What You Can Do About Donald Trump

     You've got a bad case of the Trump Blues.  I understand.  But dragging around in a depression until the next election will accomplish little.  Here's something you can do right now:  Speak out to Washington. 
      My daughter Claire sends a letter or email to the President, Vice-President, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell every day on the issues that worry or appall her.  One woman I know calls her Congressman every day.  I've been a bit of an emailing fool myself lately, likewise sending lots of emails about my concerns to the powers that be in D.C.
      And you can, too.  Even if the Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen themselves don't answer your calls or see your emails and letters, there are interns who keep track of how many constituents are communicating about what issues, and our reps and leaders are apprised of those figures.  And if people are blowing up the phones and computer lines and sending bushels of letters,  our elected officials do indeed know about it - remember how the  GOP plan to shut down the Independent Ethics Office was wiped out in a tsunami of public outrage? 
      It's a matter of discussion whether it's more effective to call your representative, send him or her an email or write them a letter, but they're all good options, and the general consensus is  that doing all three is even better.
      The important thing is that you do something. 
      So, then, for the purpose of making this task easier for everyone, I'm posting below some templates for letters that you can copy and paste and scripts for you to use for phone calls  - your message need not be eloquent, it needs simply to state your stand, so I've kept these messages simple and to the point.  Some of them are verbatim letters that my daughter wrote, but she's happy to let us use her words.  
       But first here are the contact pages,  snail mail addresses and phone numbers of Donald Trump,  Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman and Representative for my Congressional district, Pat Tiberi.  If you don't live in Ohio or my part of Columbus you can find your representative's contact info at their website.

 Donald Trump
Contact page:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
      Snail Mail:   President Donald Trump
                            1600 Pennsylvania NW
                            Washington, DC 20500
              Phone :  202-456-1111


Mitch McConnell
Contact page:  https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactform
      Snail Mail:  Senator Mitch McConnell
                           317 Russell Senate Office Building
                           Washington, DC 20510
            Phone :  202-224-2541


Paul Ryan
Contact page:  https://paulryan.house.gov/contact/
      Snail Mail:  Congressman Paul Ryan
                          1233 Longworth HOB
                           Washington, D.C. 20515
              Phone: 202-225-3031


Sherrod Brown
Contact page:    https://www.brown.senate.gov/contact/email
        Snail Mail:  Requests you use contact page or call
               Phone:  202- 224-2315

Rob Portman
Contact page:  https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form
     Snail Mail:   Senator Rob Portmsn
                           448 Russell Senate Office Building
                           Washington, DC 20510
             Phone:  202-224-3353


Pat Tiberi
Contact page:  http://tiberi.house.gov/contact/
       Snail mail:  Congressman Pat Tiberi
                             1203 Longworth House Office Building
                              Washington, D.C. 20515
                Phone:  202-225-5355


    Below are letters on several issues.  If any of the below issues are your concerns  you can you copy and paste if you'd like, or, of course, you can always write your own letter.

Media Blackout
Dear (Mr. President, Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell [Your Representatives]),
I am saddened and appalled over the media blackout involving the EPA, National Parks and Agriculture and Interior Departments. We Americans demand the information these vital departments provide. As taxpayers we have that right.
Thank you
 
Repeal of Obamacare
Dear (Mr. President, Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell [Your Representatives]),
I am saddened and appalled over the Executive Order to repeal Obamacare.  There are millions who will be left without affordable care. Rather, you should fix and improve what can be fixed and improved.  And the biggest, best improvement you could make would be to expand the Affordable Care Act into a single-payer health care system.
Thank you
 
Mexico City Policy
Dear Mr. President,
I am saddened and appalled that you have reinstated the “Mexico City Policy”, which prevents international NGOs that perform or promote abortions from receiving US funding. You reinstated this policy surrounded by men, making a decision that will negatively affect the health of millions of women. By limiting this funding millions of women in developing countries will lose access to contraception and safe family planning services. Maternal deaths will rise. Please do not remove funding for the vital health services these NGOs provide. Please rescind the Mexico City Policy.
Thank you
 
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representative]),
I am saddened and appalled that President Trump has reinstated the “Mexico City Policy”, which prevents international NGOs that perform or promote abortions from receiving US funding. He reinstated this policy surrounded by men, making a decision that will negatively affect the health of millions of women. By limiting this funding millions of women in developing countries will lose access to contraception and safe family planning services. Maternal deaths will rise. Please do not remove funding for the vital health services these NGOs provide. Please support the effort to rescind the Mexico City Policy.

Divestiture
Dear Mr. President,
I am saddened and appalled that you have not yet divested yourself of your businesses.  It is unconstitutional and unethical for our President to be taking payments from foreign governments.   You now face conflicts that will pit the interests of your business against the interests of the country you have been elected to lead.  Please divest.
Thank you
 
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representatives]),
I am saddened and appalled that President Trump has not been required to divest himself of his businesses.  It is unconstitutional and unethical for our President to be taking payments from foreign governments as he now faces conflicts that will pit the interests of his business against the interests of the country he has been elected to lead.  Please require President Trump to divest.
 
 
Trade Wars
Dear Mr. President,
Please be very careful not to lead us into trade wars with China, Mexico, and other countries.  This will only hurt American workers and all Americans.
Thank you
 
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representative]),
Please do not allow President Trump to lead us into trade wars with China, Mexico, and other countries.  This will only hurt American workers and all Americans.
Thank you
 
 
 
Access Pipelines
Dear Mr. President,
 I am saddened and appalled to hear that you signed the executive order to open up the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines. The people of the United States have spoken: they do not support the environmental degradation, water contamination and human suffering that those pipelines would cause. Instead please focus your efforts to fund and vitalize alternative energy sources.
Thank you
 
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representative]),
 I am saddened and appalled to hear that President Trump signed the executive order to open up the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines. The people of the United States have spoken: they do not support the environmental degradation, water contamination and human suffering that those pipelines would cause. Instead please focus your efforts to fund and vitalize alternative energy sources.
 
LGBTQ Rights
Dear Mr. President,
I am concerned about the future of LGBTQ rights in this country under your administration.  Please assure us that everyone, whatever their race, religion, gender, ethnicity or orientation will be insured freedom and equal rights under the law.
Thank you
 
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representatives]),
I am concerned about the future of LGBTQ rights in this country under President Trump’s administration.  Please assure us that everyone, whatever their race, religion, gender, ethnicity or orientation will be insured freedom and equal rights under the law.
Thank you
 
 
 
Opposition to Jeff Sessions
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representative]),
I urge you to oppose the nomination of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General.  This man has a dismal civil rights record and is a poor choice to stand up for justice for all in this diverse country of ours.
Thank you
 
Opposition to Betsy DeVos
Dear (Speaker Ryan, Senator McConnell, [Your Representatives]),
I urge you to oppose the nomination of Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary.  Her plan to siphon public money away from public schools to fund private, unregulated for-profit charter schools will poorly serve young students and the quality of American education.
Thank you


     If you would like to leave a phone message for one of the above here are some scripts you could use;

Media Blackout
"My name is (    ), I am an American citizen  (or, if calling your representative, "your constituent) and I want to let ( President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I am appalled by the media blackout imposed by President Trump on the EPA and those other Federal agencies.  This is America, not Russia, and the President cannot be cutting information to the public. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

Repeal of Obamacare
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let ( President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I am  appalled over the Executive Order to repeal Obamacare.  There are millions who will be left without affordable care. Rather, you should fix and improve what can be fixed and improved.  What we need in this country is some form single-payer insurance like every other developed country in the world has.  Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."


Mexico City Policy
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let ( President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I am against the Mexico City Policy.  Millions of mothers and babies will be without care and so many of them will die and that's wrong.  Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

Divestiture
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that (he, President Trump) must divest himself of his businesses because this is unethical, it's a conflict of interest and our constitution strictly forbids elected officials from receiving payments from foreign governments. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

 
Trade Wars
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that (he, President Trump) must be very careful not to lead us into trade wars with China, Mexico, and other countries.  This will only hurt American workers and all Americans. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

Access Pipelines
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I am
against the executive order to open up the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines. These pipelines will cause environmental degradation, water contamination and we should be working on alternative energy sources. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

LGBTQ Rights
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (President, Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I am concerned about the future of LGBTQ rights in this country under (your, President Trump's)  administration.  We need to be assured that everyone, whatever their race, religion, gender, ethnicity or orientation will be insured freedom and equal rights under the law.  Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

Opposition to Jeff Sessions
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I  urge him to oppose the nomination of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General because this man has a dismal civil rights record and can't be counted on to stand up for justice for everybody in this country. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."

Opposition to Betsy DeVos
"My name is ( ), I am an American citizen (or, if calling your representative, your constituent) and I want to let (Sen. Mc Connell, Congressman Ryan, Your Representative) know that I  urge him to oppose the nomination of Betsy DeVos for Education because her plan to siphon public money away from public schools to fund for-profit charter schools is a terrible idea. Would you please give (Whoever) my message?  Thank you."


     So, there, you go, everybody.  I hope this helps.  And be sure to share this post with five other people - at least!