People in 34 Michigan Counties Can More Easily Vote Absentee in May 5th Primary
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, April 29th, 2020
MAY 5TH PRIMARY COULD OPEN DOOR TO STRONGER, SAFER PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS Michigan’s May 5th primary election, without having any candidates on the ballot, is making history!Presidential candidates Joe Biden (D) and Donald Trump (R) have already been chosen by their parties. What makes this primary election unique is that is being held in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic. The Secretary of State (SOS) Jocelyn Benson wants to prevent voters and poll workers for catching this terrible disease. Local governments were given the option of postponing their election or holding it with a proactive approach to encourage citizens to vote absentee. After being given this option to postpone, 34 of 55 counties are moving ahead with elections for mostly school millages or local bond […]
Take a Few Minutes to Free An Innocent Man In Prison At Risk of COVID-19
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020
Governor Whitmer Needs to Hear Your Voice On Behalf of Temujin Kensu (Fred Freeman) Click HERE to Send a Message to the Governor Tell Governor Whitmer: BACKGROUND During our current COVID-19 crisis people in Michigan prisons are at high risk of dying from the COVID-19 virus. As of April 16th, 472 people in Michigan prisons have tested positive for the deadly respiratory disease. Ten inmates and two staff have already died. The Macomb Correctional facility, where Temujin Kensu is held, has 42 known COVID cases! There are two prisoners known to be infected with the COVID- 19 virus one cell away from Mr. Kensu.Dave Sanders, a Board member of the Innocence Project, has said that “it would be an incredible and unforgiveable tragedy for Temujin to succumb […]
New COVID-19 Tax Rebate Plans: Urge Congress to Fix the Glitch for People on SSI Only & VA Disability Only
By MUUSJN on Monday, April 13th, 2020
New Federal Tax Rebates Starting Next Week BUT People on SSI or VA Benefits MUST File for Taxes to Get Rebate People on Social Security or Who Filed Taxes Electronically Will Automatically Get a Rebate But Low Income, Vets Receiving Disability Payments Will Need to File Information With IRS to Get a Rebate CALL YOUR MICHIGAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: 1-202-224-3121 (Congressional Switchboard) Click HERE for Our U.S. Senators and Representatives TELL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Thank the Dept. of Treasury for doing the right thing for Social Security (SS) beneficiaries; Tell Treasury & SS Administration to FIX THE GLITCH: Send rebates directly to SSI and VA Disability recipients without requiring them to file their taxes; People on SSI or veterans on VA Disability may not know they MUST file […]
Congress Adopts $2.3 Trillion CARES Act (SB 3548)
By MUUSJN on Monday, April 6th, 2020
(the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) MORE ACTION NEEDED IN THE FUTURE Largest Fiscal Relief Bill in History Adopted March 27th Will Protect Families, Businesses, Hospitals & States But Not Enough to Protect All People This Friday, March 27th, the House passed and the President signed the $2.3 trillion CARE (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), the largest financial relief bill in history. The purpose of this major economic package, which got high levels of support from both Democrats and Republicans, was meant to protect families, businesses, hospitals and states in the middle of an unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On March 18th, the $104 billion “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” was adopted by Congress. In the last few weeks, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared […]
Urge Senators to Strengthen Big Economic Rescue Bill
By MUUSJN on Saturday, March 21st, 2020
National Emergency: Next Steps Urge Our Senators Today to Strengthen the CARES Act (SB 3548) (the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) Senators Negotiating Massive Coronavirus Economic Aid Bill This Weekend Vote Possible on Monday This weekend, Congress is negotiating a major economic package that both Democrats and Republicans agree is needed to avoid a recession and great suffering of the American people. Unfortunately, our nation’s leaders have been slow to halt the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which is now having a major impact on businesses, our health systems, our schools and the health and economic well being of people of his country. This email will providesan update on two pieces of legislation put together quickly to respond this crisis: THE FAMILIES […]
Urge Governor Whitmer to Help Detroit Restore Water to Low Income Families More Quickly
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020
Call or Email Governor Gretchen Whitmer Call: 517-335-7858 (constituent services) Click HERE to send an email TELL HER: Make Sure Detroit Families Have Access to Water for Drinking, Bathing & Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus (World Water Lobbying Day in Lansing was cancelled due to the Coronavirus threat. But the Fight Goes On!) Everyone in Michigan must have access to safe, affordable drinking water service and sanitation to combat the spread of diseases including COVID 19, coronavirus. On February 28th, members of the People’s Water Board (including MUUSJN) signed a petition/letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer urging her to call for a moratorium of water shutoffs, to restore water service to all residents where water has been turned off and to implement an income based water affordability plan as […]
Call Michigan Senators to Support the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”
By MUUSJN on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020
National Emergency Urge Our Senators to Vote forThe Families First Coronavirus Response Act — WITHOUT AMENDMENTS Senator Debbie Stabenow: 1-202-224-4822Senator Gary Peters: 1-202-224-6221 Houses Passes “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” We’re in a National Crisis It’s almost impossible to mistake that our country is in the middle of a national crisis. All states, except West Virginia, have cases of the coronavirus. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared that all Michigan K-12 schools will be closed starting on March 16th. She also ordered limits on who can visit our state’s care and juvenile justice facilities and public meetings. Thousands of events have been cancelled or postponed to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. We are being urged to frequently wash our hands and […]
Urge Key Michigan Senators to Support Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Initiative
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020
Click HERE for the Senate Appropriations Committee List Click HERE to get the name of your Michigan Senator During Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s January 29th State of the State message she supported several important “Healthy Mom’s, Healthy Babies” initiatives that could increase the survival rates of Michigan women and their babies. Michigan’s death rates of mothers and their infants are unacceptable. The death rates for infants and their mothers is about three times greater for African American and Native Americans. The good news is that Michigan has a plan to reduce these death rates. The Interfaith Reproductive Justice Coalition, a group organized by MUUSJN that includes over 16 women’s and LGBTQ organizations, urges the public to call Michigan Senators to support this life saving $37.5 million investment to protect mothers […]
Urge Our Senators & Your Representative to Vote NO on Trump’s Unfair, Cruel 2021 Federal Budget
By MUUSJN on Sunday, February 23rd, 2020
Call Our Senators & Your U.S. Representative 1-202-224-3121 Click HERE for List of Michigan Members of Congress Urge Them to Say NO To President Trump’s Unfair, Cruel Federal Budget! President Trump’s FY 2021 budget, introduced this month, is unfair and it’s cruel. It funnels more tax cuts to the wealthy, expands Pentagon spending over the next 10 years, and makes deep cuts in programs that benefit poor and middle income families. This budget provides a blueprint for Trump Administration priorities: (Sources: Americans for Tax Fairness & the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (Click HERE for “Trump Budget Would Increase Hardship and Inequality”, CBPP, 2/10/20) Call your U.S. Representative and your Senators and tell them: Thank you for taking action. The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network has […]
UU’s Agree to Get Out the Vote in 2020
By MUUSJN on Monday, February 3rd, 2020
National & State UU’s Planning to Get Out the Vote Click HERE for “UU the Vote” Resources from the Unitarian Universalist Association The Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) Board of Directors voted to make Get Out the Vote (GOTV) a priority during 2020. Voting is not just political, but a moral action. UU’s uphold the right of every person to have their voice heard. Elections have consequences for our environment, for people of color, women, LGBTQ people, immigrants and low income families. The national UU organization, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), launched an ambitious campaign called “UU the Vote”. This email provides an an update on what the UUA and what MUUSJN are doing to encourage people in our communities to understand what’s at stake […]