FEDERAL:

You may remember this little ditty: Betsy DeVos Ethics Report Reveals Ties to Student Debt Collection Firm  about how the DeVos family is neck deep in the student loan debt collection business. It was obvious to those of us who are neither billionaires nor in the pockets of billionaires (I’m looking at you Burr and Tillis) that Betsy DeVos would be a horrible choice for Secretary of Education under any normal president. But these are not normal times we live in. We called. We faxed. We sent postcards and emails, but money talks. Burr and Tillis only listen when 1) you are a rich Republican or 2) you have a check in hand. Betsy DeVos is both, so guess who got what she wanted.

Call or fax your Representative and Senators and demand that they put forward legislation to continue to protect students who have to rely on loans to finance their higher education. If Betsy DeVos has her way, the only people eligible to attend universities will be people in her own tax bracket.

DeVos dials back consumer protections for student loan borrowers

SCRIPT:

Hi, I am a constituent from _______________ and I calling to urge Sen./Rep. _____________ to support legislation that would reinstate protections for student loan borrowers. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently released a memo that would rescind requirements that student loan servicers provide timely, accurate, and consistent information about their loans. It would also remove protections for vulnerable borrowers who are at risk of defaulting on their loans. A college education is increasingly becoming a necessity in our economy, and these consumer protections are vital to poor and working-class students who must take out substantial loans to pay for their education. Please tell Sen./Rep. ________________ to promote legislation that would reinstate these protections. Thank you.

 

TRUMP’S TAX RETURNS:

It’s tax season and if Trump thinks we’ve forgotten about the fact that he hasn’t disclosed his tax returns, he’s sadly mistaken.

Background:
http://thehill.com/…/327394-house-dems-launch-new-effort-to…

SCRIPT:
Hi, I am a constituent from __________ and I am calling to urge Rep./Sen. _____________ to support a bill sponsored by Anna Eshoo to force Presidents to release their tax returns. With so many ethics questions and open investigations about the administration, we need to see those returns. Thank you for recording my call.

STATE:

S 587: There is also legislation being considered in the NCGA about presidential tax returns.

“Sen. Jay Chaudhuri of Raleigh filed the bill Tuesday under the title “Tax Returns Uniformly Made Public Act,” or “T.R.U.M.P. Act.” Similar legislation – also featuring an acronym that spells out the president’s name – has been filed in other states, including New York.”

The T.R.U.M.P. Act would keep presidential candidates who refused to release at least the most recent five years of their tax returns from being eligible to be on North Carolina ballots.

NC senator’s ‘T.R.U.M.P. Act’ would force presidential candidates to release tax returns

Call Jerry Tillman and Rick Gunn and let them know you support this measure.

SCRIPT:

Hello. My name is ________ and I am calling from _________ in Randolph County. I am calling to urge Sen.___________ to support S587, the T.R.U.M.P. Act. For more than 40 years, presidential candidates have released their tax returns to the public so that we may be assured their business lives do not create a conflict of interest with their governmental lives. Any presidential candidate who refuses to release his or her tax returns is obviously trying to hide something and therefore does not deserve the privilege of being on our North Carolina ballot. Please support this bill. Thank you.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Lunch with Lawmakers – Friday April 21, 2017 Archdale Trinity Chamber of Commerce is having a forum to make Reps. Pat Hurley and Allen McNeill  and Senator Jerry Tillman available to answer questions from constituents. See the link for the official flyer from the Chamber.

Tax March on Washington – Throughout the presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised that he would release his tax returns “later.” Then, just a few days after Trump assumed office, his top adviser, Kellyanne Conway, said that he wouldn’t release his tax returns ever, because the American people “don’t care.” We’re here to say that we do care. Join us at the White House on Saturday, April 15, 2017, to march and show Donald Trump that he owes us transparency. Two-thirds of Americans are concerned that he may be putting his interests ahead of the country’s. Until we see his tax returns, we can’t know for sure. There will also be rallies in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Mooresville the same day. Visit http://taxmarch.org/ for more information.

March for Science, Greensboro – The rally and march in Greensboro will include short speeches from local scientists who work at North Carolina A & T, UNC Greensboro, and other local organizations. We will also be featuring performances from local bands Disaster Recovery and Viva La Muerte, and from kid activist Sage Advice. Supporters of science from across the Piedmont Triad will gather at this event.  To help costs related to the march, please contribute to our gofundme page! https://www.gofundme.com/marchforsciencegreensboro  Leftover money will be used to send deserving local children to a local science camp.

People’s Climate March –  Join us April 29th in Washington, DC to let Trump know that we won’t let him pollute the air and wreck the climate on our watch!  There is no denying it: Donald Trump’s election is a threat to the future of our planet, the safety of our communities, and the health of our families. If the policies he proposed on the campaign trail are implemented, they will destroy our climate, decimate our jobs and livelihoods, and undermine the civil rights and liberties won in many hard fought battles. It’s up to us to stop that from happening before it starts.