In today’s news – the return of LGBTQ discrimination in WA, hearing on Jeff Sessions, and President Obama’s farewell speech

It’s another big news day so we wanted to update you on some of the issues we’re following and how you can help us fight back against Donald Trump and the Republican agenda.

Washington Won’t Discriminate

Last year Washington voters rejected discrimination against our LGBTQ friends, co-workers, and family members when the I-1515 campaign, which would have banned transgender people from using the bathroom for their gender, failed to get enough voter signatures to make the ballot. And Washington isn’t the only state where the voters have made their wishes clear on this issue – in conservative North Carolina, Republican Governor Pat McCrory made such a law his signature issue and was subsequently defeated for re-election this past November. Even some Republicans oppose this discriminatory proposal – when a bill to ban transgender people from the restroom for their gender was brought up for a vote in the Washington State Senate last year, three Republicans joined with the Democrats on the vote to defeat the measure. Opposition to anti-LGBTQ discrimination is widespread, bipartisan, and clearly reflected by the will of voters.

But the public’s clear will isn’t stopping the anti-LGBTQ backers of this initiative – they’re back, now announcing their plan to qualify an initiative for this year’s ballot. Their proposal would ban transgender people from using public restrooms and strip away non-discrimination protections that transgender Washingtonians have relied on to keep them and their families safe for more than 10 years.

You can share your support on Facebook for our transgender friends and neighbors– just click the link and a post will be ready to share, and you can add your own message of support.  By showing our support for our transgender friends, coworkers and family, we can send a clear message – Washington won’t discriminate!

 

Trump Nominee Hearings Begin

This morning the Senate held hearings on Jeff Sessions’ nomination as Attorney General. We already knew Sessions was an extreme conservative – he opposes immigration reform, voted to allow workplace discrimination against LGBTQ people, voted repeatedly against the interests of women including opposing the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Violence Against Women Act, and he’s one of the biggest opponents of voting rights in the entire United States. He even called the NAACP “un-American”.

This morning, the hearing revealed even more of his extreme positions. He called the Roe v. Wade decision that protects a woman’s right to choose “unconstitutional”, he refused to disavow anti-choice terrorists who harass and threaten women and doctors for seeking and performing abortions,  and Democrats questioned him over his false claims to have worked on behalf of desegregation in the South.

We need to let the Republicans know that Sessions’ record disqualifies him from serving as Attorney General. You can get the contact information for Republican Representatives and Senators here to call them and let them know that Jeff Sessions is too extreme to be America’s Attorney General.

 

Watch President Obama Tonight!

President Obama is giving his farewell speech this evening, Jan 10th, at 6 PM. It should be broadcast on the cable news networks and you can watch it online here.

We want to thank President Obama for his leadership of our country over the past eight years! Despite opposition every step of the way, he brought our economy out of the Great Recession, helped create 16 million new jobs, expanded health insurance to 20 million uninsured Americans, the poverty rate is falling faster than it has in the past 50 years, and the unemployment rate is at just 4.7%. He’s done a remarkable job for our country.

If you have a moment or a story from Obama’s presidency to share, you can share your story with the President here.

Thanks Obama!

 

Thanks for reading – you can reach us at communications@wa-democrats.org with your thoughts and feedback. Let’s keep a spotlight on the legislature this year and we’ll stay in touch with you about how we can work together to fight back, beat the Republicans, and deliver wins for the people of Washington!

 

The WA Democrats Communications Team