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  • The Gov Hub Newsletter: January 20, 2025

The Gov Hub Newsletter: January 20, 2025

Trump -- the originator of the TikTok ban plays faux savior, Bad Bunny hangs with AOC, anti-abortion crusader to replace Rubio in the Senate, Roseanne Barr drops cringe rap video

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Gov Hub
January 20, 2025

Welcome to The Gov Hub Newsletter by Girl and the Gov® – a Dem tent weekly that shares action items you can do from your phone, good political news, civic engagement tools and topics, and a little dose of political goss too, right to your inbox.  

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CHRONICALLY ONLINE

Politics meets social media

  • Did we ever think we were going to be subjected to hearing the “YMCA” song after day camp circa kindergarten? No – but here we are, watching Trump at his inauguration rally do a dance with ~checks notes~ The Village People to YMCA, a tune he seems to play at all of his events.

  • Trump’s inauguration was moved inside and many of his supporters who apparently voted for him because they “couldn’t afford eggs” are disappointed that they “spent thousands of dollars” to make it to DC for the big event and now won’t get to see it. It does appear like there are some other methods that may be familiar to them for seeing the inside of the cap though!

  • Scott Bessent, Trump’s Treasury Secretary pick, said at his confirmation hearing that he does NOT believe the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour should be raised. For context: he’s a billionaire and is currently selling his Charleston, South Carolina home for $22.5 million.

  • MO Congressman Cleaver shared that he’s a bonafide Chiefs fan with this Reels drop. The next Q is, “is he a Swiftie?!!”

  • Senator Slotkin [MI-D] gave an office tour of her new Senate HQ – and yes, there is a painting of a hot dog on the wall.

GOOD NEWS BEARS

Positive political wins [yes, those do exist]

GOV. NEWSOM NEGOTIATED 90-DAY GRACE PERIOD ON MORTGAGE PAYMENTS FOR MANY IMPACTED BY THE FIRES: California Governor Gavin Newsom announced commitments negotiated with five major banks to provide a 90-day grace period on mortgage payments for homeowners impacted by the wildfires. The zip codes for which the grace period applies are 90019, 90041, 90049, 90066, 90265, 90272, 90290, 90402, 91001, 91104, 91106, 91107, or 93536. Those impacted need to contact their mortgage servicer in order to receive the relief. The banks involved have agreed to not report payments to credit reporting agencies, in addition to offering a 90-day waiver of mortgage-related late fees. In tandem, these banks have also agreed to protection from new foreclosures and evictions for at least 60 days for borrowers who had structures [their homes] damaged in the wildfires. The participating banks per commitments secured by the Newsom Administration are Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo.

GOV. STEIN ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ORDER PROTECTING REPRO FREEDOM IN NORTH CAROLINA: New year, new governor of North Carolina – Governor Josh Stein has announced a new executive order that aims to protect women’s reproductive freedom and privacy in a state that has legislatively put both of those things under attack. The executive order includes five central provisions with specific directives given to cabinet agencies. In short, the provisions:

  • It directs cabinet agencies to pursue opps that can protect medical professionals who are providing repro health services, as well as those that protect patients receiving care [in line with state law].

  • It directs cabinet agencies to not cooperate with initiatives to investigate medical professionals who are providing repro health services, as well as the patients receiving care.

  • It directs cabinet agencies to review and revise the policies on the data collected and records kept related to women’s repro health care.

  • It directs DHHS to provide info on the difference between healthcare providers and other entities [ex: crisis pregnancy centers] that offer services to pregnant women on printed materials

  • It directs DHHS to take action on any measure that enables NC residents to have access to safe and legal repro meds and birth control.

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

A bill, bill, bill

FEDERAL, SWATTING: A bipartisan, bicameral bill on swatting has been introduced. The Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act aims to reduce the increase in swatting events that have surged in recent years. The bill specifically would create stringent penalties for swatting, including up to 20 years in prison for a person found guilty of swatting where a person is seriously injured during a swatting attack.

FEDERAL, WILDFIRE SMOKE: A bicameral bill has been re-introduced with the goal of reducing the detrimental health impacts that can occur due to exposure to wildfire smoke. The Cleaner Air Spaces Act [CASA] would provide grants that would expand local clean air programs that according to Senator Bennet’s office, “provide free air filtration units to households and establish clean air centers in communities with a high risk of wildfire smoke exposure.” 

FEDERAL, FEMA TRANSPARENCY: There’s a bill that just passed the House 426-0. In this day and age? Yes. It was the Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act. The bill, if passed into law, will require that FEMA publicly share deats on the impact of damage from the disasters it’s responding to.

FEDERAL, PAY TRANSPARENCY: And for another bill that passed the House with full bipartisan support is the Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act. Now, we just want to know why this doesn’t include a requirement for Amtrak to improve their onboard wifi, but alas it requires disclosures around c-suite salaries and bonuses. Specifically, it requires Amtrak to disclose on its website the annual base pay and bonus comp for its head honchos, as well as the metrics for how those numbers came about.

FULL SEND…TO A FRIEND

News that’s just about guaranteed to make it to the group chat

  • Inauguration day is also moving day, and this BTS look at what that means for White House staff and movers [how does one get that job?!] makes us wonder if there should be a speed-moving competition between the major moving companies…which could be a reality show…

  • According to AP, “Meme coins can be used by scammers looking to make a quick fortune at the expense of unwary investors.” Which would make President Trump launching a coin that could boost his net worth – while in office – on brand. It also poses concerns about how the unregulated crypto industry that the coin is a part of can be used by foreign govs and special interest groups to literally buy influence with Trump.

  • ICYMI Florida Governor DeSantis has appointed state AG and anti-abortion crusader Ashley Moody to replace Senator Marco Rubio [Trump’s Secretary of State pick]. Her backstory certainly sets a rather gloomy mood [pun intended].

  • NY Congressman Tom Suozzi went on the Daily Show and discussed how Republicans are master pick pockets – they work in groups – one bumps you to distract you, and another robs you blind at the same time. 

  • The Trump family is a big one. This cheat sheet shares the who is who, and where their influence is likely to pop through during this administration. 

  • In ‘radicalized people impact us all’ news, a 19-year old man was arrested in Wisconsin for allegedly setting fire to the office of Republican Congressman Glenn Grothman over his prior vote for the bill that banned TikTok in the US. Big FYI, arson is not the answer to political disagreements. TYSM for coming to this Ted Talk. 

  • Republican state legislators in Missouri are trying to chip away at the abortion protections provided to residents as a result of a ballot measure passed in 2024. Core to their ability to do so is the lack of Dems challenging the state reps at the polls. May that be your inspo to Run For Something.

  • MLK Jr. Day in Alabama and Mississippi is also Robert E. Lee Day, like…. as in the Confederate general. This two-minute read will give you the “how it happened” meets the “how on earth is this still a thing.”

THE ACTION ITEMS

Get ‘em done from your phone

ACTION 1 – HEALTHCARE

The Ask: Tell Congress to pass the Health Over Wealth Act.

The Background: Private equity firms have been buying up health care facilities like it’s an end-of-summer sale at Zara. And the result is no dice, bringing care quality down to temu-level, and overall putting access to care for patients and safe working environments for employees in the red. The Health Over Wealth Act would ban PE firms from stripping assets from health care entities and/or undermining safety and access to healthcare. The bill would also close tax loopholes taken advantage of by real estate investors, create a task force to zero in on the dangerous consolidation happening in the health care industry, require public reporting on lobbying and political spending done by PE-owned health care facilities, and much more.

ACTION 2 – CA WILDFIRE RELIEF

The Ask: Tell the GOP to pass disaster relief for CA ASAP.

The Background: GOP members of Congress are already playing political games with possible disaster relief for those suffering from the wildfires in Southern California. The games are so not it, helping people who have lost everything is – tell the GOP to drop the bologna and aid their way.

ACTION 3 – VOTING

The Ask: Register to vote [and ask a friend].

The Background: There are 2025 elections. There are 2026 elections, and there will be more beyond that. Register to vote and get ready to do so when there’s an election near you [Virginia and NJ lookin’ atchuuuu!].

Looking for more action items? Check our library of past Gov Hub’s.

TOP OF THE EARBUDS

Listens for now & later

  • There’s a moderate voice on Fox News – for real, for real and her name is Jessica Tarlov. She goes head-to-head with her co-host conservatives, and in this episode of The TN Holler Podcast she talks about her experience and why more Dems need to be showing up on Fox if they want to win.

  • Apparently there’s no enough “masculine energy in corporate America” according to Zuck and literally no woman that’s ever worked in corporate ever. This episode of the 11th Hour Podcast gets into it.

  • California disaster relief has become a GOP political football, and this episode of IHIP News taps into it, including with a look at what Trump legit said on tape about it all.

KEY READS

Important stories from around the USA

  • AP: US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland reflects on tough choices during a historic tenure

  • The Hill: California officials propose making looting during emergency a felony

  • Politico: Gabbard brought in over $1.2M as a MAGA celebrity, filings show

  • NPR: Steve Bannon says MAGA populism will win – as Trump is surrounded by billionaires

BEFORE YOU GO…

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