Goals & History of CRAG, April 13th, 2025

Hello CRAGgy Friends,
Welcome new people! (join here)

1. Goals (and history) of CRAG
   
2. News snippets: Tariffs, federal layoffs, politicizing the law
   
3. Upcoming Local Township/city meetings CALENDAR
   
4. Events, meetings, and organizing CALENDAR
   

“It is not shameful to do little.  It is shameful to do nothing.” Alexie Navalny (1978-2024), Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner. (h/t CW)

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

1. Goals (and history) of CRAG
This list has grown to 206 people. For new people, CRAG started spontaneously in February from my outrage at seeing attacks on government by a regime following an autocratic playbook, and inspiration from Timothy Snyder's Twenty Lessons on Tyranny. The curious can find all CRAG emails in an archive. Since then, our goals have consolidated to:

• Goal 1: Get people to speak out at meetings of our local elected officials.
• Goal 2: inform and educate about local impacts of federal government chaos..

Goal 1: Inspiration for Goal 1 comes from Janus Rose "You can't post your way out of fascism". The condensed version of that article is:

Scrolling, posting, liking, ranting, will not restore democracy. Citizens must ACT in the real world.

Progress to date: A small cohort of CRAG members have spoken up at about 20 local meetings.
Next steps: Expand the number of people attending these meetings.

How can we get you out to your township/county/other meetings?
Eleven events are on the CALENDAR this week (see below). We can help:

• Pair you with a buddy;
• Guidance in preparing remarks;
• Factsheet on your township;
• What else can we do? Childcare? Transportation? Lollipops? Let me know!

Goal 2: A CRAG team has come together to research local impacts. Our initial goal is factsheets on various topics. We can fairly quickly provide basic information on the demographics of townships, number of people on Medicaid, etc. If you plan to attend a meeting, let us know what would help you.

2. News snippets
On-again off-again tariffs have opened the spigot for a fire hose of corruption from insider trading to special relief for favored people.
Federal worker layoffs are continuing with many more imminent, including a planned 65% reduction in the EPA; 9,000 people from USDA; Labor department to be cut by 90%; 80,000 from the VA; and elimination of USAID, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and others.
Last week two executive orders directed the Justice Department to investigate two specific people as revenge for their truth-telling. Here's Olivia Troye, who served as Vice President Mike Pence’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor, on this tactic: "It’s deeply dangerous—both for our democracy and for every individual he targets. A president weaponizing the Department of Justice to punish those he sees as political enemies is the hallmark of an authoritarian regime."
3. Upcoming Local Township/city meetings CALENDAR
We are trying to get someone to speak up at every possible local meeting. Stand up, say your piece How are government actions affecting you? How do they hurt your community? You don't have to say a lot; some people just say a sentence or two "I'm worried about Medicaid cuts"; "I don't want Elon Musk having access to my private data."
Week of April 13th:

• April 14, 5 pm, Adams Township
• April 14, 6 pm, Portage Township
• April 14, 6 pm, Village of South Range
• April 14, 7 pm, Hancock Township
  • Beth F. is speaking on a resolution proposal; 2 other CRAGgys will attend
• April 14, Franklin Township; 11 pm?? can someone check this time? https://sites.google.com/prod/view/franklin-township/calendar?authuser=0
• April 15, 10 -11:30 am, Houghton County Special meeting on Jail
  • Public meeting to present options. See LWV info, including video of Faith's recent info sessions.
• April 15, 5:30 pm, CCISD
• April 15, 6 pm, Calumet Village Council
• April 15, 6 pm, Laurium Village Council
• April 16, 6 pm, Hancock City Council
• April 16, 6 pm, Torch Lake Township
• April 17, 4 pm, Calumet Township Master Plan, Public hearing
• April 17, 5:15 pm, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District- Annual Meeting
• April 17, 6 pm, Elm River Township

Is anybody from Duncan Township? I can't find a webpage or meeting info for them.
4. Events and meetings CALENDAR

• April 19, 'Celebrate 250 years of NO KINGS'.  Portage lift Bridge, 11:30 am. Organized by AWAVE.
• April 22nd, 6:30 pm. Second Houghton Bergman(less) Town Hall

Ongoing (you can be very busy on Wednesdays!):

• Yoopers for Ukraine Rally at the bridge Wednesdays at 3.
• “Houghton County Dems meet every 1st Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
• Unpack and Unwind” 2nd Wednesdays, 7 pm to 8:30 pm; Hampton Hotel on the seventh floor (accessible with elevator). A casual space to share ideas, vent, ask questions, and connect with others over progressive thoughts and curiosity. No agenda. No group. Just open minds and good vibes. Drop in, speak up, or just listen—whatever feels right.
• April 16, 3rd Wednesday, 6 pm HC Dems April Meet-up, 5th and Elm.
• AWAVE 4th Wednesdays. Gathering at 5th and Elm, Hancock.

Thanks for all your support
Stay Well
Sarah