LOWER CAPE INDIVISIBLE

COMBAT MUSK's LIES/DISINFORMATION

Musk is claiming - and right-wing media are propagating - that he's discovered millions of people over the age of 100 who are collecting social security. Clearly a fraud that Musk's DOGE has eliminated, saving American taxpayers billions of dollars.

Except it's all a lie. The reality: Social Security computer system operates on COBOL, an old computer language that DOGE's youthful Musketeers aren't familiar with, so they didn't understand how Social Security handles birth and death dates. Public watchdogs -Inspectors General [yes, Trump has now fired all of them] investigated and reported on the issues created by the old computer language. The IG emphasizes that Social Security does terminate benefits upon a recipient's death, but the computer system has no way to input death dates. Hence the appearance but not the reality of payments to dead people.

This information is publicly available, so Musk should have known. Does he care? Apparently, all he cares about is loudly touting DOGE saving billions of dollars to preserve his access to the federal government's computers so he can do more cost-cutting. You can be sure that any "savings" will result in tax cuts for billionaires, not benefits for regular taxpayers.

See Status Kuo for the details and tell your friends.

Click for Status Kuo Article

Democratic Legislators "pissed" at liberal groups MoveOn, Indivisible

according to a report from Axios

According to the report, one House Democrat said, We've got to stop the groups from doing this...People are concerned that they're saying we're not doing enough, but we're not in the majority." Rep. Ritchie Torres of NY is reported to have said, "I reject and resent the implication that congressional Democrats are simply standing by passively,"

Maybe this is a reason lots of people are angry - a summary from Daily Kos of Democratic Senators' response to Trump Cabinet nominees.

• Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as director of national intelligence; Democrats failed to exercise every option available to voice opposition to her-despite widespread security concerns that could affect every American and U.S. ally

• Not one Democrat objected to proceeding with the nominations of Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

• Not a single member of the Democratic caucus opposed Rubio's nomination in his 99-0 confirmation vote. Rubio is now working in concert with billionaire Trump donor Elon Musk to destroy the U.S. Agency of International Development-cutting off a vital pipeline for people across the world whose lives depend on U.S. support.

• Sean Duffy became secretary of transportation with the aid of 24 Democratic votes.

• Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also garnered support from 24 Democrats.

• John Ratcliffe now leads the CIA after 21 Democrats voted to confirm him.

• Doug Burgum became secretary of interior with 26 Democratic votes.

• Scott Bessent got 16 Democratic votes to become Treasury secretary just days before he opened up Treasury's computers to Musk's boys.

• Kristi Noem became secretary of homeland security with 7 votes from Democrats,

• Christopher Wright became secretary of energy with 8 Democratic votes

• Lee Zeldin was confirmed as administrator of the EPA with 3 Democratic votes.

• One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania ,voted to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney

Read Full Axios Article Here

Read a related KOS article here

"Jessica Valenti is a force of nature. Her newsletter is a powerful corrective to the misogyny of America."

lyz, Men Yell at Me

"An absolute must-read if abortion is an issue that matters to you. Indispensable."

Jessica Craven, Chop Wood, Carry Water

"Because we need to be talking about Abortion 24/7 until it's an indelible right, everywhere for everyone-- and Jessica has that conversation, everyday. "

Nia Òla, That Deep

A Substack article with information on reproductive health issues. Worth a read.

Click to read full article

TRUMP/MUSK/PROJECT 2025 TARGETS

Guess who's on the list? Surprise: it isn't white men.

This, according to Popular Information, is from a memo distributed by NSA leadership to its staff that says that on February 10, all NSA websites and internal network pages that contain banned words will be deleted. This is the list of 27 banned words distributed to NSA staff:

Anti-Racism

Racism

Allyship

Bias

DEI

Diversity

Diverse

Confirmation Bias

Equity

Equitableness

Feminism

Gender

Gender Identity

Inclusion

Inclusive

All-Inclusive

Inclusivity

Injustice

Intersectionality

Prejudice

Privilege

Racial Identity

Sexuality

Stereotypes

Pronouns

Transgender

Equality

Read Complete Article

Just a few weeks into the Trump II administration and the U.S. is in the midst of a coup that threatens our democracy and the well-being of the people who live here.

Of Course It's a Coup

• Just a few weeks into Trump's second presidency, he and his minions have made drastic changes in the federal government that violate the Constitution and multiple laws. Yes, dozens of lawsuits have been filed but they may be too late and may not be enforceable. The damage may be permanent.

* Some or all of federal funds for a broad sweep of programs (from Medicaid to cancer research and foreign aid) have been frozen and many of them may not survive.

* The language and initiatives to support anyone who's not white, male, and Christian are in the process of being erased from federal websites and prevented from carrying out mandates.

* Swathes of staff at all levels are being revenge fired from those arms of the federal government (DOJ, FBI) that could enforce legal mandates against Trump's efforts.

• In addition, the richest man in the world, billionaire Elon Musk - who holds no elected or congressionally approved office - has seized control of key federal systems and is using them to promote the "broligarch" agenda.

* He has taken control of the system that makes payments on behalf of the entire government and is now working on ways to half payments unilaterally (and, perhaps, selectively to, say, individual dissidents receiving social security).

* He also controls the Office of Personnel Management and its data systems which gives him access to all federal employees' information and has already allowed his to send individual messages to all requesting resignations.

• Project 2025's Blueprint for Trump II is well on its way to full implemention and there's more to come. A barrage of "Executive Orders," most of which violate the law, many of which are barely coherent, and some of which still aren't public, flooded the executive branch on Day One.

* The EOs promote Project 2025's goals of turning our democracy into an autocracy of white, Christian males.

* As Curtis Yarvin, whose theories inspire both Project 2025 and the Broligarchy, explains,the goal is a government whose power and actions are beyond the reach of most citizens.

What Can Be Done?

In 2017 a Resistance quickly assembled to demonstrate publicly against Trump. Its premise was that these acts of resistance would carry us to 2020 and electoral victory. Well, look where that's got us. Trump is president again. Republicans control both Houses of Congress and the some of the Supreme Court. And, as one DNC official put it, "elected officials [are] talking like these are normal times when actually the house is burning down around everyone." And a quick tour of mainstream media sites shows the same.

There are reasons to be hopeful.

• While many activists concluded from Trump's win that our efforts failed, there's good evidence that they worked. In 2024 the Harris Walz campaign targeted swing states. Among some of them (NC, WI, and GA), according to data from Jay Kuo, the campaign actually performed better than Biden in 2020 Several others were close. Focused effort works.

• Trump's winning margin was razor thin. His favorability ratings have always been low and are starting to slip further.

•Many of the actions we find horrifying aren't playing well on the national stage. Already there's a backlash to the prominent role of billionaires in a "populist" MAGA government. Even Republican legislators are alarmed by the sudden cut off of federal funds to their constituents. rattling the businesses that depend on their labor (construction, especially now in areas hit hard by storms and fires, needs workers; and agriculture (growing, harvesting, processing) can't produce our food without cheap labor. And quiet efforts to slash government air travel safety programs are making the front pages due to horrific airline accidents.

Lower Cape Indivisible: Join the Opposition

As Josh Marshall has written, given that Republicans will control the entire apparatus of federal government until 2026 at least, "this is fundamentally a battle over public opinion." LCI is well equipped for this battle, both for the present day and in the all-important lead up to the 2026midterms.

• Our army of postcard writers - [we wrote and mailed XXXXX postcards in 2024] - stands ready to communicate the truthy to voters in low-information Red States.

• Our newsletter has over 1,100 subscribers to whom political developments and actions can be communicated.

• Our website can track progress and publicize public actions

The town hall will focus on the ACLU's response to the Trump administration's very first actions in office, including attempts to end birthright citizenship, shut down the southern border to asylum seekers, ban health care for transgender youth, and dismantle the core principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

AJ Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy & Culture, will be the moderator, joined by a panel of the ACLU's leadership team:

Anthony D. Romero, ACLU Executive Director

Cecillia Wang, ACLU National Legal Director

John Gilbert, ACLU National Organizing Director

Naureen Shah, ACLU Deputy Director of Government Affairs, Equality Division

Chase Strangio, ACLU LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project Co-Director

They will provide key insights into the ACLU's response to the Trump administration, from litigation to advocacy and grassroots organizing, as well as the crucial role states and cities have to play in protecting our freedoms. Importantly, more than just a briefing, the town hall will be a space for community and solidarity as we work to defend our democracy and advance the fight for justice and equality.

RSVP right now to receive a link to the virtual event and to submit your questions in advance.

Click Here To RSVP and get a link to the event

When a devastating crash between a passenger airplane and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River killed all 67 people on board, Trump was quick to blame the deaths on "DEI" because a woman was aboard - no further proof needed that the crash happened because an incompetent woman had made it to the controls of the helicopter due to DEI -- while the men were there as a result of "merit". VP Vance and new Secretary Duffy are continuing to promote these claims. Then the Army released, with the permission of her family, the name of the woman and it turns out - of course - that she was a star. Here's a portion of Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach's bio:

She had been in the top 20 percent of Army ROTC cadets.... Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Her family said in a statement that she had planned to pursue a career as a physician. (2)

So, an excess of merit. Incidentally, it turns out that the Army has been experiencing nearrecord levels of Class A helicopter accidents.(3) And Senator Chris Murphy wonders if, given Trump's deliberate creation of chaos and drastic cutbacks in government, the rush to blame minorities might be a coverup. "What he is saying is that the only people who are competent to run anything in this country are white men." We'll certainly be hearing that claim a lot in the coming months. (1)

(2) https://tcinla757.substack.com/p/poking-around-its-only-been-three

(3) https://theintercept.com/2025/01/31/washington-plane-crash-army-helicopter-

accidents/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=The%20Intercept%20Newsletter

(1 https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2025/01/this-could-be-a-coverup-dem-senator-

says-trump-very-vulnerable-over-mid-air-

collision/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_12499603

Video clips from The Contrarian. This danger is real, and it is upon us all. Thank you for watching. Please take care and feel free to respond with comments or questions for The Contrarians.

Click Here for The Contrarian Piece

Access information on Immigrant Rights.

Click Here For Video Link

President Trump issued an executive order last week directing all federal agencies to "pause" the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-but that may violate the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.

The Impoundment Control Act describes specific reasons that can justify the president legally and temporarily withholding congressionally authorized funds. But in these blanket declarations, Trump directed agencies to withhold funds in order to align with his policy preferences, entirely outside the statutory scheme established by Congress. That's an unauthorized reason for a delay under the Impoundment Control Act.

Allowing Trump's overreach to remain unchallenged sets a dangerous precedent for future brazen power grabs. The idea that the president can stop spending for any congressionally approved program for any reason, for any amount of time, and without a single communication to Congress lacks merit and would destroy the proper separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

he Constitution doesn't give the president unilateral authority to withhold enacted funding, and our democracy hinges on our system of checks and balances.

That's why we're calling on Congress to exercise its oversight authority to investigate this executive overreach.

RFK Jr.'s nomination is facing mounting opposition. He was in a second hearing today, and a Senate vote is expected anytime in the coming days. We have to demand that the Senate BLOCK RFK Jr.'s nomination to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Help spread the word about what's at stake. Will you share this powerful story from Laura Packard, a cancer-survivor and health care advocate, on the dangers of a RFK Jr. confirmation?

Click Here To Watch Video

Information for schools on ICE requests for access or information; Learn how to protect students and their information.

Click Here for AG's Recommendation

Marcia Goffin, a community activist here on the Cape, spoke at the Chapel in The Pines recently. She has put her efforts towards working with the Eastham Democratic Town Committee, Lower Cape Indivisible, Indivisible Outer Cape and the Feminist Action Team. Watch and listen to her inspiring words below.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice" Martin Luther King.

Click Here To Watch

The Right Reverend Mariann Budde, Episcopal bishop of Washington led a prayer service on inauguration day. Listen to the very moving words the brave Bishop Budde directed at Donald Trump in her sermon on January 20th.

Click here to listen and watch

From Amplify's partners at All Above All and Project 68. It powerfully brings men, partners, and families into the reproductive freedom conversation.

This story highlights the impact of MAGA abortion bans on families like Amber Thurman's, the 28-year-old nursing assistant and mom of a 6-year-old boy who died after doctors hesitated to provide her with life-saving care after a medication abortion because of Georgia's six-week abortion ban. We've known stories like Amber's and her family's would be inevitable. Amber should be with us today, and her death is a painful reminder of what is at stake when we fight for our reproductive freedoms.

Please feel free to share.

Click here to view video and more

Click here for USA Today article about Amber Thurman

An excellent chart listing recent rulings of the Supreme Court and their specific effects as they relate to the environment.

Click to view chart

Finally, the Conservative agenda is presented as the Puritan plan it is.

Click For Content

LCI sent a survey to 19 Cape and Island Candidates asking if they support LCI principles, to help voters make informed decisions in our local elections. The principles in question are as follows:

1. Laws to regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth.

2. Protection of the ability of Black and LGBTQ students to learn about themselves in school, as well as support teachers who want to help.

3. Preservation and protection of our critically threatened environment, while expanding the supply of affordable housing.

4. Women's right to control their pregnancies and to receive medical care to support their decisions, as codified in the Massachusetts Roe Act.

Click here to see the names of candidates who received the survey

Looking for a handy chart listing all the candidates running for our local races on November 5th? Be informed.

Click here to view chart.