Dear Kent Streeters,

We are now living Everything. Everywhere. All at Once.

Keep reading….

EVERYTHING.

As I write this US bombs are raining down on Iran upon the orders of a man who has demonstrated over and over again that he does not believe himself to be constrained by the rule of law. Trump has shown he believes himself to be a king, a dictator, an authoritarian unfettered by legal constraints or ethical and humanitarian considerations and certainly not answerable to the American people.

We have seen him refuse to obey court orders, deny people their constitutional rights to due process, instruct or allow ICE to indiscriminately take immigrants with no criminal records into custody, arrest elected officials attempting to fulfill their oversight obligations, and deploy the National Guard and the Marines to enforce police actions against the American people.

Now, Trump is provoking all-out war with Iran by embracing the same disregard for constitutional constraints and the rule of law that he has shown at every turn. He has unilaterally taken actions that could be seen as a declaration of war, and he has done it without the explicit authorization required by the US Constitution. We cannot stand by and stand silent.

We must read Trump’s actions in the context of all that has come before. He has unilaterally threatened to assassinate a sitting head of state in violation of US and international law.  Instead of assembling and consulting with a group of competent advisors, he has stated that he has no use for the input of intelligence and military experts. He has offered no proof that Iran currently has or will imminently have nuclear weapon capacity or that they have refused to enter into negotiations. In fact, Trump abandoned the agreements reached under prior administrations, and has instead followed Netanyahu’s rejection of negotiations in favor of military might.

We at Kent Street decry Trump’s march toward war. We fear that Trump wants nothing more than to feed his narcissistic megalomania and to distract from his unpopular immigration, Medicaid and tax policies, and invoke broad wartime powers against the citizenry, doing away with due process and refusing to accept that he is bound by our laws. 

ACTION: This is the time for our members of Congress to stand strong and lead with determination. We need their strength and their leadership now more than ever. Tell them that Granite Staters demand accountability, oversight and adherence to the demands of the US Constitution. Tell them No War. Contact information here.

EVERYWHERE.

While events unfold globally and nationally, we still must attend to harm unfolding here in the Granite State. The so-called ‘Liberty Caucus’ comprised of far-right GOP’ers and ‘Free Staters’ have taken control of the legislative agenda at the State House, consistently voting for bills that give life and power to the most egregious aspects of Project 2025.

Exhibit A is the State Budget…and what a cruel disaster it is proving to be. We are appreciative for this summary from the Upper Valley Democrats.

This is the through-line. For every piece of restrictive legislation, whether regarding voting rights; Transgender fundamental rights and freedoms; Medicaid; vaccines and funding of family planning programs; public education….we can trace it back to a national, far-right agenda.

ALL AT ONCE.

We can do this. We can fight our battles on many fronts.

Surely, we will be protesting Trump and his egregious march into war, but we must not take our eyes off the damage being done right here at our State House. The GOP majority leadership at the legislature and the Governor in her corner office are all too ready to take up Trump’s attacks on public schools, immigrants, Transgender people, working folks, those who require Medicaid and other services…the list is long. See Rep. Mary Jane Wallner’s comments here regarding the budget.

Join us at the State House on Tuesday, June 24^th to Demand a Better Budget…Demand a Just Budget…Demand Justice. Kent Street is joining with organizations from across the state to launch the Fight for Our Future accountability campaign. It is time to take what is happening under the gold dome back into our communities so that people know how their legislators have voted, done and said. 

Tuesday is predicted to be hot. Please dress accordingly and bring a water bottle. We will have ice and cooling cloths, tents, and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream to help beat the heat.

ACTION:  Join us on Tuesday, June 24th, 5 to 7:30 at the State House for our Fight For Our Future Rally. Sign up here to let us know if you can join us.Bring some friends, come for an hour…come for the whole time….Either way, we need you to lift you voice against Republican cruelty.

ACTION. In the meantime,  contact your state representative(s) and state senator, urging them to restore fiscal integrity, common sense and compassion to a budget gone amok.

ACTION: The actual vote on the budget will take placed on Thursday, June 26 when both the House and Senate meet for to vote on all remaining bills. In addition to the budget they will be voting on  a bill banning books in libraries and schools, penalizing teachers, librarians, schools and municipalities for violatons. Join us for a Freedom to Read read-in at 9:15 on the 26th upstairs at the State House outside of Reps Hall to protest this egregious restriction on 1st amendment rights and reproductive freedom.

I know these are dark and scary times, I fing my strength and courage in standing together with all of you.

With eyes on the prize,

Louise