigration Policy
For months, Senators in Washington have been negotiating over what's called the "supplemental" funding package -- additional money the Biden administration requested from Congress to respond to crises around the world. Republicans are playing brazen, dangerous hardball in order to force Trump-era immigration policies in exchange for support for Ukraine, and Democrats are considering caving to their demands.
They haven’t reached a deal yet, but the policies on the table are nothing short of breath-taking: an end to asylum for everyone except the small number of folks who can afford to buy a flight into the U.S., mass deportation -- nationwide -- without a hearing, and a dramatic increase in the incarceration of asylum-seekers, including families, and a restart to Trump’s signature Title 42 policy.
These policies would be dangerous and harmful enough on their own. But we’re heading into a tough election year with Trump and Trump-acolytes threatening to take back power; we cannot hand them even more tools to inflict their cruel agenda on vulnerable people.
Click here, and calls to both of our NY Senators on this issue will just take a few minutes. Thank you for taking action!
Take Ten Minutes to Rein in Medicare Advantage Fraud
Indivisible OneNYS is participating in the effort to rein in Medicare Advantage fraud. Our next tactic is mobilizing our members to submit a public comment to CMS ( the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the US Dept of Health and Human Services) before Jan. 5th.
Read this One pager about Medicare Advantage fraud
Then fill out the one page public comment form. All you need to do is open the How to submit a public comment guide - it's super simple and quick! Then either use one of the short statements (copy and paste) or better yet, write your own submission in a sentence or two. Please do this before Jan 5th. We have a statewide goal for 1000 comments, so every one matters!
We Need More Letters to the Editor in 2024
Please make a New Year's Resolution to send Letters to the Editor to local papers. The Daily Sentinel will usually publish any letter received, and the Syracuse Post Standard (Syracuse.com) has been publishing LTEs as well. This past week, the Waterville Times, which covers the Town of Kirkland, published Sarah Reeske's letter about Brandon Williams' unprofessional behavior when he attacked his former employee.
What if....there was an LTE every week that talked about reproductive freedom and reminded voters how much we value our freedoms and that Brandon Williams and other Republicans want to take our freedoms away?
What if ...the urgency of the climate crisis was in front of readers of local papers every week and every month?
What political or public policy issue matters most to you? If you would like help writing a letter--whether research, editing, or suggestions of where to send it, email us at IndivisibleMV@gmail.com. We have an LTE group that can assist you!
Thank You and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!
Please, please take the 10 minutes to register a public comment about Medicare Advantage fraud. Deadline: Jan. 5th.
Mark your calendar for the Jan. 6th anniversary vigil at 12:30 pm on Saturday, Jan. 6th. An email will be sent around Jan. 3rd so you know the details.
The weekly Friday email won't come out on Dec. 29th, but CAFE Fridays will meet today and Dec. 29th if you want to connect. Use the Zoom link in the calendar.
Thank you for your political activism in 2023. We have a massive goal in 2024--to flip NY22 and save democracy from the MAGA extremists. As we enter our EIGHTH year of activism, there is one thing we know for sure: "Together we can do hard things."
Also...Democracy is not a spectator sport.
Follow us on Instagram's Threads.net/@indivisiblemohawkvalley, on X (Twitter) using @indivisiblemv and of course on our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
