Local Events on Jan. 21

[executrix]

http://plannedparenthoodevents.ngpvanhost.com/

Planned Parenthood is affiliated with the Women's March and has uploaded this map of local events for people who can't get to the Washington march.

Confirmation Hearings - Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development: Dr Ben Carson

[tanaqui]

Nomination Hearing for Dr. Benjamin Carson, of Michigan, to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

When: Thursday 12 January from 10:00am

( Committee Members, what the committee should be concerned about and calling script )

Please use the comments to suggest more reasons why the committee should reject the nomination and to suggest amendments to the calling script.

Confirmation Hearings: Secretary of Defense - James Mattis

[tanaqui]

To conduct a confirmation hearing on the expected nomination of James N. Mattis To Be Secretary Of Defense

When: Thursday 12 January from 10:00am

NOTE: "Upon completion of the confirmation hearing: The Committee will proceed to consider legislation to provide for an exception to a limitation against appointment of persons as Secretary of Defense within seven years of relief from active duty as a regular commissioned officer of the Armed Forces."

( Committee Members and what the committee should be concerned about: )

Suggested action: As with Elaine Chao, given the Democrats don't seem inclined to oppose this nomination -- apart from his violation of the recent-service rule, Mattis seems like a fairly decent pick who would be willing to stand up to Trump and "speak Truth to Power" -- it's probably not worth calling about this one, and instead focusing on other more dangerous candidates. (There may be reason to call later if the waiver legislation is too weak.) But please let us know in comments if there are strong reasons the committee should reject the nomination.

Housekeeping note: This is the last of the confirmation hearings currently scheduled for this week. I'll be back in a couple of days with posts on the hearings scheduled for next week.

Coping: Throwing a weekly anger party

[teaotter]

A friend linked to this tumblr post, How to Throw a Weekly Anger Party Where You Call Your Representatives.

It sounds like a wonderful idea to me, as part of both "how to keep doing this for the long term" and "how not to feel isolated while we do it."

If you don't have in-person activists to party with, I think it would work equally well over chat or Skype, with Google Doc scripts. Especially for people like me -- since I work days, I can't attend a party during the office hours when staff are likely to answer the phone unless it's online, but I could do a lunchtime chat room.