Last night, Senate voted to begin debate on the “Tax Cuts and Job Act” in a strict party-line vote, marking the start of 20 hours of debate, which resumes at 10:30am EST Thursday. It is CRITICAL that we continue to voice our concerns to Senate, even as this debate continues. 

This week, call your Senators and write to them to demand they VOTE NO on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Hi, my name is [NAME]. I vote in [State] and I live in [country of residence].

I do not support the tax bill and urge you to vote NO when it comes to a vote in the Senate. Analysts on all sides admit the bill gives large, permanent tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations, paid for by stripping thousands and thousands of people of their health care and raising taxes on middle class families. No matter how many times I hear it it I simply don’t believe the tax cuts will trickle down to average Americans.

If you want to highlight a particular issue that concerns you: I am especially concerned about [see links below for some details]

If you want to highlight issues specific to Americans abroad: I am also concerned that the bill once again includes no provisions whatsoever to address the tax problems of Americans like me who live abroad. Filing taxes on income earned abroad is incredibly complex, expensive and unjust. Many of us pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for help filing the forms that show there is no tax to pay, and those of us who do owe are paying tax on the same dollar of income to both the US and our country of residence. [Personal story about your tax situation, if you have one.]

If the US had a system of residency-based taxation, like nearly every other nation, then I’d still be required to report my US-based income to the IRS, but not the income I make in and pay tax on to [name of country].

I understand that there are some potential amendments that may address this during the debate process, but they have yet to be made public. We need the Senator to be fighting on this issue, and we need to ensure that reform IS addressed and is done so in a way that is revenue neutral, boosts opportunity and helps reduce inequality.

If your Senator is a Democrat: It’s not enough just to vote no, he/she needs to actively work to slow down the Trump Tax Scam and expose it for the scam it is. Democrats started withholding consent during the health care fight—and it worked.

This bill doesn’t help me or any working class American. Please vote NO on the Senate’s tax reform bill. Thank you

MORE INFO

Many details still have to be worked out during this debate, which is why we won’t have a firm idea of exactly what the bill features until just before the final vote. But based on what we’ve seen until this point, we know that the bill will be bad for the country, bad for middle class Americans and the poor, bad for women and minorities, and bad for our national security.

The GOP Bill in its current state:

• Explodes the deficit

• Destroys health insurance markets

• Creates giant loopholes for tax exploitation

• Makes corporate tax rates permanent

• Worsens inequality, including in academia

We are also aware that Sen Heller (R-NV) has put forward two “place holder” amendments (see Heller Amendments 9 and 10) that may be specific to foreign earned income, and Sen Paul (R-KY) may also propose an amendment to repeal FATCA. However, none of this has yet been made public or scored. We commend any discussion around these issues that will bring attention to the concerns of Americans overseas, and we will continue to push hard on this issue. That being said,  we have yet to have any details that would allow us to review properly, and we will not be able to support an overall tax bill that cheats so much of the country for the gains of the .1%. We look forward to closely watching the debate for further updates on this issue in particular. 

As always, our aim is to turn tiny actions into big results, so we hope we can continue to count on your help! Do you have suggestions for our next tiny action? Email info at democratsabroad dot org and let us know.

While Americans and friends around the world come together to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, the FCC is making major moves to reverse net neutrality rules that preserve an open and fair internet -- and it’s looking even worse than we expected.

This week, speak up to DEFEND net neutrality.

1. Call and email FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai: +1 202 418 1000, [email protected], along with FCC Members [email protected] and [email protected]

“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a concerned American from [your voting location]. I'm calling to express my extreme concern that the FCC is trying to kill net neutrality as well as strong oversight of ISPs. An open internet is important for equitable access to the resources and information available on it. Thank you for your time and attention.”

Of the FCC’s five members, these are the three to target. The other two (women!) have already said they will vote against rolling back net neutrality - with one even calling for your help.

In addition to the sample text provided here, we encourage you to make your message personal if you can and ask that you include your FULL US voting address when sending email/voicemail.  

2. Call your Senators and your Representative and tell them that this is important to you, too.

“My name is [NAME] and I vote in [ZIP CODE/STATE]. I’m calling because I support ‘Title Two’ net neutrality rules and I would like you to publicly oppose the FCC's plan to repeal them. I understand that [MoC/Senator] may be limited inhis/her abilities to demand certain actions from the FCC, but this is a critical issue that will impact how I vote in the future. I ask the [MoC/Senator] to:
1. Contact the FCC Chairman and demand that he abandon his current plan and cancel the December vote.
2. Publicly push for open hearings across the nation, in advance of any sort of vote.
3. Introduce a telecoms bill that will address what the FCC is trying to roll back."

If the FCC ends up revoking its authority to enforce net neutrality, it will be up to Congress to reform the law to ensure protections. Tell your reps how much you value net neutrality -- especially if they sit on the Senate Commerce Committee or House Commerce Committee.
 

MORE INFO

What is net neutrality?
We’ve shared a lot of info about net neutrality before. Net neutrality prevents internet service providers (such as Comcast or AT&T) from controlling what reaches consumers at what speed. It also: 

• Prevents the richest organizations and corporations from controlling the internet.  
• Stops wealthy, extreme lobbying groups. from blocking access to accurate information they don’t like.
• Ensures small businesses, low-income individuals and much of rural America have access to more affordable, reasonably fast internet.  

Why does it matter?
We need the open internet to foster job growth, competition, innovation and to protect our rights. It means activists can turn out thousands of people in the streets at a moment’s notice.  And small business owners, startups and entrepreneurs can launch businesses, create markets, advertise, and reach customers. Without net neutrality, the internet would be changed from a free space to one controlled entirely by corporate interests.

Earlier this year, comment periods were spammed with hundreds of thousands of anti-neutrality messages from fake or stolen identities. Many, including NY’s AG Eric Schneiderman, argue that this was unfair and even unlawful, but that makes it all the more important that we are as vocal about this issue as we can be. 

As always, our aim is to turn tiny actions into big results, so we hope we can continue to count on your help! Do you have suggestions for our next tiny action? Email info at democratsabroad dot org and let us know.

It’s no secret that 45 has nominated a string of frightening candidates to join his administration. While his latest may not be getting top headlines, they are grossly unqualified and, unless Senate blocks them, could take on roles that could create long term damage.

This week, call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on Trump's latest nominees. 

1. Vote NO on the nominations of Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer to lifetime federal judgeships.

“My name is [NAME] and I vote in [state]. I’m calling because I strongly oppose the confirmation of Brett Talley to be a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Alabama, and I hope that the Senator’s vote reflects the same.  This  lifetime judgeship position should be given to someone with the experience to do the job well, but Mr Talley has never even tried a case in court and was given a unanimous “unqualified” rating by the American Bar Association. This is not someone who has earned a lifetime appointment, and the fact that his vocal extremist ideology seems to be the driving factor in his nomination is very disconcerting.

I’m also calling to oppose the nomination of Jeff Mateer for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Mateer has said he discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation and that he does not believe in the constitutional mandate of separation of church and state. He is an appalling choice for a lifetime judgeship.”

Who are Brett Talley and Jeff Mateer: Of the many ways Talley isn’t qualified for the role, he’s only the fourth judicial nominee since 1989 to receive a unanimous “unqualified” rating by the American Bar Association and has never tried a case in court himself. Talley also pledged his allegiance to the NRA just weeks after Sandy Hook, maintains an array of other extreme conservative viewpoints, and failed to disclose that he’s married to an attorney on Trump’s payroll.  

Mateer, on the other hand, is an experienced constitutional lawyer who has repeatedly insisted that the separation of church and state should not exist. He compared the treatment of Christians in America to that of Jewish people in Nazi Germany. In 2015, he described transgender children as part of “Satan’s plan,” has likened same-sex marriage to people “marrying their pets,” and is an active proponent of dangerous conversion therapy.

Why it matters: Such judgeship appointments rarely make headlines, but it may be the one place the Trump administration has been (quietly) very productive. He’s outpacing Obama and has 145 vacancies to fill -- and he’s filling those seats with very young, very conservative judges. More here and here on how Trump is reshaping the judiciary, perhaps for decades to come.

As for Mateer, considering him for a lifetime judgeship is an attack on both the separation of church and state and on LGBT individuals who remain vulnerable to abuse and discrimination.  
 

2. Block the confirmation of Kathleen Hartnett White.

“My name is [name] and I vote in [state].  I’m calling to ask the Senator to block the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to lead the Council on Environmental Quality. She is a dangerous right-wing climate change denier sponsored by the fossil fuel industry; holds extreme, anti-science views that would lead to damaging environmental policy decisions; and has proven in her recent Senate hearing that she is incapable of discussing even the most basic issues related to climate change. She is absolutely wrong for the role of advising the president on climate-related issues and policy."

Who is KHW: Kathleen Hartnett White is an extreme right-wing climate-denier, senior fellow at the Koch brothers and Exxon-funded Texas Public Policy Foundation, believes carbon dioxide is harmless "plant food," equates belief in climate change to "paganism," and calls solar and wind power "unreliable and parasitic." She also claimed that coal use in the 1800s “dissolved the economic justification for slavery" in the US. She did not do well in her recent Senate hearing.

Why it matters: The role is essentially Trump’s lead advisor on directing environmental policy across agencies, even over EPA head Scott Pruitt. This uninformed, extreme climate-denier could have an oversized and dangerous influence over permit applications for fossil fuel infrastructure projects, like dirty oil pipelines or fracked natural gas export terminals.

3. Stop climate change denier Jim Bridenstine from taking over NASA.

“My name is [name] and I vote in [state].  I’m calling to ask the Senator to block the nomination of Jim Bridenstine to be the next Administrator of NASA. He lacks any qualifications in science and engineering and supports increased privatization of military space activities as well as civilian. Perhaps most alarming is his flat out rejection of the scientific consensus on climate change while criticizing NASA’s spending on climate science research. Bridenstine would be a dangerous lead for the organization  responsible for gathering and analyzing scientific data that is used to create new environmental regulations and related health standards."

Who is Jim Bridenstine: Currently representing Oklahoma’s 1st District, the former Navy pilot has a history of denying basic climate science, introduced legislation that would eliminate Earth science from NASA’s mission statement, supports LGBT discrimination, and defended Trump after the infamous “grab them by the…” recording.

At his recent Senate hearing, in addition to displaying a lack of understanding of what climate change is, Bridenstine said his science-denying, politically polarizing comments came with the job of being a Republican congressman and that he would be apolitical at NASA. There is no reason to believe his change of heart, and his “new views” of climate change remain in line with the harshly anti-science Trump administration -- unequivocally wrong.

Why it matters: Congressman Bridenstine would be the first NASA Administrator to come from a political, and not scientific, background -- a cause for concern from Florida’s Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson. This has been the most anti-science administration in American history, and it began with these same watered-down climate science denial position that Bridenstine took in his hearing. The Trump administration’s actions, combined with Bridenstine’s own history of climate science denial and opposition to NASA’s significant climate science research, should trigger alarm bells for all of us.

As always, our aim is to turn tiny actions into big results, so we hope we can continue to count on your help! Do you have suggestions for our next tiny action? Email info at democratsabroad dot org and let us know.

We are so grateful for advocacy work of our volunteers each week, standing together with Democrats Abroad to make a difference through our tiny actions.

We are a party of volunteers, all living abroad, and we are made strong by each other. But volunteers are only one part of what makes DA tick. The other, not so obvious bit, are the tools that we use for phone banking, answering questions, reporting on news, advocating issues you care about, and finding the millions of Americans in the billion people we live among. Those tools and outreach efforts are not free, nor are they paid for by anyone except us.

This week, help us GIVE TO WIN.