Sen.
Rubio June
19, 2018
Immigration Reform
We
are outraged at the inhumane and morally corrupt practice of our government to
separate children form parents who legally attempt entry to our country to
apply for asylum from oppression and gang violence in their homelands.
We
are outraged that neither you nor Congress have taken action to oppose the
President’s zero tolerance policy or to find a bipartisan legislative solution for
immigration reform.
This
is a time for creative leadership and action. Why not take the $25 billion
Trump wants to spend on his ill-conceived wall and use it for the following
solutions to address the root causes of emigration to the US?
·
Partner with Central American governments to end corruption,
poverty and gang recruitment.
·
Fund mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities to
eliminate the demand for illegal drugs rather than attempt to intercept sources
of supply.
·
Fund desperately needed infrastructure projects to create jobs for
unemployed Americans and immigrants seeking work and opportunity.
Dreamers
under the DACA program have proven to be, for the most part, productive and
responsible resources for the benefit our economy and national well being. There
is no reason to believe asylum seekers won’t follow the same path.
You
have spoken out against inhumane oppression in Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea and
China and supported TPS. The zero
tolerance policy of the Trump administration deserves your condemnation as
well.
We call on you to co-sponsor S.3036 - Keep Families Together Act.
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Foreign Policy
Your
skepticism on negotiations with North Korea and the role of China is justified.
Agreements or promises by the President must be thoroughly vetted in the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. Where
are concessions from North Korea in return for ending joint military training
and preparedness exercises with South Korea, Japan and US?
The
Trump administration is expected to pull the United States out of the U.N.
Human Rights Council. In a move aimed at pandering to his nationalist base,
Trump and his war cabinet have signaled they will withdraw from this key body.
Nearly every day, Trump finds a way to further isolate the United States from
the global stage and weaken international institutions. You must make clear
your vigorous opposition to these expectations.
The
Senate Foreign Relations Committee has yet to act on “Corker-Kaine AUMF” that
would make Trump’s wide-ranging war authorities even wider. Trump doesn’t need a blank check for war -- this
bill must not become law.
Senator Corker’s retirement will create a vacancy in the
chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Corker was not the most senior member of
that Committee so does this mean you will have a shot at becoming Chair or
Ranking Member following the November elections?
Medicare, Medicaid and Health Care
Medicare's
hospital trust fund, which pays for inpatient and nursing care and is mainly
funded through payroll taxes, is now expected to be insolvent in 2025, three
years ahead of earlier forecasts.
The
other portions of Medicare — physician services, Medicare Advantage plans and
prescription drug plans — are funded through general taxpayer revenue and
premiums that people pay every month.
President
Trump's tax overhaul reducing federal income tax rates imperils the future of Medicare.
Elimination of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate means Medicare will
need more money to reimburse hospitals for treating the uninsured. How will you fulfill your promises to protect
Medicare? Where is the promised bill to replace the ACA which has now been essentially
repealed by the failure of Congress to act?
Will you join with members of Indivisible in affirming that access
to affordable health care with no limitations on pre-existing conditions is a
fundamental human right?
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PN2029 — Ronald Mortensen — Department of State nominee
This
nomination has been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearings.
Mortensen
has smeared all immigrants as "murderers, identity thieves, gang bangers,
and other assorted thugs." He is a fellow for the Center for Immigration
Studies, a favorite organization of racist Trump adviser Stephen Miller that
has already funneled other hate-mongers into the administration and which the
Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled a hate group for its efforts to
demonize immigrants and people of color. Mortensen's work has even been shared
approvingly by outright white nationalist figures.
We urge you to oppose the nomination of Ronald Mortensen to be
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, a role
that involves overseeing refugee resettlement programs and building strong
relationships with people around the world. The Trump administration has sought
to impose a bigoted refugee ban and is now sabotaging refugee resettlement
through layers of bureaucracy – and appointments like Mortensen – in an attempt
to destroy America's legacy of welcoming those fleeing danger and violence.
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Tariffs and Tax Cuts
Here
are more comments made last week supporting our previous statements in
opposition to tax cuts resulting in
higher interest rates and tariffs that will result in trade wars and increased burden
on consumers.
A
statement released at the end of the Fed’s two-day meeting said officials no
longer view the United States economy as primarily needing a boost from
monetary policy, and are beginning to worry more about the threat of inflation.
Gary
Cohn, the former head of President Trump’s national economic council told the
Washington Post that escalating trade tensions between the United States and
its trading partners threaten to erase the economic growth he promised would
come from Republicans’ tax law.
“Imposing
tariffs places the cost of China’s unfair trade practices squarely on the
shoulders of American consumers, manufacturers, farmers and ranchers. This is
not the right approach,” said Tom Donohue, president and chief executive of the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We urge you to reject Trump’s tariffs and trade wars and rescind
tax cuts benefiting higher income taxpayers.
Respectfully,
on behalf of Indivisible Northeast Florida
David
Johnson, Orange Park, FL 32073, dj.jj@icloud.com
