Dear John - Action Alert July 28, 2025

He's Home. Hold Rutherford Accountable.

Dear John,

Welcome back to the district. We bet you were glad to escape D.C. and the latest dust-up over the President's perversions. Apparently, his base is not happy with how that's going. How about you? This seems like an opportune time to remind you once again that you work for us and that we expect you to do your job --- that means representing us, your constituents, and not enabling Trump and his MAGA cohorts to systematically dismantle vital programs for veterans and other vulnerable groups, DEI, due process, voting rights and election integrity, access to health care, public education, humanitarian aid, reproductive rights, the judicial system, academic freedom and environmental protections. Besides your blind fealty in not demanding the release of the Epstein files, here are a few things we'd like to talk to you about while you are home in August:

• You voted for the most regressive tax and budget law in the last 40 years, possibly ever. As a result of budget cuts, over 1.9 million Floridians will lose health insurance, 253,000 Floridians are at risk of losing food assistance, and 46,500 Floridians could lose their jobs in health care and related services. Costs for households and businesses will increase --- all to make the rich even richer.

• You provided unprecedented funding to support ICE and the administration's cruel and unjust mass deportation efforts. ICE raids with masked agents are terrorizing communities across the country, violating due process rights, and subjecting innocent people to extremely inhumane treatment.

• You ceded all control of the federal budget to Trump, allowing him to eliminate Congressionally approved funding for foreign aid, public broadcasting, and a host of other programs. You allowed him to illegally impound previously allocated funding for Head Start and K-12 education programs. Congress, not the President, has constitutional responsibility for the budget, John. Why abdicate your job?

• You stood by while the administration weaponized the Department of Justice (DOJ) and sought revenge on political enemies, protecting themselves and their allies.

• You remained silent while the administration conducted a full-blown attack on civil rights and worked to whitewash history at national parks and other public sites.

• You allowed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to replace scientists and vaccine experts on a key advisory council with anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists, further eroding public trust in immunization and endangering public health. Meanwhile, measles cases in the U.S. reached a 33-year high halfway through 2025 driven by low vaccination rates.

We'd love to talk with you more. How about holding a town hall while you are home? How about just meeting with us? In the meantime, we'll keep calling your Jacksonville office (904.831.5205) about all these issues and urging our fellow constituents at the Beach to do the same. We will hold you accountable.

Rage Against the Regime: Speak Out on

Saturday, August 2

The next national mass day of action --- Rage Against the Regime --- is Saturday, August 2nd!  In Jacksonville, 50501 NEFL has organized a protest and open forum from 9 - 11 a.m. at the Duval County Courthouse, 501 W. Adams Street, to mark the day. The event will provide an opportunity for participants to speak out and share their concerns about issues and assaults on our rights and democracy. Come early to sign-up. Speakers will be called in order of registration!

The event will also include a Back to School Drive to collect school supplies for distribution to area students. Find a list of suggested items here. 

Sign Wave Every Saturday at Beaches Library

A reminder that there is a pop-up protest every Saturday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in front of the Beaches library. Bring a sign and join the group! Let beachfolks know the anti-MAGA movement, pro-democracy movement has plenty of supporters at the Beach!

A Chilling Perspective

Thanks to Unified Nassau, our sister Indivisible affiliate to the north, for sharing this moving testimony - When History Echoes: A Friend's Farewell to the United States. As the group reminds us, "As we rally, protest, and organize here at home, it's essential to listen to those who have witnessed what happens when authoritarianism takes hold. They remind us of what's at stake, and why we must act now to protect the rights, freedoms, and democratic values, too many take for granted."