Wow! We made lots of plans. Here is a summary put in a more sensible order than happened at our meeting. Next meeting Sunday March 31st 4:30-5:45

1. We decided not to participate in the Sister District Virginia over-scripted postcard campaign but are going to do two fundraisers for Virginia over the coming months: 1) A Quiet Evening at Home Fundraiser– for a donation information about Virginia to read, a nice snack and no need to put on your shoes or schlepp somewhere and 2) an auction of political items like old buttons we all have hoarded –items already offered include the New York Times from the day Nixon left the White House and a Hubert Humphrey shopping bag. Interested in leading either of these endeavors? We need volunteer coordinators.
2. Bruce had two items for us. First, Indivisible wants us to Call Barbara Lee to Support National Carbon Pricing Bill |urging her to support HR 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019, a bipartisan carbon fee and dividend bill introduced in the House. HR 763 is probably the strongest and most comprehensive climate bill ever introduced in Congress, and it deserves strong support. The bill sets fees on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and other sources. Second, please check out the new video narrated by Jennifer Lawrence: Unbreaking America: A NEW Short Film about Solving the Corruption Crisis.”   Described in the Washington Post as “a 12-minute lecture … that’s part civics lesson and part rallying cry,” it introduces the non-partisan anti-corruption group RepresentUs and invites citizens across the political spectrum to help “fix our broken elections, stop political bribery, and end secret money.”  If it makes sense to you, forward the message to others who might like it. (This idea was enthusiastically seconded by our group and we are going to test the video by emailing it to centrist and Republican friends and relatives.
3. Time for a new button design. Bring your ideas to our next meeting or send them to me and we’ll pick the new design at the meeting. We can include them in the Quiet Evening at Home Fundraiser as mini gifts.
4. Judy brought us up to date on a great plan to replace the Alameda sheriff. We’ll link her proposal to another blog post due to various linking issues. More on what we can do to support this at future meetings.
5. Finally, Michael brought us this action item:

Speak up for your hungry neighbors by April 2. [h/t FRAC]

Write: A comment on the Federal Register.
Modify this script: Comments are not counted if you cut-and-paste. Use the ideas below to get started.

The Agriculture Department has proposed new limits on states’ ability to waive work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, even when not enough jobs are available. 

Last fall, Congress rejected this provision that would deny food to 755,000 people, many of whom work in low-wage, unstable occupations.

I want my tax dollars to assist my neighbors in need. 

I support a robust SNAP program for adults because [share why you believe stricter time limits are harmful].

Cite SNAP strengths. 

I oppose new SNAP rules that would increase hunger and poverty in communities across the nation. 

State (not federal) government is best qualified to determine when local employment conditions warrant a change to work requirements.