ECHO BASE

Thanks to ACLU of MN (not affiliated with Echo Base) for the good word on how to support DACA recipients in Minnesota: 1. TELL CONGRESS YOU WANT A CLEAN DREAM ACT WHAT TO DO: Call your U.S. Senator. Find your Congressional representatives here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members If you're in Minnesota: Senator Tina Smith: (202) 224-5641) Senator Amy Klobuchar: (202) 224-3244 / 612-727-5220 SCRIPT, if you need it (if you know your rep already supports what you're asking for, adapt your script as a thank you— yes, this is important to do too!): "Hello. My name is _______. My zip code is _____. I don't need a personal response. I'm calling to encourage Senator ________ not to vote for any long-term budget resolution that does not include a clean DREAM Act. DACA is worth a government shutdown. If you could pass my concerns along, I'd appreciate it." If you care to, throw in a request for similar support of the Children's Health

The Constitution requires the United States to conduct a census every decade. And so, in 2020, we'll do our 24th national headcount. The United States Census Bureau, an office under the Department of Commerce, oversees the project. The census is much more than a headcount. It is the most influential data the government gathers. The numbers determine how many members of the U.S. House of Representatives each state is allotted and how congressional districts are drawn within states. It's used to allocate government funding, conduct crucial research and set public policy. And the 2020 census will be used for all of this until the next census is taken in 2030. Making sure the census is conducted fairly and impartially, therefore, is crucial for good governance and for fair elections. Tom Brunell is set to become a deputy director of the census bureau—and he would be a disaster. As just one example of the philosophy he would bring to the job, Brunell, a polit

Thanks to Watch Your Reps MN (not affiliated with Echo Base) for the info here, reprinted almost verbatim. Read on for how you can get involved to oppose an unconcstitutional attempted power grab by the GOP. (Encouragements to contact Sen. Fischbach via Facebook and Twitter are Echo Base embellishments.) = = = = Last week, Tina Smith went to Washington as the new US Senator from Minnesota. That left the Lt. Governor position open and, according to the succession laid out in the MN Constitution, the President of the Senate becomes the Lt. Governor. This should be easy, but of course it isn't. Despite knowing that one of the possibilities when you take the role of Senate President is that you might be called up to Lt. Governor, Senator Fischbach is refusing to be sworn in, isn't taking the salary of the Lt. Governor and is trying to keep her position as Senator. She's calling herself an "acting" Lt. Governor and claims she can do both roles.

There are two special elections coming up on February 12th here in Minnesota. One is in the State Senate, one in the State House. Both are due to resignations stemming from harassment allegations. One is an opportunity to flip a seat; the other is a chance to keep a seat blue. Both races offer a chance to elect a Democratic woman. Both need your support. Time is of the essence. Here is the DFL-endorsed candidate in each race:    Melissa Wagner for MN House 23B   Karla Bigham for MN Senate District 54 = = = = = HOW YOU CAN HELP: = = = = = 1. MAKE DONATIONS Donate to Melissa Wagner Donate to Karla Bigham + send office supplies to Karla Bigham's field office at 1594 Hastings Av, Newport MN, 55055 2. VOLUNTEER Volunteer for Melissa Wagner There's a postcard writing event for Melissa Wagner at the Golden Valley Lunds/ Byerly's on 1/4/18 at 7:30 PM. Melissa Wagner's campaign is also hosting a door knock kickoff a