Armchair Actions

Armchair Action, Week of July 12: Crypto Could Unleash Economic Chaos

WHY:  Remember the 2008 financial crash caused by loosely regulated lending practices? Cryptocurrency can give us the same kind of chaos. In July 2025, Senator Slotkin voted for the GENIUS Act which officially brought cryptocurrency into the traditional financial system. The CLARITY Act is the next dangerous step as Congress gambles away our financial stability just to appease crypto billionaires. The House has already passed it, and the Senate will vote within the next two weeks. They only need 7 Democratic yeas.

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent from [Your City, State].

I’m alarmed that Trump is using cryptocurrency to let billionaires, big tech, and foreign governments bribe him personally. Democrats should not be considering or supporting any crypto bills that wouldn’t do anything to stop Trump’s crypto corruption.

I’m asking [Senator] to oppose the CLARITY Act when it comes up for a vote. I expect them to oppose this corruption.

Thank you.


Ongoing Actions

Here in Michigan, we have an Attorney General fighting to keep our elections free from Federal investigation, but we need to stay diligent. We need you to stay on the active voter roll. We don’t want you to be required to jump through extra hoops (that take time and sometimes extra documentation) to vote a provisional ballot and/or re-register last minute before the polls open.

YOUR ARMCHAIR ACTION:

Check the Voter Registration status for you and your family members!

Click here to access the Michigan Secretary of State’s voter information page.

National Voter Resources can be found by visiting http://vote.gov.

Mayday! Mayday! Billionaire Crisis!

WHY: Between 1975 and 2023, nearly $80 trillion in wealth was funneled from the bottom 90% of Americans to the top 1%. Shockingly, one of the primary drivers of this wealth shift is the US tax code; it actually helps create these billionaires.

Here’s what a billion dollars looks like: If you earned $10,000 a day, it would take 100 days to make $1 million, but 274 YEARS to make a billion. Of those billions, America’s wealthiest often pay zero or negligible taxes (Pro Publica, “The Secret IRS Files,” 8 June 2021.)

Because we know your time is valuable, we’ve gathered some credible resources to help fuel these crucial conersations.


Past Actions

Following the example of other Michigan communities such as Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, we drafted a letter calling for a county policy proactively addressing how federal law enforcement agencies operate in Marquette County.

The letter was presented at the February 3 meeting of the Marquette County Board of Commissioners. To our surprise, we were not the only community members requesting a policy concerning DHS and ICE. During the public comment period, 6 people spoke to the same issue with several others present in support. During closing comments, Commissioners Alholm, LaLonde and Numinen spoke in support of our request. Commissioner Numinen was especially forceful, saying “we are living in a national nightmare.” The Commission concluded by directing Marquette County staff to research the issue and put it on the agenda for the next meeting (Tuesday, Feb. 17).

We were all excited about the response of the Commission. However, we also understand that the battle is not yet won. Our first request for citizen action was for people to mail a postcard to the Commission in support of our letter and its proposal to develop a policy.

It is clear that the Commission, and Commissioner Numinen in particular, have received backlash from pro-MAGA individuals. Those Commissioners need our support! In the next Commission meeting, we must endorse a strong, proactive policy to protect our community. If you want to make the greatest impact, please attend and speak during the public comment periods. In terms of attendance, size really DOES matter.

Please attend the upcoming Marquette County Commission board meetings in the Skewis Annex of the Marquette County Courthouse on Baraga Street to show support for this resolution until one is passed.

See upcoming meeting dates, Zoom links, and agendas here

If you are unable to attend the Commission meeting in person, you can still express your support from home in the following ways:

  • Speak to the commission from home. There is an option to comment at the board meeting via Zoom.
  • Write a postcard or brief letter to the Commission in support of developing a policy. Be sure to include your name and address. Mail it to: Marquette County Board of Commissioners, Henry A. Skewis Courthouse Annex, 234 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI
  • Email the commission. Public comments can be submitted to the County Clerk at clerk@marquettemi.gov Be sure to include your name and address.

ACTIONUrge three people who have never come to a protest to come to No Kings 3!

Emphasize that they can help turn back the regime simply by showing up! There will be music and dancing, costumes and signs, and many like-minded people! It will be fun!

Even with mobility issues, anyone can participate! People can drive by, and beep and wave flags and signs from their cars. They can even decorate their cars with pro-democracy themes!

WHYHands Off (April 2025) saw over 3 million protesters, the first No Kings (June 2025) had over 5 million, and No Kings 2 (October 2025) had over 7 million. Mass movements have a better chance of success when they mobilize 3.5% of a population. In the U.S. that translates to 11.5 to 12 million people. WE CAN DO THIS!

The president thinks his rule is absolute, but in America we don’t have kings. We will not back down from his chaos, corruption, and cruelty. This country belongs to We the People — the people who care, who show up, who stand for dignity, peace, a life we can afford, and real opportunity.

Still on the fence about going to a protest? Read this terrific essay by historian Timothy Snyder on why it’s important to show up for NO KINGS 3 on March 28th.

RESULTS: Several questions were received through multiple LSRI channels, and moderators grouped them into 15 questions to

On March 21, Lake Superior Region Indivisible hosted the Marquette candidate forum for Michigan’s First Congressional District (the U.S. House seat currently held by Jack Bergman). The upcoming primaries — the vetting stage of our elections — are critical to the grassroot efforts underway to change the direction of this country. All primary candidates have been invited to the forum. The candidate forum is not a debate. It’s actually a job interview where each of the candidates can address issues brought up by us — their potential employers. This is an opportunity to meet the candidates, raise concerns, listen and compare.

This is where YOU come in:

We asked for YOUR input in the form of questions to the candidates. Please take a moment to reflect on the issues that affect you. We hope you are able to attend the forum. If not, your voice can still be a part of this conversation by responding to the survey below. We expect this event to be widely covered by our local media. Your input will help to shape our understanding of the individuals who are asking to represent us.

What is Armchair Actions?

For those of us in Marquette and the rest of the UP, defeating authoritarianism starts close to home: namely, mobilizing citizen power to persuade local government to protect our communities from potential ICE and Border Patrol incursions, invasions and brutalities.

The goal of Armchair Actions is to coordinate small actions that can be taken from home which, when done collectively, can have great impact. Like you, we are appalled at the sickening events in our country, and we want to do as much as we can to support our communities and protect our futures. Much remains to be done to develop this new group’s structure, methods and format, but we’re off to an excellent start.