Thanks, Annie. Here's another, which explains how to maximize our influence with members of Congress:

Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda

A few of the teachers at my DD's former (public - gasp!) HS are my FB friends, they are all wearing red on Wednesday, 1/25 to protest Betsy DeVos's nomination to the Sec. of Ed position. I don't like anyone telling people what to wear, and railed it against it before the march, but after seeing the power of wearing unified colors at the Seneca Falls march, I am rethinking my strident position at bit. As the proud parent of a public HS grad, and the product of public education myself, I am in full support of public school teachers, and this may be a way to show it.

Also heard some larger cities, like Boston, are having follow up rallies for more specific progressive causes.

I also saw a post suggesting a march on April 15th. That sounds like a wonderful idea and there is plenty of time to plan for it.

My neighbors and I have formed a resistance group, and we are using the indivisible guide. We have a closed FB group with daily action items, and are meeting once a month.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but, hey, Lakeaffect: wasn't that the most awesome Day in Seneca Falls? Hope was certainly in the air.

I'd love to have a place to talk and share ideas and experiences without the distractions of posts meant to incite a response... and those responding.

I am able to talk about books, cooking, travel etc with people IRL who aren't aligned completely (or at all) with me politically-- but it's only because we don't often talk politics and we definitely don't bait one another.

jojoba - I was in Seneca Falls too. It was awesome. Such history.

I don't know if Houzz will create a forum like Mtn proposes but I'd be all in. I don't post a lot here but I am pissed and ready for action. I'm taking action on my own, and with people I know locally, but would love to share ideas and strategies with a wider group of people.

Thanks, Annie. I signed up for 10 Actions 100 Days. It's just that the first step will almost be meaningless for me: blue state, blue county, congress people who will vote "my agenda". I think it will be important for people to choose wisely; it will be difficult to fully support (action, donations, petitions, whatever is needed) all of the positions cited at the Women's March. I plan to donate my support to two: voting rights and press accountability/freedom.

I think the democrats in congress are going to be up against so much resistance, they are going to need our voice and support to keep them going.

For example, I wonder if tillerson would be SoS if more of rubio's constituents urged him not to vote for him. There were dems who voted for pompeo...

Bill Moyers has a resistance plan...

Mountain, I think a new board is a wonderful idea! I will admit I have not spent much time here lately, partly because of, well, life LOL and partly because this side of the board has become full of political postings. I'm amazed at the time some of you all have to spend here/online!! But a new board would benefit those who want to talk politics and as you said, would allow this board to go back to the topics of the past. Nothing against political chatter, I'm happy those who want to participate do. It's just not my thing for a forum. I'm not ashamed to say that I come here purely for entertainment!

jojoco, yes, I have been trying to find the best word to describe the entire experience (without saying amazing); the people, the signs(!), that rendition of Strange Fruit, the march organizers, the park and town police, the town, the sunny, 57F day....I think the best word is stirring, for it fired my husband and I up to do battle. We have an 18 year old daughter and we refuse to let this administration and its filthy, disgusting cretin of a leader wreck our beautiful, imperfect, always-striving country, for her and all young people, I, for one, will go down swinging.

I also am ashamed to say that while we live a mere 90 or so miles from Seneca Falls, I had never been there before. It is now on our "places to bring visitors" list, and my husband, daughter and I will visit there when she gets home from college in May.

One (3 emails, copy and paste is okay) quick step. Only if you want to.

For those of you who want to support the long precedent of US Presidents refraining from personal gain and eliminating conflicts of interest see below for another easy action to take:

Support Senator Warren's request to audit President Trump's finances for conflicts of interest. The woman who answered the phone at the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office said the most effective way to be sure my support counted was to email two administrators, Katherine Siggerud and Timothy Minnelli.

Their email addresses are:

siggerudk@gao.gov
minellit@gao.gov

There is a third email address through which they're tracking people who are urging support for the audit.

congrel@gao.gov

Or, you can send ONE email addressed to:

siggerudk@gao.gov, minnellit@gao.gov, congrel@gao.gov

Subject line:

Re: Audit for President Trump's financial concerns

Dear Ms. Siggerud and Mr. Minnelli,

I’m writing in support of Senator Elizabeth Warren's request for an audit of President Trump's finances, to prohibit conflicts of interest that would prevent him from carrying out the responsibilities of the office without corrupt influence.

Sincerely,

---
be sure you will include your signature

This took about 30 seconds to do. An audit is essential immediately.

I suspect the powers that be would tell us to take it to hot topics...

Thank you, maddielee, done, and shared.

Maybe if you have a new forum you could call it the White Rose forum (although you might get confused rose enthusiasts)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rose#Reactions_in_Germany_and_abroad_during_World_War_II

Or the Winter is Coming forum

But this is not a hot topic. It is a group of like minded people working on a cause. Anyone interested is welcome, but it is not a place to debate sides. In fact if people try to use it that way, I would refer them to HT. Our forum would be for like minded people to discuss tactics.

Who do we ask?

BTW, join Obama's twitter feed. His account is ranked #4 in followers, after entertainers. T is #58. Maybe sign up for NASA's too, and knock T lower, LOL. I bet that'd kill him. Too funny

Top 100 Twitter accounts

Anyone interested is welcome, but it is not a place to debate sides. In fact if people try to use it that way, I would refer them to HT. Our forum would be for like minded people to discuss tactics.

In that case, I'd be curious to know how you plan to keep out the various HT trolls who find their way all over houzz. Some of the worst have even begun showing up here for the first time, since attention was drawn to the recent posts list on the houzz main page. (c.f. the royalty thread) You'd be part of that list, too.

I just don't see what would be gained, honestly.

Would you ban folks like beagles, for instance, because she's certainly not "like minded"? I hardly ever agree with her, but I always find her posts valuable and articulate. Who will be the police for this?

The whole concept confuses me.

Do you have to have a Twitter account to follow a feed?

Yes, in the same way that you can't follow a poster here (if they have that enabled) without a houzz acct.

ETA If you don't want twitter otherwise, consider this wisely. They are incredibly spammy, especially if you don't tweet.

Writersblock, I deleted my post when I realized I wasn't actually on his twitter page. I found it and could read it. What am I missing?

Ah, okay then. You're not missing anything if it worked for you. But you aren't following, just reading, which isn't the same thing. When you follow a person on twitter, you get sent their tweets.

Good! I'm fine with just reading.

That's ok, but if you follow someone, that is tallied.

I think you can reduce a lot of spam in settings, or set up the user account under an unused email.

Im having fun following all the pinko commie comedians, both Obamas, and people I hope to overtake T (NASA and Kourtney Kardashian)

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill is trying to create a list of people who marched last week so she can keep everyone on notice for more organized events.

She also tweeted her office will protect whistleblowers.

I marched and emailed her so I can be added to the list.

You know something horrible has happened when PBS Frontline has made an episode about you.

Thanks for the info, Iowacommute, I just emailed her as well. I don't have a twitter account, so far I've had no need or interest, but if the number of followers helps the leadership of the resistance, I'm in.

Done, maddielee; thank you!

FYI, I verified it, because I didn't want to bombard her. Its right on her twitter feed. THX!

Houzz a new board would be wonderful.

I have the same question as writersblock re a new board. Do you think the trolls would find it and glom on? At least the political discussions here are "hidden" amongst a host of other topics, so perhaps not as easy to pick out and pick apart. (I tend to think trolls are stupid and lazy. ;-))

You might take it to the kitchen table...so long as it's not contentious...

Is there anyone from north Iowa here?

Mountain, did you or anyone else contact Tamara (or whoever) about starting a new board?

I am not in favor of a new board, I mean, I scroll by the make up and outfit threads because neither interest me, but I have never exhorted anyone to stop talking about make up, clothing or anything else, so if anyone doesn't like political or activism posts, just SOB.

At this point the political threads have taken over and shove anything else down the page. I've only peeked here and there but there's ugly stuff from both sides. I regret reading any of it because I view some people here in a different light now. It's not just a difference in opinion.

It's a sign of the times, sheeisback, given the climate before the election, why would anyone expect anything different now? I would have expected the same had HRC won.

Mountain had mentioned a new board for those likeminded and to me it seems like a good idea. I totally agree with Shee. I'm really amazed at some of the nasty comments between posters here in our group. Until the last couple of days, I hadn't posted much myself and I am missing several of our regular posters. I'm wondering if some are staying away because of recent threads on this board. A different climate for sure. I'm happy to scroll on by, but with a majority of threads on a one topic, seems like a board for that group would be a good thing.

There has just been a couple major events that happen to be important as well as political. That's why things other then tea shoppes are being discussed on this forum at this time.

I post on threads based on whatever appeals to me as should everyone else. I suggest scrolling down the page just a little further, find a thread that interests you and bring it back to the top. If it sinks again, then interest is low. We have a wonderful little democracy here.

Folks, I haven't contacted Tamara, but based on this feedback I will. I can imagine it feels as though this board was invaded, and something has been lost.

But I also think some of us (me) benefit from camaraderie. For those who want endless debate, there is Hot Topics, where, it appears, people have much more experience being nasty and going postal than we have here. They seem to be good at it and enjoy the vitriol, LOL.

The goal of a new board, for the time being let's call it "Progressives For Activism" or some such, would be to provide a forum for those of us Progressives wanting to confer on next steps and share thoughts.

As far as trolls glomming on, Ida, I agree, that is a concern. More and more I do see people I have never seen before, which irks me.... if i wanted to chat with total strangers there are tons of ways to do that ... like Lynn said in her cooking thread, I want to talk to people I "know". Or are these just made up names for people not comfortable being honest (IDK i don't bother looking them up).

I think the solution to trolls is not to engage. It would not be the purpose of the new board. We should all agree to just send them to Hot Topics or simply not reply at all and let the thread die. Hopefully they get the message. Just like there is no reason for me to go into the Roses forum and debate bathroom tile, there would be no reason for people to go to a "PFA" forum if they weren't like-minded.

ETA _ anyone know the best way to reach Tamara?

I think when you start a forum with like minded people you risk losing discussion of a subject.

Personally I like hearing different sides. I do learn from most threads. I simply skip the ones that don't interest me.

I'm inclined to agree with maddielee.

And you haven't spent much time on the houzz discussions side if you think that refusal to engage will discourage the trolls. I will not accuse any particular individual here, but I would point out that there are people who hire people to express particular points of view on the internet and those folks get paid per post, usually. I've been approached for this myself, but luckily only by those who push viewpoints repugnant to me. However, I have recently begun to see that a number of conservative outlets (especially in the financial sector) are advertising for editors/writers for new liberal-biased websites, so I don't know exactly where that is all going.

Mtn, I think if you send an email to gardenweb@houzz.com, it will go to Tamara.

I'm not thrilled about the idea of a new forum. I also have no interest in wasting time or energy endlessly (and unproductively, at least for me) debating. We need a place to gather our strength and share information, with a minimum of unnecessary distractions. So let's roll.

We need a place to gather our strength and share information, with a minimum of unnecessary distractions. So let's roll.

MrRogers, that is the point of a new forum. We are all spending too much time debating, and I don't think any minds have been enlightened on either side.

Agreed. That's why I said it. :)

Back to the OP...here's another site that suggests next steps.

Reposting this as encouragement to remain active:

Our vice president today blatantly disregarded the separation of church and state. He proclaimed his religious beliefs while on the clock and inserted his intentions in how they influence his representation of our country.

A complete and utter disregard for our Constitution.