Jen Hofmann's Activism Checklist

Here are Jen Hofmann's recommendations for this week's political activism.

I believe in creating a healthy planet for future generations.

Action: Oppose using National Monuments for resource extraction and mining.

Call: Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior 202-208-3100

Script: Hi. I’m calling to oppose Trump’s executive order. (Mention any NMs in your state and) Bear’s Ears NM is (are) a treasure. National monuments are protected, citizen-owned land, and I oppose efforts to extract resources from them.

Action: Support funding for the Energy Star program.

Create: Make 3 postcards with a hand-drawn Energy Star logo.

Address: Your 3 MoCs (lookup).

Script: I’ve purchased (list appliances) with the Energy Star rating. Americans have saved over $300 billion in energy costs since this program was created. Don’t eliminate this important program in the upcoming budget. 

Bonus: Take a photo of your cards and post on social media with #energystar.

Action: Keep marching for climate and science.

Challenge yourself to walk somewhere—instead of drive—to reduce pollution.

Priority Action: Vehemently oppose Trumpcare 3.

If you have Republican elected officials, call them asap (okay to leave a message). The GOP is working frantically to get something passed. This is not diplomatically worded because they’ll only listen if they think their job is on the line

Script: Hi. I’m a constituent from _ZIP_. If _NAME_ votes for a bill that removes any health coverage for any American, s/he will lose her job. Full stop. Healthcare is a fundamental human right. Not tax credits. Not health savings accounts. Actual care. For all Americans. Anything less than this, and I will work hard to make sure _NAME_ is out of a job at the very next opportunity. Thanks.

Action: Advocate for a special commission to investigate 45-Russia ties.

Newly-confirmed Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein can approve a special prosecutor or commission, but has previously hedged on this action. Speak up.

Call: Dept. of Justice comment line 202-353-1555

Postcard: USDoJ, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001

Script: I am among the 58% of Americans who want an independent commission to investigate Trump-Russia ties. Trust in the four current investigations is compromised, and the Attorney General’s credibility is tarnished. Only an independent commission or special prosecutor will restore confidence.

Action: Oppose 45 running his business at taxpayer expense.

Call: Your 3 MoCs (lookup). Blue or red.

Script: Hi. I’m a constituent from _ZIP_, calling because I want to know why I my hard-earned tax money is sending Trump to Florida to play golf, paying for his kids’ security while they fly around the world to make him money, and funding Secret Service members staying in Trump’s hotels? This is not normal. It’s corruption. I’d like to know what _NAME_ is doing about it.

Bonus: Install the Don’t Pay Trump Chrome extension.

I believe in a vote for every American.

Action: Advocate for automatic voter registration in your state.

Look up: Is your state among those proposing this legislation?

Call: Your state (not federal) legislator (lookup).

Script: Hi. I’m a constituent from _ZIP_, calling to express my support for automatic voter registration in our state. Can you tell me where _NAME_ stands on this issue? (Share a relevant story about registration hassles.)

I believe in being a good citizen of the world.

Action: Support the health of impoverished women worldwide.

45’s withdrawal from the UN Population Fund leaves women without basic care. You can help.

Donate: UN Population Fund

An Open Letter to the New Treasury Secretary

February 20, 2017

The Honorable Steven T. Mnuchin
Secretary of the Treasury
United States of America

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Reference is made to your letter, 2016 Form 1040, February 15, 2017

I’m seventy-nine years old and have never failed to submit a tax return, from the time I worked as a delivery boy in high school, through my two decades in the U.S. military, two decades working for a government laboratory in national security, right up until today, in my retirement.

I’ve willingly paid my taxes under 11 presidents; six republicans and five democrats. Like serving in the military, for me, paying taxes was a way of giving back to my country for the rights and privileges I enjoyed as a citizen of this great nation.

Now I am looking at the prospect come April 15th of paying taxes under another president, Donald J Trump. I have to tell you, Mr. Secretary, that for the first time ever, I hesitate to do so. Not for ideological reasons — although I strongly disagree with Mr. Trump’s ideology — and not because Mr. Trump avoided paying taxes for so many years. I hesitate because Mr. Trump refuses to make a clean break from his global business interests. Until he does so, he will unavoidably be violating the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Mr. Trump claimed that he eliminated potential trouble with emoluments by turning over operation of the business to his children. That argument is inane, but even if we believed that the President would not discuss Trump business dealings with “the kids,” as long as he continues to profit from his business empire—which he does whether or not he is nominally in charge, the possibility that foreign actors will attempt to affect his policies by frequenting his hotels, golf courses, resorts, and casinos, remains an issue of national concern.

Mr. Trump apparently feels that divestiture is too high a price to pay to be President of the United States, just as he felt it was “smart” not to pay taxes.

We might understand better the intricacies and entanglements of Mr. Trump’s business holdings and partners if we could examine his tax returns, but he has steadfastly refused to release them  — something every president has done since Gerald Ford.

So you see the reason for my hesitation to submit my tax return on April 15 — I can’t be sure that my tax dollars won’t be going to line the pockets of foreign actors whose business dealings with the President have curried his favor. Maybe Mr. Trump is right; maybe it isn’t smart to pay taxes. At least, not until we have a president willing to abide by the Constitution.

Thank you for your understanding.

Very Respectfully,

Richard Badalamente, LTC, USAF (Ret.)