“This is it," says analyst Bob Borosage of People's Action. "The Senate has to decide on health care. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is pushing for a Thursday vote on the Senate plan that will deprive millions of Americans of health care coverage, and raise premiums to tens of millions more." More from Borosage below, but his main message is the need for immediate action.

A NATION’S HEALTH CARE UNDER THREAT FOR GREEDY MOTIVES

We’ll take our text for this week from Bob Borosage, longtime progressive analyst of US politics and governance and co-leader of the Campaign for America’s Future/People’s Action coalition of which we at Progressive Maryland are a part:

“This is it. The Senate has to decide on health care. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell is pushing for a Thursday vote on the Senate plan that will deprive millions of Americans of health care coverage, and raise premiums to tens of millions more. There will be a procedural vote on Tuesday to open the debate, and a push for a vote on Thursday.

“This is the week to call your Senators – the number is 202-224-3121 – and to demonstrate in their offices in Washington, and in your state.

“All across the country on Wednesday, June 28, People’s Action from Maine and Pennsylvania to West Virginia and Nevada will be sponsoring protests. But you needn’t wait. Make certain your Senator hears from you.”

Borosage has more to say in his dispatch this (Monday) morning about the sordid process and devastating effect of the Senate’s doubledown on the savage House bill; you can read that here.

But his most important message is above: the need for action, and now. Those of us within commuting distance of Capitol Hill don’t need to wait for Wednesday; we should find plenty of allies there every day letting the legislators and the world know that the vast majority of Americans are totally against the GOP’s naked attempt to take money from working and poor families to give a tax cut to their wealthy friends.

There are millions of people across the country who wish they had the opportunity to speak out in the heart of power that we do. We should not let them down.

What Progressive Maryland is doing: Progressive Maryland is growing its staff to take on the threat of healthcare repeal. Members were in DC on Wednesday as part of a national day of action to denounce the secret negotiations that would strip nearly one million Marylanders of their healthcare. In coordination with the rally on Capitol Hill, District 1 residents on the Eastern Shore gathered outside Rep. Andy Harris’s office to protest his role in healthcare repeal and share personal stories about how healthcare repeal will impact them and their families. The pressure has already led Governor Larry Hogan to begin distancing himself from his party’s healthcare plan, though he has not said what if anything he will do to protect Maryland families at risk of losing lifesaving care. This fight is far from over and we need volunteers who are willing to help support the campaign. If that's you, sign up here and join our organizing call this Thursday, June 29th at 8pm.

And our regular blogger Hal Ginsberg has placed an op-ed in the WaPo about the severe impact the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act will have on Montgomery County, where he lives and blogs.

OTHER HEALTH CARE RELATED EVENTS

Our comrades at DC Democratic Socialists of America are hosting vigils/actions in Lower Senate Park this week, Monday through Thursday, from 5 to 8 p.m. and invited other organizations, including Progressive Maryland, to join them. More about this here.

The impact on women’s health – with the cutbacks on Medicaid and defunding of Planned Parenthood – are especially severe. On Wednesday at 5 p.m., on what may be the eve of the Senate vote, ACA and women's health defenders will form a human chain-- circling the Capitol with our collective voices, our bodies and our power. Join RSVP'ing here.

AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multistate compact to which Maryland belongs (NY, the New England states and Delaware are also in it), gets revenue (a fee, not a tax!) from carbon-producing power plants and uses it to help impacted communities with retrofitting, bill assistance and workforce training. Maryland’s membership is coming up and Gov. Hogan is making noises about pulling out unless Maryland’s greenhouse gas reduction goals are loosened. Contact him and say that ain’t gonna happen. The Sierra Club has a way to do that.

AROUND THE STATE: PROGRESSIVE MARYLAND CHAPTERS

Progressive MoCo

Wednesday, June 28 -- Have you RSVPed yet for our Progressive Happy Hour this week?  We’ll be filling Denizen’s in downtown Silver Spring, 6 to 8 p.m. this Wednesday to relax, connect, and discuss our plans for your county chapter.  The weather is forecast to be warm and sunny, so let’s come together to kick off the first full week of summer right!

 RSVP at our event page here: http://www.progressivemaryland.org/junehh

Event hosted by PMD Montgomery, home of Progressive Maryland in Montgomery County.

Progressive Prince George’s

Wednesday, June 28^th-- Prince George's Chapter Immigrant Rights and Protection Issue Committee Meeting.  at 6:30 p.m. For address information please contact Charles Smith (702) 354-9726 email: [email protected]

Deep Canvassing

In towns and neighborhoods across the country, we hold conversations with voters about the issues of the day and the world we’re fighting to build. We train volunteers to knock on the doors of neighbors and transform their communities into a force at the polls. We ask candidates tough questions and secure policy commitments. If you are interested in being a part of this movement of transformational canvassing, please reach to Amity Pope, Lead Organizer [email protected]

 Issue Groups

Our chapter has identified seven key issues of concern in our county: criminal justice, economic matters, education, fair elections, health care, immigration rights & protection and transportation.  Email the issue leads below to join a group.

• Criminal Justice - Krystal Oriadha: [email protected]
• Economic Matters - Belina Winbish-Haile: [email protected]
• Education - Rob Anthony: [email protected]
• Fair Elections - Linda Thomas-Thorton: [email protected]
• Health Care - Delia Clayton: [email protected]
• Immigration Rights & Protection - Charles Smith - [email protected] (meeting this week – see above)
• Transportation - John Tabori - [email protected]

 County Council

We are looking for a point person for each County Council District. This team will mobilize when needed to advocate with their councilperson on a progressive issue, or to support new candidates for the office. If you are interested in this, please reach to Diane Teichert, County Council Lead [email protected].

 Baltimore comrades, Check in on Max Obuszewski’s highly useful calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

To keep up with progressive events in and around DC consult the invaluable calendar at the Washington Peace Center, http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/alerts

 It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here.

BLOG POSTS THIS WEEK

Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at [email protected]

We recently posted these blogs:

 June 22, 2017 Engagement, not estrangement urged as racism grows in age of Trump

Recent instances of nooses left provocatively in our region are deeply disturbing reminders of an angry and divided world, Hal Ginsberg writes. In order to create a better America, one activist of color tells him, it is crucial for African-Americans to resist the temptation to view most whites as either complicit in the overt racism of a few or, at best, indifferent to it. But all must actively resist any normalization of words and images that dehumanize African-Americans. And we must also condemn the actions of white racists while siding unequivocally with the individuals and communities they attack.

June 21, 2017 "Enough is Enough" -- Prince George's faces deep crises in school system

Atop the usual problems of school systems Prince George's has management issues and potential scandals (inflated graduation rates) that push parents, students and workers to the brink and demand change. Rally tomorrow night (Thursday, June 22) to begin a process of revitalization for the civil rights issue of today.

June 20, 2017 Progressive Maryland kicks off MD health care initiative with June 21 action

Progressive Maryland's launch of our Maryland for Guaranteed Healthcare initiative comes as we are calling for Maryland progressives to join in a rally and lobby action Wednesday, June 21.  to protest the Senate's catastrophic attempt to make the hated House health care bill more palatable. Our health care campaign is consistent with our other progressive values and projects: social justice, anti-oppression, economic justice, and inherent human dignity. Let's get to it.

June 19, 2017 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for June 19-25

A big week for defending the health care system against the Senate's demolition derby in search of funds to cut rich people's taxes. Plus actions in our widening array of local chapters, building out into statewide action. Read on...

Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace since June 2015 are all available with descriptions and links here.