Chop Wood, Carry Water 9/24

Worthy of this republic

Find this and lots of other great (and slightly edgy) political graphics here.

Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!

I’m going to put a quote here. After you read it I want you to pause and try to guess who said it before you scroll down:

Ready?

The issues are…set out already; they include war on poverty, economic growth, security and medicare, human dignity, human rights, education, opportunity for the young. The issues of smear and fear are not worthy of this republic…the Republicans want to spend a lot of time on that, and while they’re digging there we will just be building a better America.

Who do you think it was? President Biden? VP Harris? Hakeem Jeffries?

Nope. It was Democratic Senator Hubert Humphrey, writing to then President Lyndon Johnson in January of 1964. (I recently finished Robert Caro’s four books about Johnson, by the way—INCREDIBLE!—so now I’m reading Flawed giant : Lyndon Johnson and His Times, 1961-1973 by Robert Dallek, which is where I found these lines.)

Remarkable, right? It’s as if nothing has changed at all!

“Smear and fear” are not new tactics for Republicans. They are their oldest and most reliable tools. They are the core of their party ethos.

This approach often works—why else would Republicans have stuck to it for over fifty years? But it fails a lot, too—especially when it’s all that’s being offered. And, as Humphrey points out, it’s literally all they had in 1964. And it’s still all they have. That, of course, and helping rich people get richer. That’s Republicans’ whole ballgame. Period. Full stop. And it’s not enough.

Building a better America, on the other hand, is what we’ve always focussed on. How awesome is that? And while it may be less compelling, it, when messaged properly, works to excite voters, too. In fact, it works better, because it relies not on hate and fear, but on love, truth, and a desire for a better life.

Focussing on “poverty, economic growth, security and medicare, human dignity, human rights, education, opportunity for the young”—this is the right way to go. These are things worth fighting for—Americans know it. They are hungry for it. They always have been. They always will be.

Virtually no one in America is hungry for more division, chaos, or suffering.

So no smear and fear for us. No rancor. No lies. We are building a better country. It’s a time-honored tradition; it’s what we on the left have always sought to do, and it must be done with courage, determination, and integrity.

Also? With joy!

“While they’re digging there we will just be building a better America.” Yes. Let’s do that. Today, tomorrow, and always. What an honor.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

I’m calling in support of S. 5004, the Student Food Security Act of 2024. The Student Food Security Act would expand SNAP eligibility on college campuses, allowing students to use their benefits at on-campus dining facilities. It would also increase outreach from federal and state agencies to students experiencing hunger. No college student should go without nutrition. We can help. Let’s do that. Thanks!

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

[If you have a GOP rep]

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I’m calling out of frustration, because since returning from the August recess, House Republicans have dedicated nearly all of their time to hosting political stunt hearings rather than funding the government or making progress on the important priorities of Americans across the country. And now Republicans in the House are filling their last week before another six-week recess with hearings attacking President Biden, VP Harris, and Governor Walz. Not a single one of these hearings is about issues that matter to Americans. They are simply meant to help Donald Trump’s failing presidential campaign. Republicans in the House are ignoring the needs of Americans and refusing to do their jobs. We will not forget it on Election Day. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

The last in Activate America’s state-by-state webinar series is coming up today at 5 PM Pacific/8pm Eastern. It’s about the battleground state of New York.

We often think of New York as a deep blue state, which is true in presidential elections. But when it comes to control of the House, it may actually be the most important state in the country, with multiple flip opportunities for Democrats after a lackluster performance in 2022.

The folks at Activate America will be joined by Ny Whitaker, with NY for Biden-Harris, who will fill us in on the state of the election in the Empire State.  Hope you can join!

Sign up HERE.

Spread the Word! 📣

Indivisible has released a new Project 2025 toolkit! It’s got so much good stuff in it! There’s guidance on writing letters to the editor about Project 2025, bird-dogging your elected representatives about it, calling in to your local radio talkshow about it, and spreading the word about it to your friends and family. It’s also got a link to a social media toolkit through which you can post about Project 2025 to help educate your circle!

Such a great resource. Please use and share!

Give 💰!

Galvanize Action is the only national organization developing messages proven to move moderate white women in swing states towards progress. Reaching these women is vital to our country’s progress.  On Thursday, September 26 at 5 pm PDT/8 pm EDT there will be a webinar featuring Celinda Lake, one of the nation’s leading Democratic pollsters, and Jackie Payne, Founder and Executive Director of Galvanize Action and the One for All Committee (the Galvanize PAC) to share new insights about the election and how we can support their work.

Please register at the link below to secure your spot for this webinar!

Thursday, September 26, 2024 5:00 PM/8PM ET

Win Races—Write Postcards! 🗳

OMG! Sign-ups for Postcards to Swing States are back open! They are making a final push for 40 million postcards to rally Democrats to vote! They will likely send you postcards for a competitive US House district or Florida, though they have some additional voter lists for swing states and Ohio. If you aren't willing to write to voters for whatever list they send you, please do not sign up. (And if you’re not willing to use their social pressure script, please don’t sign up either!)

The mailing dates for these final orders are between Oct 24 and Oct 29. They'll ship the postcards as quickly as possible.

There's also an option to opt-in to write postcards to persuadable seniors about the importance of protecting social security from Republicans. 

Sign up here.

Win Races—CANVAS in NY STATE! 🗳

Canvas with Vote Blue! NEW BUSES ADDED!

This weekend, 22,000 doors were knocked on in New York State by local grassroots groups!  And additional doors in PA! Join us!  Sign up for the buses and put your name on the waitlist (if there is one) because seats will definitely become available! We need these buses filled! Sign up now to reserve your spot. Use the links below:

Saturday, September 28

• Bus 1: New York CD-4 (Valley Stream/LI) to support Laura Gillen
  Click here to sign up

• Bus 2:  New Jersey CD7 to support Sue Altman
  Click here to sign up

Sunday, September 29

• Bus to New York CD17 to support Mondaire Jones
  Click here to sign  up

Sign up for the Vote Blue NYC mailing list to stay informed about upcoming buses and schedules, and click here for more bus information. Vote Blue is sending buses to congressional swing districts in NY, NJ & PA every Saturday and Sunday through Election Day.  No prior experience is necessary. Training and lunch are provided on the bus! 

Win Races With Indivisible!

Indivisible just sent out their list of ways to help with the election. I signed up for the phonebank today!

From them:

1. Register for our national phonebank into AZ-06 and CA-27 on Tuesday, September 24 at 7pm ET/4pm PT. These two races could decide the fate of the House this election cycle.

2. Register for our NC phonebanking session on Tuesday, October 1 at 5:30pm ET/2:30pm PT. We'll be calling voters to make sure they're ready to show up and show out for Kamala and Tim in a critical swing state. 

3. Join us alongside partner Vote Forward for a virtual letter-writing party on Thursday, October 3 at 7pm ET/4pm PT. We’re writing letters to voters in key House districts as part of The Big Send -- a collective effort to send 10 million letters to voters this year. There will be ASL interpretation available on this call.

4. If you’re eligible, sign up for Neighbor2Neighbor. Neighbor to neighbor is not just a tool, it's our not-so-secret weapon of empathy and reason, personalizing the political and establishing bonds amid the never-ending barrage of ads and flyers. It's simple. It's quick. And, it's a fun way to meet some of your neighbors who you have something in common with -- a pro-democracy future. 

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Court Accountability] [Text SIGN PLBYTZ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I’m writing in support of the “No Kings Act,” introduced by Leader Schumer in August. This bill would reassert Congress’s constitutional authority and curb the judiciary’s unchecked power.

The "No Kings Act" addresses several key issues:

Congressional Authority Under Article III: The No Kings Act uses Congress’s constitutional authority under Article III to set "Exceptions" and "Regulations" to the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction. This power has been historically recognized as an important tool to limit the Court's reach, particularly when it comes to cases that could undermine democratic governance.

Neutralizing the Trump v. United States Decision: Leader Schumer’s legislation aims to counteract the Supreme Court’s decision granting former President Trump—and all presidents—immunity from prosecution for official acts. By removing lower courts' jurisdiction over presidential immunity and removing the Supreme Court’s appellate authority in this context, the No Kings Act asserts Congress’s constitutional role in preserving the rule of law and ensuring accountability at the highest levels.

Legal Safeguards: The bill also limits the Supreme Court's ability to review the bill's constitutionality, thereby reinforcing Congress’s role in determining the boundaries of judicial authority. This is not only a constitutionally justified action but also a necessary measure to protect democratic norms from judicial overreach.

If we don’t set limits on the power of a sitting president, or on our out-of-control Supreme Court, our democracy will suffer—greatly. Please support the No Kings Act. Thanks.

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OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess