alliance4action Newsletter
January, 2021
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Message from our Chair
The Leadership team wishes you all a very Happy New Year! At this point, we have less than 20 days before the Biden/Harris administration begins. We will probably still be in the midst of threats and conspiracy theories but after four years, we are on track for Biden’s inauguration.
Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. We examine the past and decide what our priorities are for the future. The alliance4action is also examining the past and focusing on our future. Please join us on Sunday, January 17 at 2:00 (on zoom of course). Our program will include an overview of the origins of a4a--why it was created and who the original founders were. The second part of the program will be a presentation by Alison Jones, former Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party. I assure you that she will provide focus and energy to the progressive agenda. Finally, our current action groups will share their priorities for the coming year.
I hope you will be in attendance. We have so much work to do, but we have proven skills and commitment to get the job done!
Polly Daly, Chair
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a4a January General Meeting
The Work Does Not Stop Here
by Alison Jones
Outgoing Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party
Sunday, January 17, 2:00 p.m.
The program will also include an overview of the history of alliance4action.
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Not sure if you've paid your 2021 dues? If you paid on-line, you will have received an emailed receipt from Act Blue. You can also go directly to your Act Blue account and check your payment history ( https://secure.actblue.com/signin). Still not sure? Contact our treasurer, Maggie Sievers, [email protected]. |
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alliance4action Treasurer’s Report
Balance as of December 29, 2020 $3,332.21
Maggie Sievers, Treasurer
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Inauguration Celebration!
Join us in celebrating the inauguration of President Joe Biden on Wednesday, January 20th! Meet at the NW corner of La Cañada and Esperanza (in front of the Methodist Church) from 9:00-9:30 a.m. Bring positive signs and cash or food donations for the Sahuarita Food Bank. Canned protein rich items are most needed. Please, wear masks.
This is a celebration, NOT a confrontation.
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a4a ACTION GROUPS
Climate
Climate Conversations - The Climate Action group is continuing this discussion series held on the third Thursday of each month at 2pm via ZOOM. All are welcome. Email us at [email protected] to get announcements.
At the December Climate Conversation our guests Gayle Hartmann (Save the Scenic Santa Ritas) and Carolyn Shafer (Patagonia Alliance) did an excellent job explaining the current status of proposed new mining in our area and what is at stake in this age of climate change. You can see a video of their presentations on YouTube. Search for (exact wording) SoAZ Mining Dec2020 or link to https://youtu.be/IO7qky9DSU4.
The two organizations collaborate and each organization has an excellent website where you can sign up to get newsletters/action alerts and learn other ways to become engaged:
January 21, 2PM - Our January Climate Conversation will focus on Energy Efficiency. We will welcome two highly qualified experts in the field to speak with us, Guy Nelson and Craig Hibberd. Combined, they have over 90 years of professional experience in the energy industry with focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, conservation and sustainability.
Guy will give a brief overview of energy efficiency opportunities primarily in residential applications, then turn the podium over to Craig who will talk about the shift away from fossil fuels to electricity to address climate change. Guy and Craig will be happy to entertain our questions. Please join us. Here is the Zoom link:
Topic: Climate Conversations: Energy Efficiency Part 1
Time: Jan 21, 2021 02:00 PM Arizona
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86254395485?pwd=OGZ5TUNKNFlhajhtdGx4eDIwTUFLQT09
Meeting ID: 862 5439 5485
Passcode: 377712
https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/eco, Eco Vectors by Vecteezy__________________________________
Education
2021 brings us new opportunities. Proposition 208 was passed in the recent election. This legislation will allow more financial resources to flow to public education in Arizona. The election of Joe Biden brings us a first lady, Jill Biden Ph.D., who is an actual teacher at a community junior college. It will also bring us a new secretary of education. Our current secretary of education has urged her staff to “resist” the incoming appointee and their agenda. We have heard that Dr. Jill Biden’s project will be to make junior college free for all students. What a positive start we have to the next four years!
Our plan is to work with our federal and state elected officials on the following issues:
Assuring that Prop 208 is implemented as intended in AZ.
Advocating for tax credits to be used more equitably for public schools in AZ.
Legislating more accountability and transparency for charter schools.
Addressing current student loan debt and developing guidelines that are fair.
Supporting public education.
Other priorities will surely emerge as we progress.
Please contact Polly Daly at [email protected] if you would like to join us.
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Health Care
We had six in attendance at our monthly December meeting with 84 members on our mailing list. We shared the Open Letter from the Tucson Medical Center nurses, speaking from the heart about taking COVID precautions. We are focusing on what the new Administration can do on Day One and in the First Hundred Days, first regarding COVID. Thereafter, we will be tracking ACA improvements and fixes, drug pricing reform and nursing home reform. We will be laying educational groundwork for structural change toward universal health care and separating health insurance from employment.
We will be rejuvenating our relationships with our Members of Congress and their staff. We will be doing the same with our State Senator and Representatives, looking for areas to improve health care in Arizona. We will be upping the ante on our County Supervisor, who has made some disappointing votes lately.
We were happy to see that one of our issues, surprise billing, was included in the COVID Relief Bill. We think it’s a good approach, though are sorry ground ambulance services did not make it in. We were also proud and happy to see Debra Mallory’s “In My View" in the Green Valley News on 12/23/20. It too speaks from the heart about the stress and suffering among nurses due to the pandemic.
We talked about ways to support the Georgia Run Off elections. We will most likely meet again on 01/27/21 since we want to watch the Inauguration. For more information or to join us, please email Laurie Jurs at [email protected]. We would love to have you with us!
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Immigration
CALL to ACTION
Asylum-seekers have been waiting in Nogales, Sonora in Mexico, some for ove  r a year, to present themselves at the US border to begin their asylum process in the United States. Read some of their testimonies here.
On December 2nd, asylum-seekers in Nogales revealed their letter addressed to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris with their demands to #SaveAsylum. They have called on their supporters in the US to sign the supporter petition and hope to reach 10,000 signatures by Inauguration Day.
Please endorse the asylum-seekers' requests and sign the supporter petition here so that their words make it to your members of Congress. Sign here.
NEW DRACONIAN ASYLUM RULES - New Trump-Administration asylum rules taking effect on 1.11.21 (while being fought in the courts) are expected to diminish US asylum in these ways: (1) violate asylum-seekers' due process rights;(2) heighten the credible fear standard; (3) foreclose asylum for those fleeing gender and gang-based violence; and, (4) give immigration judges unfettered discretion to deny asylum applications without requiring a hearing.
ROADMAP TO FREEDOM - The Progressive Democrats plan to introduce "Roadmap to Freedom" - comprehensive immigration reform - in January 2021. Read a summary here.
Don't forget to sign up for the Common Ground on the Border VIII Conference - all on Zoom this year. Classes are on Wednesday and Thursday, January 13 and 14 and the Border Issues Fair with speakers will be on Saturday, January 16th. Learn more and register here.
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For up-to-date information, check our website, https://alliance4action.org and our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/alliance4action.
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