Your Government Has Chosen To Do This. To You.
Truer words were never spoken. March 10, 2025,
Editor’s Note: When Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, addressed the people of the US last week with these words, they hit me. It’s likely they hit you. When President 2.0 acknowledged that his economic plan and actions are likely to drive the country into a recession, that should hit all of us, too. And when President 2.0 also made it clear that he was abandoning our long-standing commitments to our allies, cutting our relationships both political and economic to align OUR COUNTRY with Russia (does the US have anything at all to gain from this move — because I just cannot see it), well. . . Our government has chosen to do this to us.
I’m told (I cannot find the most recent studies) that Republicans like and want an Authoritarian government. We must show that an Authoritarian government will never be accepted by the people.
Your Budget, especially in government, is Your Values
By Sabra Briere
I want to talk about money.
No, that’s a joke. I never want to talk about money. But I’m filling out my taxes, and worrying about what the government is doing every day. I bet you are, too. So money it is. And I’ll even talk a little about tariffs.
Two things about the US budget. The budget year begins on October 1. Congress is supposed to pass and implement a budget prior to that. What’s been happening for the past number of years has been games of brinksmanship, where the budget hasn’t passed and the Congress has had to pass a continuing resolution — which essentially continues the prior year budget, with maybe some tinkering around the edges. Continuing resolutions may be for as short as 6 weeks, as long as 3 months or — as this year — entirely through the whole blessed year.
That’s right. Congress has not passed a budget for this fiscal year. It’s operating on continuing resolutions. And Speaker Johnson has just brought forward a continuing resolution that, if approved by Congress as written, would extend to September 30.
At the same time, it would CUT millions of dollars from the current, um, existing budget and SHIFT further millions around. And as always, it seems, budget language is nearly impenetrable to even the educated lay person. So here’s an analysis by the Democrats on the impact of the continuing resolution. And I’m fairly certain it this resolution needs Democratic votes in order to pass.
That’s because while there may be a number of House Republicans who will vote against any funding bill, we cannot depend on the Republicans to be divided this year. They have been embracing the staff cuts and department eliminations that DOGE has implemented, without any sense of shame.
But the bill can be filibustered in the Senate. 60 votes will be needed in a chamber where Republicans hold 53 seats. That means only a bipartisan deal can keep the lights on for the entire federal government. And it’s up to the Democrats in the Senate to hold the line.
What can you do?
In our Actions newsletter, we’ve asked you to make some calls. It’s a good time to make some more.
Please call these Members of Congress — in their leadership positions — and say something like:
I strongly urge the Senator / Representative to oppose any continuing budget resolution unless it is a clean CR without any cuts to vital programs for working families, the elderly, and the poor.
Senate Leadership
Majority Leader: John Thune R-SD 202-224-2321
Majority Whip: John Barrasso R-WY 202-224-6441
Minority Leader: Chuck Schumer D-NY 202-224-6542
Minority Whip: Richard Durbin D-IL 202-224-2152
House Leadership
Majority Leader: Steve Scalise R-LA 202-225-3015
Majority Whip: Tom Emmer R-MN 202-225-2331
Minority Leader: Hakeem Jefferies D-NY 202-225-5936
Minority Whip: Katherine Clark D-MA 202-225-2836
MEETINGS
photo: Jesse Kornblum / ProBonoPhoto.org
Indivisible Sonoma County
Mar. 2025 General Membership Meeting
TONIGHT
Mon, Mar 10, 2025 6:00pm - 7:00pm | US/Pacific
Come join us for our March general meeting, where we'll talk about moving from resistance to defiance, give you important updates on current organizing and actions - and more.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblesonomacounty/event/761654/
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For new, continuing, and returning members.
If you’re a new member, this meeting will give you a chance to meet others and find actions that are the best fit for you.
We hope you will be a part of it.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblesonomacounty/event/761654/
A short break for some bleak humor
This week, in an effort to comply with our King President’s desire to erase all women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color), LGBTQI, and Liberals from the annals of history, the Pentagon had someone or something (I suspect an AI) pour through their records and remove all references to anyone who might fit into the above categories.
Including the Enola Gay. And maybe the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima isn’t your idea of a proud moment in the history of the US, but it should not be erased in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Tariffs, Recession, and the price of eggs
We’ve been socialized to expect our government to build a strong economy, and then work to maintain it. All our lives — whether we are 80 or 20 — governments have cared about employment and wages, trade with other countries, attracting new businesses, creating favorable business environments — all the things that create a strong economy.
Even as we watch President 2.0 tear apart our expectations, we continue to think someone will stop the madness.
No one will.
So. Tariffs are added fees that a business pays when they send their goods across an international border. Those fees raise the cost of goods that another business (or individual) pays for those goods. Tariffs don’t impact directly the country the business is shipping from, but they really impact the end consumer. And if the parts that make up the finished product cross the border multiple times (as car parts do, in a complex dance set up to dodge US taxes and decrease production costs) then the final price to consumers can double or triple.
These tariffs are not friendly to our trading partners, and they aren’t beneficial to us.
And that’s especially true if, in retaliation, our trading partners impose additional tariffs on the goods we ship to them.
Even President 2.0 agrees. Oh, he calls it a ‘period of transition,’ but the stock market and all the financial markets aren’t fooled. We’re likely to have the recession that all the Republicans prayed for during Joe Biden’s term in office. That’s why the stock market went into freefall this morning. Again. And while I’m not a person who bets on stocks, for a lot of people stocks are the major indicator of how optimistic people are feeling about the future of our economy. And right now, the answer is, well, not very much.
Canadian residents are happily figuring out ways to boycott all US-origin goods. There’s an app for that. And so are their European and British counterparts. Probably their Mexican counterparts, too. This will spread. It is likely to become a thing — not dealing with the US, not buying from the US, and feeling very sorry, very sorry indeed, but still, too bad for those of us living in the US.
Which brings us to the price of eggs.
Blaming Joe Biden for inflation, when all the economic indicators were that the US economy was doing really well (low unemployment overall, rising wages, increased manufacturing, increased investment in infrastructure) never seemed right to me. So I’m unwilling to hold this president’s feet to the fire over the effects of bird flu. I truly understand that when the chickens that lay the eggs die, there will be fewer eggs.
But. His administration is offering to solve inflation (which includes rising meat, grain, and produce costs, mind you) by encouraging back yard chickens. And maybe we should all raise a few vegetables.
I could rant on about this, but for many people, especially those who have been working multiple part time jobs, adding yet another part time job so they can eat that will cost them money (food, shelter, fencing, livestock purchase) and time is, well, a solution of the privileged.
And yet, it may become a solution of necessity.
What the ACLU Says
Here’s a different, but aligned, take on ways to hold the White House accountable.
All Those Marches
We went to all the Town Halls so far. Not only here in Sonoma County, and not only members of Indivisible. From deep red districts to deep blue, regular people went to voice their concerns and ask questions. Some were heard. Some were applauded. Some were dragged out. And some Members of Congress just walked out in the middle. Because they didn’t want to listen, and certainly didn’t want to be held accountable.
We’ve also heard that the Republicans are being told not to hold any more town halls, because the only people going to town halls are being paid by George Soros to attend. Yeah, I know, where’s my check?
We’ve been told, by all our Democratic Members of Congress, that they need to see us take to the streets. That that gives them the power to fight back from the floor and from the steps of Congress. And yet, they aren’t seeing that.
And not because there aren’t protests. But because those protests aren’t being covered in the large media markets. Before I wrote these lines I checked the Washington Post and learned that all the marches were in other countries. I checked the New York Times and learned that there were only about 300 (!) marches in the US, most of them very lightly attended, just a few hundred attending, like the one in Madison, WI with 120. No mention at all of the numbers in LA, or Chicago, or DC, with its’ giant flag for Ukraine in the mix.
So we need to make more noise. We need to stand loudly and proudly, demanding attention. And yes, this means all of us. (And if you aren’t in Sonoma County, we invite you to start or continue your own events and join us as we become a bigger thorn in the side of our government.)
So here’s the next thing.
Indivisible Sonoma County will be holding a series of rallies / marches during March and April.
We’ll be announcing those dates and details later this week.
We’ll give you time to organize.
We want you all to come.
We want numbers too large to ignore, on an issue that’s too important to be quiet about. And that’s how we spend our money. Our money. Because the budget is our values.
And we don’t value an authoritarian government. We don’t value a government that leaves out the elderly, the poor, the BIPOC, the immigrants, the Native Americans/First Nations, the workers, the young, the sick. That doesn’t care for all of us.
We value a government that is for everyone. One that applies the same laws to all. One that offers the same opportunities to all. One that holds the same expectations for all.
We are all in this together. Because together, we are Indivisible.
Actions
Another Wisconsin postcard project:
Denise Meier plans to be at this Wednesday’s BAS meeting with quite a few postcard packets for the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The postcards are actually mostly pre-printed and can be done quickly; they include stickers for the addresses (though you’re encouraged to write in the names and addresses for a more personal touch). The packets also include stamps. The requested donation is $20 for packets of 30.
Anyone who can’t get to the Wednesday meeting can email Denise at dmorg@sonic.net to arrange picking them up.
Early voting begins March 18, so time is of the essence.
For more actions, click here
Check our website for more information and to learn more about Indivisible.
Any ideas on where to get cheap postcards for letter writing?