Women – R&R – Reachout and Rebuild

Teens Molded by the Trump Era

David Posnett — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:16:07 +0000

Several recent articles have examined the influence of the Trump era on teens, at pre-voting ages. Claire Cain Miller looks at ‘What Teenagers Have Learned From a Tumultuous Time in Politics’ (April 22nd 2021 in the NYTimes). Emily Badger and Claire Cain Miller write about “How the Trump Era Is Molding the Next Generation of Voters“

Soon-to-be voters say they’re disillusioned by what they’ve observed, but many are also motivated to political action.

I was a teenager in the sixties. I remember the passion I felt when witnessing on TV a Buddhist monk sit down on a Saigon street, dowse himself with gasoline, light a fire and burn to death. I remember the passion I felt when the 6-day war broke out with many Arabic neighboring states threaten to invade Israel: I immediately went to the Israeli embassy to sign up as a volunteer! The events of the day had to have had a lasting effect on my adult views and politics.

So I understand, that for today’s teenagers the presidency of Donald Trump, the BLM protests following the murder of George Floyd and others, the pandemic, and the insurrection culminating with the storming of the US Capitol, are events that must have shaped the political views of teenagers.

In the NYT, MIller writes: “Apparently, research shows that a voting generation is typically shaped for life by what happens politically in their teen years and early 20s. What have teenagers taken away from all this? We asked 604 of them, ages 13 to 17, from around the country, in a poll by Dynata for The New York Times. A little more than half the teenagers surveyed were girls. And nearly half were Black, Hispanic, Native American or Asian-American. (We talked to more of them because Generation Z will be the first in which nearly half of the electorate is nonwhite.)”

The survey revealed disillusion, hardened political lines, but also motivation to become involved.

“Simultaneously, we have this caustic, scorched-earth politics of the Trump administration, particularly for people of color, and at the same time we see young people exercising power and influence and organizing and showing up in the marches and the election,” said Valeria Sinclair-Chapman, a political scientist at Purdue. “This is their political socialization, so we have to see how it plays out.”

A future woman president? Eighty-seven percent of them said they hoped a woman would be elected president in their lifetime; 47 percent of Trump supporters hoped so.

Confidence in government? About half agreed that government had their interests in mind. But less than half of girls or respondents who were Black, Hispanic, Native or Asian-American agreed, and only one-third of Trump supporters did. White boys were most likely to believe the government represented them. Minority girls were 21 percentage points less likely to agree that the government had their interests in mind. White boys were 20 percentage points more likely to be interested in running for office than boys of color; white girls were eight points more likely than girls of color.

Effect of the Trump presidency: In regard to political ambition it made 1/3 of teenagers of both genders less interested in running (with a larger effect on those of color.) But it also made about 1/2 of survey respondents, and nearly 3/4 of Trump-supporting teenagers, more interested in running.

By comparison, the 2020 election made 2/3 of teenagers more interested in running.

Other research has also found that for some young people who were disappointed by the Trump presidency, it awakened their interest in political involvement, according to David Campbell and Christina Wolbrecht.

“What we found is that there was great disillusionment in democracy among adolescents, especially girls, especially those who think of themselves as Democrats,” Mr. Campbell said. “Then we found this upsurge in protest activity, so the disillusionment, rather than driving them out of politics, pushed them into political activity.”

Their research also suggests that the surge of women running has been encouraging to young people — among liberals and some conservatives as well.

Young people are not likely to forget the activism they’re learning now, said Ella Robinson, a 16-year-old in Silver Spring, Md. The Trump era has taught her and her fellow students political savvy, she said, as their spontaneous school walkouts have been replaced by organized protests, with permits and tailored messages around issues like gun control and climate change.

“People in my generation are very aware that walkouts can only go so far,” Ms. Robinson said. “Voting needs to happen.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/upshot/trump-era-molding-young-voters.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

Are we Ready?

David Posnett — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:52:55 +0000

The Love – Black Eyed Peas and Jennifer Hudson

“the choice could not be more clear”

Panic or Empowerment? Brought to You by Greta, Alexandria, 1.6M+

David Posnett — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:07:01 +0000

photos from their instagram

Feeling inspired? I am.

Thrilled, actually, to witness the clear clarion call to climate action….. by young people who have their whole lives to live, and so much to loose.

UNITE BEHIND THE SCIENCE, THAT IS OUR DEMAND

As stated by Greta Thunberg, who, at 15, started striking from school on Fridays for climate action, in front of the Swedish parliament, September 2018.

COP24 FAILED US

SCHOOL STRIKE 4 CLIMATE

Signs by Alexandria Villaseñor, 13, who began her own one-student protest in front of the United Nations, December 2018.

Horrified by the smothering smoke and raging California fires last summer, Alexandria was channeled into action by Greta’s December You are Stealing our Future speech at the UN Climate Conference in Poland (COP24), and her subsequent interview: I am too young to vote.…But I can sit down with a sign and make my voice heard. Greta, deeply depressed after learning of the looming 6th great extinction and climate change was, herself, motivated by students from Parkland, Florida, striking from school to call attention to common-sense gun-control legislation.

Now 16, Greta has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and is featured in TIME (by Parkland’s Emma Gonzalez, no less) as one of the 100 most influential people of 2019.

Alexandria, noticed by the media this past February, was asked to speak at the UN. You can see the focus in this young lady through profiles in Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, CBS News.

She has joined forces with three other young women co-founding US Youth Climate Strike, penning an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists entitled Adults won’t take climate change seriously. So we, the youth, are forced to strike by Maddy Fernands, Isra Hirsi, Haven Coleman, Alexandria Villaseñor,

Sweden’s Greta, 16, New York’s Alexandria, 13, Minnesota’s Maddy, 16, and Isra, 16, Colorado’s Haven, 13, all found each other through social media.

On a recent Friday I met Alexandria, camped out on “her bench” at the UN. My friend Dorothy Reilly, founder of Southampton-based Drawdown East End, encouraged me to join her in a show of support. So I trekked from Orient with my message-sign and chatted with Alexandria’s mother, Kristin Hogue, a graduate student in the Climate and Society program at Columbia University, and two visiting teachers from England and Germany, while Rolling Stone interviewed the lone school-striker. Late in the afternoon we were joined by 6 teens from the Institute for Collaborative Education, each with a message on a hand-painted sign.

I found their passion and positivity heartening.

In the focus, bravery and determination of these young women I see leadership. By taking a stand, by putting something they value on the line —their education— by using their voice, connecting though social media, they have helped push climate change into the forefront of the national conversation.

TRUTH MATTERS

Don’t you think it is inspiring to see these young women, teens, girls, acting so empowered? Not victims. They just cut through all the gas-lighting by the self-dealing troika: big oil, big money, big power.

They see through the lies, excuses and information-withholding and, instead, substantiate reality with facts. Alexandria is taking personal action, like recycling and eating less red meat. She also says there needs to be a systemic change, as she told a reporter: It does come to the point where I do realize that 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from 100 companies all around the world, and so that’s why you need more governmental action to combat climate change.

They call attention to the silence, the delay, the pretend ignorance. Greta’s now famous:

GROWNUPS HAVE FAILED US

YOU ARE STEALING OUR FUTURE

OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE

They bring up the on-going denial of the consequences of global warming, meant to keep us confused, off focus. Greta talks about the 6th great extinction. She reminds us:

11 YEARS

11 YEARS = 132 MONTHS = 4,015 DAYS

They speak up about the obvious. Greta: Treat climate change as a crisis. Do something about it. Change your own habits and put pressure on people in power. Start living within planetary boundaries.

They point out the failure of leaders entrusted to meet agreed upon targets and the inadequacy of the agreements themselves. Alexandria’s poster:

COP24 FAILED US

They call out the guilt trip of you should .…be in school .…let adults handle this .…etc., etc. Greta: Some people say I should be in school instead; some people say that I should study to become a climate scientist so that I can ‘solve’ the climate crisis, but the climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. And why should I be studying for a future that soon may be no more, when no one is doing anything to save that future?

Millions of students around the world are joining Fridays For Future. They are showing us they have healthy boundaries. They can say NO. No, I will no longer pretend. No — I will sacrifice my education to sit at a government building to pressure officials to act and meet the Paris Climate agreement goals.

And, what stabbed at my heart: No, you will not put this on my generation to solve.

They empower themselves and students world-wide by stating their feelings, I want you to feel my panic, by facing the problem, face facts, by focusing on mutual interests, I’m fighting for OUR future, by insisting on objective criteria, listen to the scientists.

They are positioning their generation as problems solvers, offering options for mutual gain, joining forces with other notable voices like author Margaret Atwood, sustainable ocean advocate David Suzuki, PhD, forest restoration scientist Charlotte Wheeler, PhD, urging governments around the world to prioritize existing natural solutions to the climate crisis.

I’m inspired. This is what empowerment looks like. Empowered young women. Wow.

How to support them?

VOTE. We voters can vote. We can encourage those who are 16 (who turned 16 by November 3, 2018 and will be 18 by November 3, 2020) to register to vote. PLEDGE TO VOTE encourages high school peer-to-peer voter registration.

VOICE. We can voice our support of #FridaysForFuture, #ClimateStrike, #ClimateCrisis with friends, letters to the editor, joining in. We can follow #GretaThunberg, #AlexandriaVillaseñor and others, and get involved in the social discussion. We can talk about climate change, the climate crisis, and solutions.

VISION. We can empower ourselves with a positive vision for the future, and enact solutions. We have just eleven years to reduce GHGs — greenhouse gas emissions — by 40%. There are solutions that involve personal choice, community action, and local/state/national policy that avoid carbon emissions and multiply carbon sequestration. There are solutions. That is why I’m excited about helping start Drawdown East End at the Southampton Library. Our mission statement, still in formation, is something like this: Inspiring, initiating and advancing local solutions from Drawdown: 100 solutions to reverse global warming, that bring about cascading economic, health and security benefits.

Our steering committee is meeting every Monday morning at the Rogers Memorial Library. Soon we will have a program in place for the public to drop in, learn and take action. Meanwhile, you can check out Paul Hawken’s inspiring, meticulously researched compendium Drawdown mapping the best practices and technologies already working to roll back global greenhouse gas emissions within 30 years.

MAY 24

1.6 MILLION

125 COUNTRIES

On Friday May 24 you can join us as we stand in front of Southampton Town Hall in solidarity with #FridaysForFuture and the millions of young people world-wide who are sacrificing their education to pressure town, state, national and international elected-officials to change our policies to meet the Paris Climate agreement goals ie. no more than 1.5*C (2.7*F) increase in global temperature, which would start to bring our polluted atmosphere back to healthy, balanced below 300ppm levels, as it was in the 1960s.

We support students striking privately at home, in front of government buildings, joining a #FridaysForFuture rally and, as the student-leaders themselves advocate: Strike at school on a Friday. Don’t skip class. Ask teachers and principals to dedicate part of the day to the strike on a Friday to learn or do something about climate change.

I think it’s only fair that we pass along to the 15 year olds of today a world with the carbon content we breathed at their age. Don’t you? For me that was about 315ppm.

Mary Morgan

drawdowneastend@gmail.com

Racist Dog Whistle from Lee Zeldin

David Posnett — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 21:20:22 +0000

The Huffington Post reports: GOP Congressman Spent His Week Harassing a Muslim Colleague On Twitter!

“Rep. Lee Zeldin’s Twitter attack against Rep. Ilhan Omar is a classic racist dog whistle.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar’s opponents have looked for every opportunity to portray the Somali-born Muslim lawmaker as a threat to Jewish Americans.

The response:

United Grassroots Coalition of Long Island rebukes Rep. Lee Zeldin in response to hateful and dehumanizing remarks to MN Rep.Ilhan Omar on official Government Twitter account, demands immediate apology.

As Long Islanders, as neighbors and allies of the Muslim community, we stand in direct opposition to the hateful and dehumanizing statements of Representative Lee Zeldin. Rep. Zeldin’s rhetoric and bullying of MN Representative Omar on his official government Twitter account was abhorrent. Rep. Zeldin has long touted his bipartisanship and zeal in being an ethical elected official, but these remarks are neither bipartisan nor ethical. Mr. Zeldin represents a diverse, multinational district, as well as the regional interests of all Long Island residents in Congress. However, his comments represent the worst divisions of our country. We would like to remind him that as the elected representative of Americans from Minnesota she deserves his full respect and courtesy, as does every Muslim in his own Congressional District. We demand that he end the use of this official social media platform to spew hatred, racism, and sexism.

The agreement to have a meeting will only be successful if Rep. Zeldin apologizes for his disrespectful and dehumanizing behavior and is willing to discuss the ending of all hatred and discrimination. He should agree to not limit his Resolution 72 to only anti-Israel and anti-semitism, but to include hatred against all religions, races, and genders.

In addition, we are calling on our elected officials on both sides of the aisle to denounce this public attack on his colleague. We ask that they join us in calling for Rep. Zeldin to apologize. We ask for every elected official to stand up for civil discourse and demand respect for the office and people Rep Omar serves.

United Grassroots Coalition of Long Island is a coalition of activist groups based on Long Island working towards creating a more just society by increasing civic engagement with government and politics.

Suffolk Progressives

Suffolk County DSA

Long Island Activists

Progressive East End Reformers/NYPAN

NY’s Second District Democrats

Huntington Young Dems

Latinos Unidos de Long Island

Together We Will LI

Resist & Replace

Long Island Inclusive Communities Against Hate

Flip Long Island

East End Action Network

Show Up Long Island

Muslims For Progress

Let’s Visit Lee Zeldin

Hon. Christine Pellegrino,

Fmr NYS Assemblywoman, District 9

Perry Gershon,

Democratic Congressional Nominee 2018, NY-1

10 REASONS WOMEN MUST #FlipThe1st!

David Posnett — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 14:25:08 +0000

Issue #2: August, 2018 by Jacquelyn Gavron and Amy Turner

Lee Zeldin repeatedly votes for laws that jeopardize the health and financial wellbeing of 55% of his constituents: the 310,000 females in New York’s 1st Congressional District. Women in NY01 deserve a representative who understands that when women succeed, families and communities do too. Here’s Zeldin’s voting record, which speaks for itself.

#1 “FEMALE” IS NOT A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION

Zeldin and the GOP-controlled house voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replace it with the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Had it passed, 61,951 people in NY01 would have lost their health care (ACASignups.net). And insurance companies would be allowed to charge women more than men and refuse to cover:

Essential services—pregnancy, maternity and newborn care
Pre-existing conditions —pregnancy, C-sections, celiac disease, hysterectomies, eating disorders, and treatment for domestic violence and sexual assault
Preventive services—mammograms, screenings for cervical cancer, osteoporosis, anemia, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia; and breastfeeding support and supplies.

Did you know. . . Zeldin has received a whopping $267,975 in contributions from insurance companies since 2014. (OpenSecrets.org).

#2 WOMEN DESERVE EQUAL PAY

In Suffolk County, women earn $51,014 for a job that pays men $65,326—$14,312 less. (labor.ny.gov). Don’t expect Zeldin to help. He’s repeatedly undermined equal pay protection by:

Voting to block Congress from considering the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill to end the pay gap and protect workers from retaliation for sharing info on their wages. (H.R. 1619, 2015)
Voting to make it extremely difficult for women seeking equal pay to bring a class action lawsuit against their employers. (HR 1927, 2016).

#3 LET WOMEN CONTROL THEIR OWN BODIES

Zeldin voted for a bill to ban abortion at 20 weeks (directly challenging Roe v. Wade), which was opposed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a serious threat to women’s health and not based on sound science. Zeldin has supported:

Amending the constitution to ban abortion except to save life of mother
A nationwide ban on private insurance coverage of abortion
Federal legislation allowing parents to prevent their daughters from receiving abortions
Requiring rape victims to wait 48 hours before obtaining an abortion
Barring the government from distributing emergency contraceptives

#4 GUN VIOLENCE IS A WOMAN’S ISSUE

Zeldin co-sponsored the federally mandated concealed carry bill, which would override New York’s strict gun laws and let gun owners with a history of violence against women roam our neighborhoods with a hidden, loaded gun. Most people don’t know the hidden toll guns take on women:

50 women a month are shot to death by a current or former partner
4.5 million American women have been threatened with guns, often by intimate partners, so they live in fear for themselves and their children for days, months and even years.
U.S. women are 16x more likely to be killed with a gun than in other high-income countries.

#5 WE NEED PAID FAMILY LEAVE

Most workers are covered by the Family Medical Leave Act, which lets you take up to 12 weeks of leave a year to care for family members. But for most people, that leave is unpaid. The GOP solution? Take a “loan” from Social Security and delay receipt of your retirement income.

#6 SOCIAL SECURITY: ON THE CUTTING BLOCK

The GOP tax scam gives huge tax cuts to the wealthy and large corporations that add $2 trillion to the national debt. They’re using this as an excuse to slash Social Security—it’s especially important to women as they earn less, take more time out of the workforce, live longer, save less and get smaller pensions.

In NY01, 150,262 people receive Social Security. Zeldin said he’d “continue to support legislation that protects and supports Social Security and Medicare” (letter, 6/2017) but he:

Voted YES to a constitutional amendment that would allow Social Security to pay beneficiaries only if a federal budget surplus could offset them. (HJ Res.2, 4/12/18)
Voted to block the transfer of tax revenue to keep the Disability Insurance afloat—unless it was part of a larger plan to cut benefits or tax increases. (HRes 5, 1/6/15; Politico).

#7 GOP GUNNING FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID

In New York, nearly 2 million women rely on Medicare for their health insurance. Zeldin voted for a budget resolution (H.Con.Res 71, 10-15-17) that would pay for Trump’s huge tax cuts by:

Slashing Medicare by $487 billion
Increasing the age at which you can apply for Medicare from 65 to 67 nscpssm.org

More women than men are covered by Medicaid as they often work in lower paying jobs, and many work for small businesses that don’t offer health insurance. But Zeldin voted to take way the Medicaid option. And Trump recently gave the go-ahead for states to take away Medicaid from people who aren’t working a minimum number of hours a month. This disproportionally hurts women because they:

Often work in low-wage jobs with inconsistent hours that may not meet the requirements.
Typically care for children or other family members and aren’t in the paid workforce

#8 UN-AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE

Trump’s tax scam doubled the maximum child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000—“but the parents of about 29 million kids won’t get the credit because their families earn too little.” (TPC.org).

#9 PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Zeldin has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood. Perhaps he doesn’t understand that Planned Parenthood provides a wide range of health care services to 2.4 million clients, including, prenatal care, breast exams, PAP smears, vasectomies, HIV and STD testing and treatment, and sex education.

#10 WOMEN DESERVE A REP WHO VALUES WOMEN

In January 2017, thousands of Zeldin’s constituents showed up at women’s marches in D.C., NYC, Port Jeff, Sag Harbor and other places to advocate for women’s rights. But rather than acknowledge their concerns, Zeldin questioned their sanity, suggesting that some of his constituents might hold views that are “off the reservation” and using his 37th birthday two weeks later as an occasion to express his “love” for “even those Hillary supporters who have lost [their] beautiful minds since the election.”

Don’t Make Me Laugh

David Posnett — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 14:41:01 +0000

By Perry Gershon:

Lee Zeldin wants you to think he’s an environmentalist. He’s spending big bucks blasting that absurd idea across Long Island television.

Don’t make me laugh.

In his four years in Congress, Lee has voted against the environment over and over again. He’s taken tens of thousands of dollars from the oil and gas industry to prop up his campaign.

It’s no wonder Lee opposed protecting the environment on 21 out of 22 votes.

Lee opposed seven bills on air quality protections.

He opposed protections for clean water 19 different times.

He opposed protecting wildlife eight times.

And he continues to stand by a president who insists climate change is a Chinese hoax.

Get the idea? Lee Zeldin is no friend of the environment, of clear air and water, or protecting our planet for future generations.

Long Island voters have a clear choice in November.

I promise to work tirelessly to protect the environment – whether that be our clear air, clean water, clean energy production, or protecting wildlife.

Lee’s record is clear, and that’s just another reason why he has to go.

Donate $5 right now. Let’s show Zeldin we won’t stand for his hypocrisy on the environment.

Posts on R&R (since July 2018) related to Zeldin’s environmental record:

Zeldin’s Environmental Voting Record Goes from Bad to Worse

Posted on August 28, 2018 by D. Posnett MD

Lee Zeldin wants to Drill in the Ironwood Forest National Monument By Marc Rauch: Latest update: Zeldin’s Environmental Voting Record Goes from Bad to Worse in 2018 In the first 3 years of Lee Zeldin’s congressional term (2015-2017), he earned … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, Environment, EPA, Executive Order, GOP, National Parks & Monuments, Trump, Uncategorized, water quality, Zeldin | Tagged Environment, lee zeldin, voting record | 2 Comments | Edit

Zeldin’s War on the Environment

Posted on August 20, 2018 by D. Posnett MD

By Perry Gershon: (Source: https://www.facebook.com/pg/perry4congress/posts/?ref=page_internal) Lee Zeldin continues to support the Trump Administration’s destruction of our environmental protections. The new “plan” for coal represents one more example of the total disregard for the serious health effects of air pollution. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Pollution, Environment, Trump, Uncategorized, water quality, Zeldin | Tagged car emission, clean air, clean water, pollution | 2 Comments | Edit

Is Lee Zeldin Really “Good On The Environment”?

Posted on January 19, 2018 by francescarh

A slickly produced mailer from Lee Zeldin appeared in my mailbox this week. It touted our Congressman’s supposed record in “safeguarding our environment.” Mr. Zeldin has been very adept in pulling the wool over voters’ eyes about his actual environmental … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment | Edit

Zeldin Boasting about Environment Record?

Posted on January 2, 2018 by maidstonejewelry

Recently Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), co-chair of the Long Island Sound Caucus and founding member of the “Congressional Estuary Caucus”, was joined by EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Regional Director Carrie Meek … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, Environment, EPA, Paris Climate Accord, Uncategorized, Zeldin | 4 Comments | Edit

More Bad Zeldin Environmental Votes

Posted on October 12, 2017 by D. Posnett MD

By Marc Rauch and Chelsea Estevez Since our last update in late August, fourteen bills impacting the environment have come before the House of Representatives. Lee Zeldin took the anti-environment position on 12 out of 14 of these recent bills. … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, Environment, EPA, Paris Climate Accord, Trump, Uncategorized, Zeldin | Tagged environmental justice, EPA, fracking, methane, ocean, public land | Leave a comment | Edit

Complete Lee Zeldin Environmental Voting Record

Posted on July 2, 2017 by D. Posnett MD

A great resource! D Posnett Marc Rauch·Friday, June 23, 2017 Complete Lee Zeldin Environmental Voting Record (Last Updated 6/29/17) Introduction Linked here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19e5j3Z3xupufWNReLsO-P69eL316sJDLBbf8EZDFklg/edit?usp=sharing is an easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet summarizing Lee Zeldin’s complete environmental voting record in Congress. Purpose This spreadsheet … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Pollution, climate change, Environment, EPA, National Parks & Monuments, Offshore Drilling, Uncategorized, Zeldin | Tagged energy, Environment, record, wind, Zeldin | 2 Comments | Edit

Lee Zeldin’s Duplicity on Environmental Issues

Posted on March 7, 2017 by D. Posnett MD

Marc Rauch, from Bellport, New York. had the following letter in the March 2, 2017 edition of the Long Island Advance: I was taken aback by Rep. Lee Zeldin’s “official positions” on protection of the environment, as reported last week … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Uncategorized, Zeldin | Tagged duplicity, Environment, pollution, Zeldin | 1 Comment | Edit

Zeldin & Environment?

Posted on February 19, 2017 by D. Posnett MD

My letter to editor of LI Advance was published this week- 2/16/2017 Voting to loosen standards on oil and gas industries Where is Congressman Zeldin on the environment? Two weeks ago I visited Congressman Zeldin’s office to talk with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Uncategorized | Tagged Environment, Zeldin | 5 Comments | Edit

Flip the House — Defeat Zeldin!

Posted on August 4, 2018 by amyturner2000

By Jacquelyn Gavron & Amy Turner, July 19, 2018 New York’s First Congressional District (NY-1), historically a swing district, is represented by Lee Zeldin (R). He was initially elected with Tea Party support and is an unwavering Trump loyalist with … Continue reading →

Posted in ACA, AHCA, economy, Environment, Guns, Health Care, Politics, Tax Reform, Uncategorized, Women, Zeldin | 3 Comments | Edit

Moral Obligation to send Zeldin packing

Posted on July 19, 2018 by D. Posnett MD

Published in the East Hampton Star – the July 10, 2018 To the Editor: Offered less than 10 days into our district’s 133-day congressional race, The Star’s advice to local Democrats (“First District Dilemma”) is not only premature, but also … Continue reading →

Posted in perry gershon, Uncategorized, Zeldin | Tagged David Rattray, democratic, gershon, Star, turnout | Leave a comment | Edit

Flip the House — Defeat Zeldin!

David Posnett — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 20:55:14 +0000

By Jacquelyn Gavron & Amy Turner, July 19, 2018

New York’s First Congressional District (NY-1), historically a swing district, is represented by Lee Zeldin (R). He was initially elected with Tea Party support and is an unwavering Trump loyalist with extremist views. Here’s a sampling of how he’s voted.

HEALTH CARE

Zeldin voted for the American Health Care Act—the Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare—which would have resulted in:

14 million people losing health care coverage in 2018 (51 million by 2026)
Huge Medicaid cuts ($834 billion)
Loss of coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, which includes pregnancy.

ENVIRONMENT

Don’t be misled into thinking that Zeldin’s an environmentalist due to his votes on LOCAL issues such as offshore drilling and the “Save Don’t Sell Plum Island” bill (introduced by Bishop, 2013). On NATIONAL issues, he’s consistently opposed regulation and was rated among the worst environmental regulators 3 years running by the League of Conservation Voters. Zeldin’s voted to:

Slash EPA funding by $500M
Permit coal companies to dump mining toxic waste in streams
Prohibit the EPA from requiring oil and gas companies to reduce methane pollution—a key contributor to global warming.

GOP TAX BILL

Zeldin boasts that he voted against the tax bill because it eliminated SALT deductions. But months earlier he had refused to sign a bi-partisan letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin protesting its elimination. He voted against it because Ryan didn’t need his vote to pass the bill and has said little about its other damaging provisions such as:

Huge tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest Americans
Repeal of the estate tax
Eliminating deductions for vets, teachers, and those with student loans
Increased taxes on many middle-class families.

GUN SAFETY

Zeldin has received $56,281 in NRA donations, more than any sitting NY representative. He co-sponsored the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would override New York’s strong gun laws and let gun owners from states with weaker laws carry hidden, loaded weapons in public places in New York and is opposed by law enforcement across the country, including AGs from 17 states, local police commissioners (including NYPD and SCPD) and the Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence (comprised of 12 associations including the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Association of Chiefs of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association and the National Sheriffs Association). Zeldin has also voted against bills to:

Ban firearms in airports
Deny guns to people on the terrorist no-fly list
Prevent mentally ill veterans from buying guns
Fund CDC research on gun violence
Restrict the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms from regulating ammunition for semi-automatic weapons.

IMMIGRATION

Zeldin has been in lock-step with Trump’s immigration policies since his post-inaugural travel ban against Muslims and defended Trump’s comment about immigrants from “shithole countries.” He has also voted to:

Rescind DACA
Require state and local governments to comply with ICE requests to detain undocumented immigrants
Block funding for states and localities that have “sanctuary” laws on immigration.

LGBTQ RIGHTS

Zeldin has said he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman and has voted against the Marriage Equality Act of New York 2011 and legislation preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Zeldin has:

Supported Trump’s rescinding of Obama’s rule on transgender bathroom use
All but said he supported Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Defunding Planned Parenthood
Federal legislation allowing parents to prevent their daughters from receiving abortions.

William Floyd’s Top Two Students

David Posnett — Mon, 21 May 2018 16:43:34 +0000

Found this great story from 5/17/2018, by RANDALL WASZYNSKI, in the Long Island Advance – thanks for tip, Marc Rauch.

A Latina and a Pakistani get the honors at Lee Zeldin’s old high school. I am still waiting to see a congratulatory note from LZ!

Congressman Lee Zeldin grew up in Suffolk County, New York, where he graduated from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach.

Here is what you can do: post a comment on one of his Facebook pages with a link to the article in the Long Island Advance. Something like this:

https://www.facebook.com/LeeMZeldin

https://www.facebook.com/RepLeeZeldin/

Story By: RANDALL WASZYNSKI
5/17/2018

The William Floyd School District is pleased to announce its 2018 valedictorian and salutatorian, who anticipate graduation in June. Both are heavily involved in the National Honor Society. Valedictorian Asma Asghar serves as a co-president of NHS and saluatorian Michelle Lara is vice president.

Valedictorian: Asma Asghar

Finishing at the top of her class, Asghar has secured a 102.36 weighted grade point average as a first-generation American, moving from Pakistan to Shirley in fifth grade. She has an older brother studying engineering, who graduated from William Floyd, and a second younger brother in the district.

Asghar will be studying neuroscience at Barnard College and aspires to continue that discipline or other options within the medical field. She has been conducting research as an advanced research student at William Floyd High School and is president of Stony Brook Science and Technology Entry Program, which is dedicated to encouraging and preparing more underrepresented minority and low-income high-school students for entry into scientific, technical, health and health-related careers.

“Just like with the research and with Stony Brook STEP, [William Floyd has] been very supportive in providing a lot of opportunities, where we can go to Brookhaven National Lab and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory,” Asghar said.

After completing school, Asghar aspires to volunteer in countries in need of medical camps and would like to be a part of setting up those camps.

“Over here, we have affordable healthcare compared to other developing countries,” she said. “So I would like to use that knowledge to help other places in the world and other people.”

Asghar has served the William Floyd community along several avenues of community service, including Relay for Life for Breast Cancer Awareness, Thanksgiving food drives, and tutoring.

She sees her tutoring of students learning English as their second or third language as most notable, since she was an ENL student herself. Asghar is fluent in four languages, including English, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.

Salutatorian: Michelle Lara

Lara has earned a 101.20 weighted grade point average and has been named the salutatorian of her graduating class. She is also a first-generation American and, along with six other William Floyd students, was honored by the Town of Brookhaven Hispanic Advisory Board in November.

Lara says her greatest achievement is receiving acceptance to Harvard University, where she plans to study biology. She said that the application process was tough in that she had to teach herself.

“I don’t really have any family with the experience of going to college,” Lara said. “It was great to have that hard work and a bunch of research that went into it pay off.”

Lara aspires to become a neurosurgeon though is not ruling out other medical-field ventures.

She has been heavily involved in the music community through her time at William Floyd, serving as vice president of both the symphonic orchestra and jazz band. Playing piano, violin and percussion, Lara also took part in chamber orchestra, pit orchestra and wind symphony. She also participated in NYSCAME All-County Band and NYSBDA High School Honor Concert Band. Lara plans to continue being in orchestras and jazz bands in the future.

“Music has always been somewhere I can call home,” she said. “The music faculty [at William Floyd] is so supportive, and I’ve always found it to be a welcoming and enriching community.”

Lara also participated in girls varsity cross country and girls track and field for three years.

Abortion vote in the Senate: Why?

David Posnett — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 15:11:24 +0000

First, let me reprint Perry Gershon’s post from his FB page (with permission):

Tomorrow the Senate will debate the so-called 20-week ban on abortion. Let’s be clear — this is nothing more than the first step towards making a woman’s right to choose illegal, altogether. Lee Zeldin was a co-sponsor of the bill in the House. Zeldin’s bill is just one more part of his dangerous agenda to outlaw a woman’s right to choose.

Here are the real facts — almost 99% of abortions occur in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, and the 1% that don’t are in very complicated situations, such as risks to the woman’s health. We must protect a woman’s right to choose. It starts with opposing this dangerous ban and replacing Congressman Zeldin with someone who isn’t afraid to say so, loud and clear.

It’s time for those seeking to replace Congressman Zeldin, to draw a line in the sand and oppose this dangerous attack on women’s health care and a woman’s right to choose.

It’s time for bold action, loud and proud.

Why are they doing this now? Three words: For The Base. Check this out:

https://thinkprogress.org/gop-abortion-shutdown-dfd173817d47/

And perhaps they wish to bait Dems seeking office?

It is already practically impossible to get an elective abortion nowadays after 20 weeks of gestation. Unless of course there is a danger to the mother’s life. The proposed legislation still contains some wording about exceptions (see below), but doctor’s and patient’s options are limited. Psychiatric reasons are now taken off the table! SO, a suicidal patient would be left to commit suicide (rather than have an abortion that might help)? Would that help save the life of the fetus? Generally suicide kills mother and fetus.

Here is the bill:

On House Bill HR 36

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/36/text

The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements.

“(b) Requirements For Abortions.—

“(1) ASSESSMENT OF THE AGE OF THE UNBORN CHILD.—The physician performing or attempting the abortion shall first make a determination of the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician. In making such a determination, the physician shall make such inquiries of the pregnant woman and perform or cause to be performed such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician, knowledgeable about the case and the medical conditions involved, would consider necessary to make an accurate determination of post-fertilization age.

“(2) PROHIBITION ON PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN ABORTIONS.—

“(A) GENERALLY FOR UNBORN CHILDREN 20 WEEKS OR OLDER.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the abortion shall not be performed or attempted, if the probable post-fertilization age, as determined under paragraph (1), of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater.

“(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Subparagraph (A) does not apply if—

“(i) in reasonable medical judgment, the abortion is necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, but not including psychological or emotional conditions;

“(ii) the pregnancy is the result of rape against an adult woman, and at least 48 hours prior to the abortion—

“(I) she has obtained counseling for the rape; or

“(II) she has obtained medical treatment for the rape or an injury related to the rape; or

“(iii) the pregnancy is a result of rape against a minor or incest against a minor, and the rape or incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to either—

“(I) a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse; or

“(II) a law enforcement agency.

And here is one of many scholarly papers on this issue: does abortion help avert psychiatric complications (including suicide)? As you can see it is complicated, and it is best left to the specialists (Obstetricians and Psychiatrists) and their patients, not to lawmakers, who have no clue! Every case is likely to be different.

Termination of Pregnancy and Psychiatric Morbidity

Anne C. Gilchrist ^(a1), Philip C. Hannaford ^(a2), Peter Frank ^(a2) and Clifford R. Kay ^(a2)
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.167.2.243
- Published online: 02 January 2018

Abstract

We investigated whether reported psychiatric morbidity was increased after termination of pregnancy compared with other outcomes of an unplanned pregnancy.

This was a prospective cohort study of 13 261 women with an unplanned pregnancy. Psychiatric morbidity reported by GPs after the conclusion of the pregnancy was compared in four groups: women who had a termination of pregnancy (6410), women who did not request a termination (6151), women who were refused a termination (379), and women who changed their minds before the termination was performed (321).

Rates of total reported psychiatric disorder were no higher after termination of pregnancy than after childbirth. Women with a previous history of psychiatric illness were most at risk of disorder after the end of their pregnancy, whatever its outcome. Women without a previous history of psychosis had an apparently lower risk of psychosis after termination than postpartum (relative risk RR = 0.4, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.3–0.7), but rates of psychosis leading to hospital admission were similar. In women with no previous history of psychiatric illness, deliberate self-harm (DSH) was more common in those who had a termination (RR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1–2.6), or who were refused a termination (RR 2.9, 95%CI 1.3–6.3).

The findings on DSH are probably explicable by confounding variables, such as adverse social factors, associated both with the request for termination and with subsequent self-harm. No overall increase in reported psychiatric morbidity was found.

Zeldin’s (Dismal) Voting Record—At a Glance

David Posnett — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 21:21:37 +0000

by A.Turner and J.Gavron

To defeat Zeldin, we need to understand his voting record and dispel the perception that he’s pro-environment and a moderate Republican. His record reveals his extremist views on issues such as gun ownership and women’s rights. Below is just a sampling of his votes. Other important issues will be covered in the next “LZ at a Glance.”

Environment

The misconception that Zeldin is an environmentalist stems from his votes on LOCAL issues. He’s voted to prevent Plum Island from being sold to the highest bidder and to safeguard the Long Island Sound. But his voting record on NATIONAL environmental issues makes it clear he is anti-regulation, particularly as regards environmental controls of the fossil fuel industry which he has lobbied against for decades.

For example, Zeldin voted to gut EPA funding and rescind regulations that protect our air, land and water, all of which endanger our local (NY01) environment, and earned him a League of Conservation Voters rating as among the worst environmental legislators for three consecutive years (2015-2017). Zeldin voted to:

Let coal mining companies dump toxic waste in streams H.J.Res.38 (2/1/2017)
Slash funding for key environmental programs and agencies, such as the
EPA and the Land and Water Conservation fund H.R.3354 (9/14/2017)
Block the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ Clean Water Rule, which protects the small streams and wetlands that feed into drinking water of 1 in 3 people, in the U.S Beyer Amendment to H.R.5538 (7/14/16)
End significant Clean Air Act health standards and allow corporations to pollute at unsafe levels H.R.4775 (6/8/16)

Lee Zeldin: Environmental Scorecard

Climate Change

Zeldin pays lip service to global warming. He voted against bills to address it 88.2% of the time; claims he’s an environmentalist based on his membership on the Bipartisan Climate Caucus BUT FAILED to support the Republican Climate Resolution (H.Res.195), which calls for government action on climate change, and to sign the Caucus’s 1/11/18 letter urging Trump to recognize, as part of his “National Strategy,” climate change as a national threat. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16012018/military-climate-change-bipartisan-congress-letter-national-defense-strategy

Gun Control

“Mr. Zeldin has accepted $14,850 from the NRA since his first congressional run, the most of any sitting NY representative, and has earned its A rating as a solidly pro-gun candidate who has reliably supported NRA positions on key votes.” –Editorial, East Hampton Star, 10/05/17

Co-sponsored Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which compels states with strict concealed carry requirements to allow individuals from states with no or lax permit requirements to carry a concealed weapon. (H.R. 38) Opposed by police commissioners and District Attorneys across the country. (12/6/2017)
Voted in favor of H.R. 3354, which among other harmful provisions prohibits federal funding of CDC research on gun violence. (9/14/17)
Voted to end federal checks that prevented 167,000+ veterans deemed “mentally incompetent” from owning or buying firearms. H.R.1181 (3/16/2017)
Voted to prohibit bans of firearms in airports and other public transportation facilities. Griffith Amendment to H.R.2406 (2/26/2016)
Voted to restrict the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms from regulating the sale of ammunition for semi-automatic weapons. H.R.2578 (6/1/2015)

Tax Bill

Although Zeldin touts his vote against the House tax bill (H.R.1), don’t let him fool you.

In 2017, 68 House members, including some from NY and NJ, signed a bipartisan letter protesting Mnuchin’s plan to eliminate SALT deductions. ZELDIN DID NOT SIGN THE LETTER. His opposition began only when it looked like his job might be at stake.
Zeldin focuses only on SALT and has said little about other damaging provisions including huge tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest Americans; repeal of the estate tax; elimination of tax deductions for veterans, teachers, and those with student loans; increased taxes on many middle class families.
Plus he voted for the budget that paved the way for these tax cuts. That budget included $500 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid and was opposed by every other member of the LI congressional delegation, including Peter King. H.Con.Res. 71 (10/5/2017)

Health Care

Voted for the AHCA, which would result in 14M losing health care and included (among other terrible provisions): gigantic tax cuts for wealthy; huge Medicaid cuts; reinstatement of pre-existing condition exclusions and lifetime and annual caps; and defunded Planned Parenthood H.R.1628 (5/7/17)

Reproductive Rights

Voted to ban abortion at 20 weeks with only two extremely narrow exceptions, directly challenging the Roe v. Wade finding that abortion is legal until fetus is viable outside the womb, generally considered to be about 24 weeks. H.R. 36 (10/7/17). This bill was opposed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as a serious threat to women’s health and not based on sound science.
Voted to defund Planned Parenthood (as part of the AHCA).

Immigration/DACA

Voted to require state and local governments to comply with ICE requests to detain undocumented immigrants, including those arrested for nonviolent conduct, until ICE can take custody. Non-complying governments would be blocked from receiving certain DHS and DOJ grants. H.R. 3003 (6/29/17)
Voted to make it more difficult for green card holders to obtain ACA subsidies. H.R. 2581 (6/13/17)
Supported Trump’s DACA rescission. Although open to debating the issue in Congress, he said, “My priority will always unapologetically remain with fighting for the people following the laws rather than the ones breaking them.” Press Release (9/5/17)

Track Zeldin’s Votes

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/lee_zeldin/412646.

Special thanks to David Friedman and Marc Rauch, who have made their valuable and comprehensive research available as a “file” on the “Let’s Visit Lee Zeldin” FB page.