#ResistTrump locally, with Flippable, Town Hall Project, Planned Parenthood

Most of the political activism that makes up The Resistance takes place on the local level. While perhaps a million people made it to the Women’s March in Washington, most of those who marched that day did so in their own cities.

Those following the Indivisible model of activism focus relentlessly on local politicians — flooding the phone lines of their own Senators and congresspeople, showing up en masse at their town halls.

We talk about resisting Trump, but really what we’re doing is resisting those politicians who have been enabling Trump — the Republicans who go along with our erratic unpresident out of fear or expediency, the Democrats who are only now just realizing that any and all compromise with Trump is worse than useless.

So today, inspired by the conversation in the last #ResistTrump thread, I thought I’d mention a couple of political initiatives I haven;t mentioned before that are all about fighting Trump and the Republicans on a local level.

FLIPPABLE

First is Flippable, a group working to, as their slogan has it, “flip seats, win states, rebuild our country.” Flippable focuses on state races in Republican-controlled states that could potentially be won for Democrats and other progressives. These races matter in themselves; they also make a difference in national politics.

In order to combat “Republican-engineered gerrymandering and voter suppression,” the organizers argue,

we must gain control of state legislatures. State legislators, in conjunction with governors, have an awesome power to shape the norms of our democracy. We need to put this power in the hands of trusted progressive leaders.  

See here for a more detailed explanation of the strategy, and here to see which states look flippable in 2017 and 2018.

THE TOWN HALL PROJECT

Want to go yell at your member of congress (or applaud them if they’ve been standing up to Trump)? The Town Hall Project has compiled a nice spreadsheet of upcoming town halls across the country. (And if you can’t make it, I’m sure the THP would appreciate help in compiling their list.)

PLANNED PARENTHOOD RALLIES AND EVENTS

With abortion rights and Planned Parenthood itself under attack, the organization has planned a bunch of events this weekend across the country. Find a local event by going to PP’s big interactive map here.

And here are a few other impending abortion-rights rallies I found listed in the RESISTABLE newsletter:

Friday, February 10
5PM CST — Rally for Reproductive Rights, Chicago, IL

Reproductive rights, including abortion, are under attack everywhere in this nation. Illinois, and the Chicago area in particular, have long been known as a safe haven for abortion care in the midwest region. We’re holding this rally to defend the rights we already have, and to demand their protection and expansion.

Saturday, February 11

11AM ET — Protest PP Counter-Rally, Manhattan, NY

Protest PP is holding country-wide rallies to defund Planned Parenthood. If you think Planned Parenthood is vital and necessary and should receive government funding, then join others who stand with Planned Parenthood in Washington Square Park to peacefully support them.

12PM ET —  Support Planned Parenthood, Portland, ME

Join organizers on the steps of City Hall to show support for Planned Parenthood and their mission, which is to provide, promote, and protect access to reproductive health care and sexuality education so that all people can make voluntary choices about their reproductive and sexual health. **This event is in support of Planned Parenthood, but not representative of or affiliated with the organization.

Please post any local politics resources you’ve run across in the comments below!

And don’t forget to make some calls, if you can! As always, 5Calls has a bunch of suggestions. Planned Parenthood has scripts if you want to urge your elected reps to stand up for abortion rights.

See my posts here and here for information and advice on how to make your calls and emails effective. If making these sorts of calls is tough for you, here’s some advice on calling politicians if you have social anxiety. But emails are also fine.

WE ARE MAKING A GIANT DIFFERENCE!

Give yourself some credit! And remember it’s ok to take a day off (or however much time you need). Don’t burn yourself out; we need you for the long term.