CRAG update, Feb 27
Hello CRAGgy Friends,
Welcome new people!
- Houghton passes resolution!
- Upcoming Council meetings.
- AWAKE Meeting report
- Federal funds in local budgets: easy data source
- News and Resources
- Other actions and events.
1. Houghton passes resolution!Yesterday the Houghton City Council passed a resolution to "Oppose administrative overreach, for example in reductions in force of civilian federal employees and in arbitrary rate change notices for indirect costs of research".
- Thanks for Councilor Craig Waddell for introducing this well-researched resolution, which passed with a 5-0 vote.
- Marcia Goodrich and Linda Lohman spoke in favor; 6-8 other supporters were present.
- Craig and I were interviewed by Jerry Tudor for TV6. Sadly, they broadcast the most innocuous 30-s clips from each of us, followed by one by acting-president Musk.
- Resolution 2025-1963 will be available soon on the Houghton document site.
2. Upcoming local meetings
- Friday, Feb 28, 1 pm, Calumet Township. 25880 Red Jacket Road, Calumet
- March 3, 6 pm, Stanton Township, schedule
- March 10th, 5 pm, Baraga County
- March 10, 5 pm, Adams Twp Board in the township office building at 17104 First St., Baltic (check location, might be next door).
When does your local city or township board meet? Let me know. Thanks to those who have shared; I am compiling a list.
3. AWAKE Meeting report (incomplete)The new local group AWAKE convened a large and enthusiastic crowd last night to coordinate efforts. We heard from Blair Anderson from Marquette, the new Keweenaw Indivisible team, Yoopers United for Ukraine, and I said a few words. We had excellent informal discussions. (My notes are incomplete, if you have better ones, please forward.)
Some key points:
- Calling representatives does matter, even if it doesn’t feel like it. They count how many calls they get on every issue raised. Keep calling!
- Coordinated communication is important; how to do this was not resolved. AWAKE and Yoopers United have been mainly on Facebook. Indivisible and CRAG are using email lists; some have Signal group chats; younger participants might want other means; older ones might use phone trees.
- March 6. A team in Escanaba is organizing a "mock town hall" (also known as an "empty seat town hall"). Rep. Bergman has been invited; the event will occur whether he shows or not. (I'll provide details as I get them.)
4. Federal funds in local budgets: easy data sourceAre you wondering how much federal funding your township receives?
The Michigan Department of Treasury makes annual summaries easy to find.
---> Local Government Document Search Site. Search for Document Group F65. Each document includes a section "federal grants". Most of these are under threat
Those accounts, of course, only report direct funding to local government. They do not include Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, SNAP, and other support to individuals, or grants and contracts to companies, schools, national parks, etc., all of which support the local economy.
5. News and resources
- The app or web site 5-Calls is being highly recommended to simplify your daily calls. It includes concise summaries of key issues.
- Clear piece by Paul Krugman on proposed Medicaid cuts: "Cruel and unusual: Republicans prepare to gut Medicaid"
6. Other actions and events.
- Keep calling your Congressperson. Jack Bergman: (202) 225-4735 (or use 5-calls)
- Join local Keweenaw Indivisible here.
- Houghton County Dems meet every first Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
- Feb 28th: National 24 hour economic boycott. Instigated by The People's Union and now spread widely (and falsely attributed to Heather Cox Richardson).
Thanks for all your support
Stay Well
Sarah