Pro-democracy Potluck: Tues
Hello CRAGgys!
Join us tomorrow on the lovely Houghton waterfront to celebrate solidarity.
Keweenaw Indivisible Potluck
Keweenaw Indivisible is sponsoring a Pro-Democracy potluck.
SPECIAL KI General Meeting:
🥘 Potluck Edition 🥘
When: Tuesday, June 24th, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Where: East Houghton Waterfront Park (just West of the Super 8 Motel).
What: Our next meeting will be a casual pot luck organized by one of our members. Break bread, build community, and thank our amazing volunteers for their hard work. Please sign up here to bring a dish!
♻️ Note: We will make sure there are some paper plates and plastic utensils, but if you can, please bring your own dishes and take-away containers to reduce waste!
Aggression home and abroad
We are seeing a frightening escalation of government violence both domestically. Some commentators are making the connection, "Trump’s war with Iran signals perilous shift from showman to strongman" (David Smith, The Guardian).
ICE
The number of people currently detained by ICE is likely the highest in history, 56,397 people as of June 15th (Austin Kocher, Substack). In January about 6% of detainees had no criminal history; today 30% have no pending charges or convictions.
Here in the UP Jorge Nicolas and Maria Magdalena Benitez were apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) after being stopped by a Menominee County sheriff for driving 6 miles over the speed limit. Michigan does not require law enforcement to report people to immigration agents; indeed some communities, like Grand Rapids, have clearly stated that their job is protecting public safety, not stalking people for ICE. The public largely disapproves of deporting non-criminals who are working.
This activity will undoubtedly increase in Michigan, where, absurdly, the entire state is considered to be within 100 miles of the border. The ACLU has guidance on your rights if stopped; everyone has rights, citizen or not.
IRAN
I can't add much to what you are already reading in the news. I do want to point out that these attacks are supremely unpopular, more people are opposed than to previous U.S. military actions. Maybe they are figuring out who loses and who benefits from wars.
Actions and requests
- Continue to register your opinion on the big, bad, bombshell, billionaire, budget bill. It's now in the Senate, which could stop many of the worst parts, but is so far indicating that they won't. Use 5 Calls to easily contact Senators Slotkin and Peters.
- Line 5 Tunnel Comments to the Army Corps, which is accelerating approval of this boondoggle (closes June 30th). Link in this article.
- Reminder: Decline to Sign. Watch out for anti-voter rights petitions. Two groups are about to start soliciting signatures to add repressive "proof of citizenship" language to the Michigan constitution. DO NOT SIGN THESE PETITIONS.
NOTES from recent meetings
I sent these comments to the Ontonagon Country Rural Electric Coop (OCREA), which held their annual meeting yesterday. (The comment session was too chaotic and long for me to speak.)
To the OCREA members, board, and employees,
The take-over of the federal government is threatening lives and livelihoods of many REA members.
The US energy system is being set back by the yanking of support for renewable energy, for which fuel is free, and expanded funding of polluting, corporate fossil fuels projects.
Renewable energy is the cheapest and fastest way to expand capacity. But instead of investing in those sources the federal government is forcing a private company, Consumers Energy, to keep running an old coal plant on the shore of Lake Michigan (JH Campbell), even though both the company and the state say it’s not needed and it’s going to cost ratepayers a lot of money.
Taxpayers already subsidized fossil fuels to the tune of $757 billion dollars in 2023.
Meanwhile, help for residential and small utility solar projects is being cut. About 1,500 businesses and 250,000 jobs will be lost by reversing the recent clean energy investments.
But attacks on the energy are only a small part of the overall threats to REA members.
The Budget bomb bill that just passed congress will harm the health of people in Michigan’s first congressional district; it will cut 12,800people from Medicaid and 17,580 from the ACA insurance (Affordable Care Act). [total of 30,380 would loss insurance.]
Michigan is losing $93 million dollars in federal funds for drug treatment programs, which is about a third of that budget.
Because this budget bill also explodes the deficit by $3 Trillion dollars, it will force cuts in Medicare as well as Medicaid.
I could say much much more, but I’ll just finish with this thought:
The United States of America is the richest country in the history of the world. It is shameful to undermine investments in clean energy, and cut food and health care from needy families to fund tax giveaways to billionaires.
I urge the REA members and board to communicate their concerns to local, state, and federal elected officials.
Places to engage this week
Only a few meetings are coming up next week: L'Anse Village, Houghton City Council, Calumet Township, and the Portage Lake District Library (details on the calendar).
Many government actions threaten our local communities. Speak up!
And let me know if you go and what you learn. Remember, this is a long process. Showing up multiple times builds trust and demonstrates to people with diverse viewpoints that you don't have horns.
Why and how to attend local meetings
CRAG started with a plea for people to get out to talk to our local public officials. The crisis in democracy spans the spectrum from the very top down to local voters who elected them. Let me know your views and experiences about why local democracy is critical.
Lots of opportunities next week calendar; view in browser for the embedded version. (sorry, it doesn't show up in email.)
Hints on using the calendar: switch view format on the upper right, download a pdf with the 🖨️ icon, upper left. Select subcalendars (meetings, demos, etc) with >> on the upper left.
How can we get you out to your township/county/other meetings?
Small township meetings are often only 30 minutes long. Check the the CALENDAR for one near you.
- We can help:
- Pair you with a buddy 👬;
- Guidance in preparing remarks. (but just saying a few words from your heart is fine.)
- Fact sheets on your township (demographics, recent federal funding, number of people on Medicaid, etc).
- What else can we do? Childcare? Transportation 🚌? Lollipops 🍭? Let me know!
Events and meetings
The CALENDAR has details on events.
A list of Pro-democracy organizations in the UP has contact information. (Please share additions and corrections.)
- Blair Anderson will speak at the AWAVE gathering on Wednesday. on military intelligence, Russian and Iranian Bots , how to plan for the what ifs, the bombing of Iran Nuclear facilities, etc. (6 pm, June 24, at the KUUF).
- Baraga County Dems, June 24, 6 pm at the L'Anse Town Hall.
Ongoing:
Details are on the CALENDAR.
It's time to thank Frank for allowing groups to meet in the Orpheum Theater; with their switch to summer hours many will be meeting elsewhere. Please confirm locations.
- Yoopers for Ukraine Rally at the bridge Wednesdays at 5 pm (correction).
- Keweenaw Indivisible meets alternate Tuesdays, from June 10th, 6-8 pm at the KUUF
- “Houghton County Dems meet every 1st Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
- 3rd Wednesday, 6 pm HC Dems April Meet-up.
- 4th Wednesdays AWAVE, 6 pm. Gathering at UU Fellowship Houghton.
- 3rd Sundays, 7-8:45 pm, Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy Monthly Action Committee (KATO). Please register at the link to help with the headcount.
- Marquette: Every Saturday morning from 11:30-12:30, between 40 - 80 people have been assembling at the Marquette Post Office, standing in support with long-established Citizens for Peace & Justice.
Albatross
All five kestrel chicks have flown away. Video on the KestrelCam. But look, it's an Albatross!
Thanks for all your support
Stay Well
Sarah