Call to Action: April 30, 2018

PROVIDING HOUSING AND FOOD – NOT TAX BREAKS 

#ProtectMedicaid
#SaveSNAP

Our safety net is under constant attack from Trump and his GOP. The attacks won’t stop until Congress changes.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson proposed the latest assault: tripling rent for the poorest families with subsidized housing and allowing housing authorities to impose work requirements. Carson stated, “from a budget perspective” current levels of spending are “unsustainable.” The GOP tax scam—championed by GREG WALDEN—has gifted Wall Street banks $3.59 billion in lower taxes in the first quarter of 2018.

This proposal is especially cruel given the acute shortage of affordable housing. The Portland Housing Bureau found “[T]here are no neighborhoods affordable to rent for the average Black, Latino, Native American, and single mother households.”

This is on top of:
— Medicaid work requirements which will cost thousands their healthcare – up to 97,000 in Kentucky alone
— preparing another ACA repeal attempt
–the Farm Bill which increases work requirements for food assistance for 5 to 7 million, and may take free school meals away from as many as 280,000 children

Congress must work for WE THE PEOPLE, not corporations.

Housing and food, not tax breaks for banks!

Walden Sold Us Out!

**ACTION 1: Call Trump Enabling Greg Walden and our Senators**
(Leave a message if you can’t get through.)

SAMPLE SCRIPT for Complicit, Trump-Enabling Greg Walden:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent and voter from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am disgusted by HUD proposing to triple the rent on subsidized housing and provisions in the farm bill that cut nutrition assistance from families and children. This is especially vulgar in the face of the tax breaks corporations get from the tax plan. Mr. Walden should think of his constituents and work to remove work requirements for SNAP from the farm bill, keep the nutritional assistance we have going, and stop HUD from raising rent on subsidized housing. Thank you”

SAMPLE SCRIPT for Senators Merkley and Wyden:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent and voter from [city], Oregon [zip code]. I am very worried about the constant attacks on our safety net. Tripling the rent on subsidized housing and cutting nutrition assistance from families and children are not my values. I ask that the Senator work to remove work requirements for SNAP from the farm bill, keep the nutritional assistance we have going, and stop HUD from raising rent on subsidized housing. Thank you.”

**ACTION 2: It’s Time To Get Out The Vote**

It has become clear that we need a different Congress to SAVE OUR SAFETY NET.

This includes replacing Greg Walden with someone who will represent We The People.

VOTE in the Primary for the progressive candidates of your choice. Ballots are in the mail! Be sure all of your progressive friends return their ballots by May 15—people who vote in the primary are EIGHT TIMES more likely to vote in the general election!

Don’t forget to VOTE the ENTIRE BALLOT! In Jackson County, we have two progressive women running for County Commissioner—Lanita Witt and Amy Thuren. Let’s get progressive voices into ALL LEVELS of Government!

Help us Get Out the Vote—GOTV!

If you are not already working with the Neighborhood Leader Program to GOTV, sign up by visiting:

http://www.jcdemocrats.org/get-involved/neighborhood-leaders-program/

It really is that simple. And guess what? By doing that simple thing you will help increase voter turnout significantly. In the Oregon January 2018 Measure 101 Election progressive voter turnout was increased by 34 points! That’s how elections are won!

If you are already participating, recruit five of your friends to join the program!

The 2018 elections will be the most important of our lives!

Complicit Trump Enabler GREG WALDEN 
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me

SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY 
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/

SENATOR RON WYDEN 
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/