Turning the Tide - Action Alert, August 18, 2025

Turning the Tide in Florida:

Talk to Indivisible Leaders & Strategize Tonight!

Indivisible leaders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg will answer questions tonight (Monday, August 18th) about the national anti-MAGA movement and ways we can be effective in

Florida in the face of a GOP super-majority. The virtual call --- Turning the Tide: Florida Strategy Session --- will take place from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.  The Q & A with state affiliates will be followed by an hour-long strategy session, facilitated by Florida group leaders. RSVP here for the Zoom link. 

Indivisible formed in 2016 after the first Trump election, aiming to elect progressive leaders, rebuild democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda. More than 1,200 local grassroots groups, including BAM and more than 20 other Florida organizations, are affiliated with the national group. Indivisible led the massive No Kings Day of Defiance in June, with millions of people participating in community protests in every state of the country. Jacksonville's events drew 2,500 at a sign-waving at Beach & Hodges and 4,000 at a downtown rally, with many other successful protests throughout Northeast Florida. Building on the success of No Kings, Indivisible recently launched One Million Rising—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing. Watch for more information soon about events organized by BAM and other local groups to support this initiative!

Budget Review Wraps Up: Help Fight GOP Cuts

Jacksonville’s budget hearings wrap up this week, and the GOP-controlled City Council Finance Committee is making it crystal clear: they’d rather hand out a token property tax break than fund the housing, healthcare, and safety net programs that the City needs. The committee wants to cut property taxes by 1/8th of a mill, saving individual homeowners pocket change amounting to $1 - $2 a month. Here's what they want to cut from Mayor Donna Deegan's proposed budget:

And in yet another homage to Trump, City Council member Rory Diamond last week offered his "Big Beautiful Amendments" to the proposed budget --- banning DEI, undocumented immigrants, and funding for abortion services. Diamond, who represents the Beaches on the council, described the move as an effort to "bring sanity back to Jacksonville."  Huh?  Add this to the list of mini-me efforts by the GOP-dominated City Council (Local anti-immigration ordinance? Duval DOGE?). The Budget Review process has devolved into little more than a prep session for the 2027 Mayor's race.

We agree the madness needs to stop --- and the best way to stop it is to voice your opposition to the GOP cuts:

• Fight back by calling or emailing Finance Committee members by using this cut & paste email.

• Attend the final budget hearings this week on Thursday (August 21) and the Friday (August 22) finale at 9 a.m. at City Hall. Let's show the City Council that Jacksonville won’t be silent while they trade needed services for pocket change.

Stand Up for Florida's Freedom to Read

Book ban opponents got some good news last week with a judicial ruling striking down Florida's law. Unfortunately, the state Department of Education remains committed to figuring out how to allow a right-wing minority to limit what every child can read, learn, and imagine.

Families for Strong Public Schools is keeping up the pressure to ensure censorship is stopped in Florida by presenting a petition to the state Board of Education at its upcoming meeting on Wednesday (August 20th). You can support them by signing the petition TODAY!  Every petition submitted through this link will be printed and hand-delivered to Board members. Let's send a clear message to the State Board of Education: Stop the book bans. Protect freedom to read!

Sub-versive in DC

In a week of head-spinning actions by Trump and his acolytes, we had a laugh-out-loud moment when a now ex-DOJ employee protested the presence of the National Guard troops on the streets of Washington, DC by hurling his Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol Officer. Although initially released without charge by the DC Superior Court, the protester faces federal felony charges and the wrath of Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, who were not amused by the support (and puns!) generated by the incident. We hope he fights the charges and a DC jury has the chance to hear the case. 

In the meantime, you can speak out against Trump's abuse of his authority to deploy troops for immigration and law enforcement in DC and other American cities by sending this letter crafted by the ACLU to Congress.

Order Your BAM T-Shirt Now!

New BAM t-shirts are here! Email us and we'll send you information on sizes, payment options, and pickup. What better way to show your support for the movement and to let people know progressives are alive and well, and RESISTING at the Beach.  Get yours for a donation of $25.