Pumpkins and Primaries: Nov. 12th-Dec. 1 2019

Hey Teen Resisters!
We hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got the chance to rest, eat, and spend ample time with friends and family--there is so much around us to be grateful for. As always, it's been quite a two weeks. This list covers the latest in the impeachment inquiry, a DACA update, recent school shootings, and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates' positions on climate change (the last being part of a new initiative we're starting to inform TR readers on where the candidates stand on important issues!!). Happy reading and activisting :))
peace & power,
​TR

what went down

Impeachment Inquiry Update
Impeachment hearings in the House Intelligence Committee took place over the past three weeks. Notable witnesses have included American ambassador to the UK George Sondland, acting American ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, and foreign affairs expert Fiona Hill, among a host of others.

Here’s what witnesses have said so far:

• The U.S. threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine unless Ukrainian President Zelensky publicly announced an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, the Ukrainian company that Hunter Biden worked for.
• There was a phone call on July 26 (one day after the Trump-Zelensky call) between President Trump and Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. A staffer called David Holmes overheard the call in a restaurant in Kyiv. Trump asked Sondland about “the investigations,” and Sondland said that “the Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” ​​

• Trump refused to meet directly with Ukrainian officials until an investigation was announced. 
• Many top Trump officials knew about the quid pro quo,* including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary Mike Pompeo, and Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. 

The next impeachment hearing is scheduled for December 4 in the House Judiciary Committee, titled “Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment,” which will mainly consist of a variety of legal experts speaking on past impeachments and whether Trump’s conduct is impeachable. Trump has tweeted that he would “love” for some of his officials, such as Pompeo and Mulvaney, to testify. 

*What is a quid pro quo? It’s when a favor or advantage is granted or expected in return for something. Here’s something interesting to think about—a lot of Americans don’t know the definition of quid pro quo (which makes sense, given that it’s a fairly antiquated Latin phrase), and it doesn’t have an inherently negative connotation without context. Experts have urged major liberal media outlets to use clearer language when discussing Trump’s crimes, like “bribery” or “extortion,” to communicate more directly the fact that Trump has committed a serious crime and to help people understand what that crime is.

What can you do?

• Because Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives, Trump will likely be impeached. However, it is much less certain that he will be convicted—actually removed from office—by the Senate. If you want the Senate to remove him, call your local senator and urge them to convict Trump for his extortion. ​

DACA Update
In September of 2017, the Trump Administration moved to end the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program (DACA). The program protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants who arrived in the US as children from deportation, and allows them to get work permits, drivers licenses, and access to higher education. 

There has been an extended battle in the courts over the administration’s decision to end DACA. As of now, no new DACA applications are being accepted, but courts have issued injunctions allowing current and past DACA recipients to renew their protected status. 

The Trump Administration has appealed these courts’ decisions and brought the case to the Supreme Court. Oral arguments began on November 12th on the question of whether the Trump Administration acted lawfully in rescinding DACA. 

A ruling on the case is expected anytime from January to June, 2020. The Supreme Court could rule in a number of ways, each of which would hold different consequences for DREAMers (DACA recipients). If you want to learn more about the legal arguments and possible outcomes, the National Immigrant Law Society has a good explainer. 

What can you do?

• If you have the means, donate to United We Dream, an immigrant-youth-led advocacy network. They need funds to… 
  • Spread accurate information to affected communities after DACA ruling so DREAMers and their families know how to respond and what happens next. 
  • Bolster their Deportation Defense program. In the event that SCOTUS votes in favor of the Trump Administration, UWD’s work fighting against ICE and deportation will become more critical than ever.    
• Attend protests! On November 12th, UWD led a nationwide walkout to send a message to SCOTUS and show support and solidarity for DREAMers as oral arguments began. UWD and other immigrant advocacy organizations are sure to organize protests to show support for immigrants and to respond to a negative SCOTUS ruling if it comes. Sign up for United We Dream’s emails to stay up to date. 
• Call your senators, especially if they are Republicans, to encourage them to push for a vote on the Dream and Promise Act (read more about it here)  The bill, which was passed in the House in June, issues broad protections for recipients of DACA and TPS and could mitigate the effects of a bad SCOTUS ruling. 
  • Your script: “Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent of Senator ______’s. I’m calling to ask Senator ________ to advocate for a vote on H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act. With the futures of 700,000 DREAMers hinging on the Supreme Court’s upcoming DACA decision, I believe that it is more important than ever that legislative protections for these young people are passed. DACA recipients have lived in the US for their whole lives. America is their home, and they deserve to live and work here free of the threat of deportation. Thank you.”

 School Shootings 
On November 16 at 7:30 a.m., a 16-year-old opened fire at Saugus High School, Santa Clarita California, killing two and injuring three others (all the victims were in the range of 14-15 years old). The shooter then turned the gun on himself. Recent investigation by authorities has uncovered that the gun used is a “ghost gun,” meaning that it does not contain a serial number, is unregistered, and is built from parts outside of the store—essentially, it’s untraceable. The numbers of ghost guns found, especially in this area, have proliferated though the past six years.   

On November 24, two boys, aged 11 and 14, were shot dead at Searles Elementary School, California while sitting in a van. So far, no arrests have been made and no action except talk. 

Police have recently foiled some potentially devastating shootings as well. On November 22, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested a 13-year-old who had seized a high capacity magazine rifle and threatened to shoot his middle school with it. The police later found a map and list of teacher and student names.

Out of all of the issues that our country is facing, gun violence is one of the problems that affects our generation the most directly and the most dangerously. In the past 46 weeks, there have been 45 school shootings. As the number of shootings gets higher and higher, it’s becomes alarmingly easy to forget that behind every single one of those shootings are faces with stories to tell. It’s all of our jobs to make sure the stories of school shooting victims are heard and remembered. We will never be able to tell their stories or understand their agony, but we will do our very best to pay respect to unspeakable tragedies ad continue to pressure action.
​
On December 2nd, the Supreme Court is going to hear its first major Second Amendment case in nearly a decade. A decision on the hearing is expected to come in July of 2020. In the meantime, we can do our share as well:

What can you do?

1. Use this script to advocate for the rolling back of silencer safety laws and to oppose the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act:  https://everytown.org/call-your-rep-script/
2. Another three key issues are red flag laws, background checks, and an assault weapons ban. Call your reps to push each. 
   1. Red flag laws allow courts to issue orders confiscating guns of individuals if they are deemed a risk. 
      • 14 states have already implemented them locally
      • Republicans Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham are (unexpectedly) proponents and held a hearing in March, but further action has been taken since then.
   2. Assault weapons ban: would ban assault weapons!
      • One that existed from 1994-2004, but it expired; has been validated on the state level by the Supreme Court
      • Introduced in Senate by Sen. Feinstein (D-CA), currently in Senate Judiciary Committee awaiting further action.
   3. Background checks: Democrats passed bill in the House in February that would mandate them for online and private sales and extend the waiting period from 3 to 10 days, but hasn’t been voted on in Senate, and Trump vows to veto it.
      • Sponsor: Mike Thompson (D-CA)
3. Support March for Our Lives and follow their action plan, which includes calling/attending a town hall to address gun violence, creating a community working group to address gun violence, fundraising for violence prevention programs in your area, and pushing voter registration efforts.

​NEW: 2020 Featured Issue—Climate Change
It's vital to us that TR readers have as much information as they need to make a decision about which 2020 presidential candidate they want to support. To that end, we've decided to do a featured issue every list from now until the primaries -- we've explained the basics of where each candidate stands on climate change and what they are planning to do to fix it below. We hope that it will be non-overwhelming and helpful in your process of figuring out who you're backing!!

• Much of the debate surrounding climate change has focused on the Green New Deal, a radical plan introduced by young liberal firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Booker and Democratic Senator Ed Markley that outlines a 10-year mobilization plan to move the country toward a 100% carbon-free power system and a decarbonized economy.
  • ​​Harris, Sanders, Warren, and Klobuchar are all cosponsors of the Green New Deal; Biden, Buttigeg, and Booker support it as well, making it a point of agreement among frontrunners. 
    • As seen in the chart to the right (from a study conducted by Yale), there is large bipartisan support for the GND. As of right now, Sanders has the most extensive plan to combat climate change and has been endorsed by Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, the original sponsor of the GND.​

• One key issue is reducing carbon emissions. Biden, Harris, Buttigeg, and Yang have supported introducing a carbon tax to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Determining the role of nuclear technology in a fast-changing world is another key topic. Harris and Biden have supported the idea of developing nuclear technologies to fight climate change, while others, including Sanders, support the idea of closing down existing nuclear power reactors because of the environmentally harmful radioactive waste they produce. 
• And, finally, oil and gas drilling has proved to be a hot-button topic--the U.S. is the world’s largest producer of these types of fuels. Sanders, Warren and Harris have taken the most radical stance--to ban fracking everywhere--where other more moderate candidates, including Biden, Klobuchar, and Buttigeg, have proposed ending new oil and gas leases on federal land, as well as offshore drilling, instead. 
• The candidates largely agree on rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, which Trump withdrew from.

What can you do?

• Green New Deal: Support it here: https://indivisible.org/resource/tell-your-member-congress-support-green-new-deal
• Phonebank!! If you have reached a decision on which candidate you're going to support, phonebook for them based on the issue you love their stance on. (just google the candidate's name and "phonebook," and you should find a platform.)

Fiona Hill being a superstar!