CRAG Note April 10

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

1. Budgets and Bergman
   
2. Upcoming Local Township/city meetings CALENDAR
3. 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. Budgets and Bergman
The house has taken up the horrible budget plan that was passed by the senate. Once some version gets through the house, it will go to a reconciliation committee to resolve any differences.
Republicans are promoting the fiction that extending the 2017 tax cuts is free. As explained in the Washington Post:
Catherine Rampell: “It’s like saying even though your car lease has ended, leasing another car should count as ‘free’ because you got used to the convenience of having a vehicle around.”
Here's how the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities describes the plan (numbers are over 10 years):

For perspective, the student loan number of $330B (over ten years) is approximately 0.09 Elon Unit per year (based on Musk's reported net worth in February of $378B). He could fund the entire program without giving up a single rocket.

Besides claiming that tax cuts are cost-free, Republicans want to make states pay more for SNAP and Medicaid. SNAP food is 100% federally funded; states pay part of the administration costs.

Medicaid and CHIP cover 178,000 people in MI-01. CAP estimates that republican proposals would cut 49,000 people from the programs.
Rep. Jack Bergman hides behind the fantasy that shifting programs to the states is not a "cut" when he says Medicaid won't be affected. Here in the real world, we know that states have only a few options to take up the loss of federal funds:

And here's what Rep Bergman said about those essential services in an interview with the rightwing Newsmax site:

Cutting the "wasteful, non-essential, potentially fraudulent spending," and "rolling back the federal government and how it spends" is "where the real work is going to lie," he said.

Who does he represent? The median household income in Houghton is $40K; less than 1% of the county makes over $200K. Why is JB so enthusiastically promoting tax cuts for millionaires?

2. 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."
As examples, my statements to all bodies are posted on Substack. And here. (I can post yours, too, if you want to share.)
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
• 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

When and where does your local city or township board meet? Let me know. Thanks to those who have shared.

3. Events and meetings CALENDAR
Tonight:
TONIGHT: Concert for Ukraine:

• Jurij Fedynskyj family concert, Thursday, April 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Fifth Elm Orpheum Theater
• April 19, Nationwide Day of Protest.
• 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.

Join:

• The "Where's Jack" team has been mobilizing across MI-01. They have a FB page. Link up with Keweenaw Indivisible to contribute.
• Join local Keweenaw Indivisible here. This group is actively planning multiple activities; volunteers with enthusiasm and/or talents can contribute.
• Lake Superior Region Indivisible has formed in Marquette. Contact them at [email protected].
• AWAVE has a private Facebook group. Contact [email protected] for info.
• Several groups, including CRAG, have Signal groups (yes, that app, we don't invite high ranking officials; journalists are welcome). Reach out if you'd like to join.

Thanks for all your support
Stay Well
Sarah