Summary

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a memo prioritizing federal funding for communities with marriage and birth rates above the national average.

The directive, which applies to grants, loans, and contracts, also prioritizes projects benefiting families with young children.

A congressional aide criticized the policy, saying, “Considering fertility rates when prioritizing federal grants? We obviously have no idea what the full impact of that will be… It’s absolutely creepy. It’s a little ‘Chinese government.’”

The memo also blocks mask mandates and requires compliance with immigration enforcement.

    • anon6789
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      1310 hours ago

      For all those asking, the Facebook link didn’t even work for me, so I just searched and there looks to be an active r/50501 group.

      It doesn’t seem like an organized thing, just be at your state capital. Here’s a few posters from the reddit:

      • @[email protected]
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        109 hours ago

        why the hell do they plan these during the week, DURING the work day?? Saturday would be too convenient??

        • anon6789
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          68 hours ago

          I’m not sure if the work distribution is part of the point or not. The protests would have to be huge though for that to make a dent I’d think though.

          Part of what these protests are against is the removal of protections for employees, so having people risk employment during this time does seem a bit problematic.

          I really don’t know what we’re supposed to do anymore, especially living in a time with surveillance everywhere. I’m just volunteering in my community and letting people know I’m on their side should they need me.

        • @[email protected]
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          27 hours ago

          I had the same thought. States are huge, too, so state capitols are going to be a healthy drive for a lot of folks. Short notice, far off location (I mean, take Cali; San Francisco and LA are NOT close to Sac), and middle of the workday/school day timing. If you were planning a fake protest to show how little enthusiasm there is to push back against Trump, it’d be hard to do better than this.

      • @[email protected]
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        1110 hours ago

        I didn’t know anything either. I just got overly pissed this morning because they removed Transgender from all government websites. Like dude, that’s us! Who’s next? Who will protest when there’s no one left to speak up?

        • anon6789
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          1010 hours ago

          They are really going full speed on the destruction of near everything. I thought it would be more methodical, but it seems scorched earth is what they’re going for.

          My heart goes out to you, it seems like trans rights were just starting to catch on and now it feels like you’re in more danger than ever. But none of us that do support you did so just because the gov told us it was ok now, so we won’t stop just because of crap like this. Millions are still on your side.

    • @[email protected]
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      3512 hours ago

      I get it’s still more popular than Fedi apps but using Facebook kind of feels like we’re asking the King permission to revolt.

      • @[email protected]
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        1112 hours ago

        Meta can suck all the ass, but you have to admit that abandoning it entirely will just enforce the echo chamber. I think we should at least try to continue the fight inside. I almost never use it, and have disabled all the settings and tracking that allow it to make the most money off of me.

        I feel like there’s at least some importance to meeting people where they are.

        • @[email protected]
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          910 hours ago

          I just feel like hosting the info on Facebook is a bad move. Sure, pass notes about unionizing at work but don’t have a meeting at the loading dock.

        • @[email protected]
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          210 hours ago

          I feel like I gotta make a new account and nuke my old one if I want to do this at all. I have been thinking about this too.

      • @[email protected]
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        110 hours ago

        Lol. Nothing. I was pissed I wanted to see if anyone was organizing something and it looks like there is such a thing happening. Feb 5 at your downtown.

    • @[email protected]
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      12 hours ago

      That looks important. Too bad I can’t read or upvote it because it’s a link to a fascist platform.

      • @[email protected]
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        110 hours ago

        Make your own link in here and pas the word so it happens! Yeah I got no Facebook or reedit account. I’m just not gonna ignore it when the government wants to ship my mom off to India or Quebec.