Chop Wood, Carry Water 10/15
Embrace the mess.
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
Oof, my office is messy right now. (Sort of like last night’s Dodgers win 😂.) I’m surrounded by piles of postcards for Virginia, an overflowing box of Plan C stickers (if you requested some I finally mailed them yesterday), and a stack of nearly-finished Vote Forward letters.
I keep telling myself: plenty of time to tidy up when the Virginia elections are done.
But the truth is, there’ll always be another election. My office probably won’t get neat any time soon.
It’s a bit of a metaphor for democracy itself, right? Because that’s messy, too. It’s also hard work—especially right now. But it’s work that I, for one, am deeply grateful to be able to do—especially with all of you.
Because that’s what democracy’s all about, right? All of us, doing all of this—messily or no—because ALL OF IT matters.
So let’s channel Cody Bellinger and not quit before the miracle. ⚾️
P.S. I tanked on the news quiz this week: 7.6 out of 11. Sigh. How did you do?
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I want Congress to include the Stock Buyback Accountability Act in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan. They should also ensure that the Billionaires Tax is included, as well as a provision giving Medicare the ability to negotiate drug prices. These provisions alone will pay for a large part of the Build Back Better Act, and we need everything in it—especially the climate provisions. So please do it!
Second, I want the Senator to co-sponsor and support S 1141, the Judiciary Act of 2021, which would expand the Supreme Court by four seats. Given the Court's failure to block Texas’s blatantly unconstitutional abortion ban in September, it is crucial Congress pass this bill immediately to protect Roe v. Wade from being further weakened, or overturned altogether.
[If Democrat add:] Finally, it is time to abolish the filibuster. It’s not just about passing voting rights legislation, although that is critical. It’s also about gun violence. Is the Senator aware that gun violence is the second leading cause of death for young people in America? And the leading cause of death for Black children and teens? We have common-sense solutions supported by the majority of Americans, including gun owners. But NRA-backed Senators will continue to use the filibuster to block them. It’s unacceptable. The filibuster is literally killing us. It needs to go. Thanks. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I want Congress to include the Stock Buyback Accountability Act in President Biden’s Build Back Better plan. They should also ensure that the Billionaires Tax is included, as well as a provision giving Medicare the ability to negotiate drug prices. These provisions alone will pay for a large part of the Build Back Better Act, and we need everything in it—especially the climate provisions. So please do it!
Second, I want the Congressmember to co-sponsor and support HR 2584, the Judiciary Act of 2021, which would expand the Supreme Court by four seats. Given the Court's failure to block Texas’s blatantly unconstitutional abortion ban in September, it is crucial Congress pass this bill immediately to protect Roe v. Wade from being further weakened, or overturned altogether. Thanks.
Extra Credit
Did you know that when Americans are informed of the provisions in the Build Back Better Act they LOVE them? But most Americans have NO IDEA what’s in it! We need to change this!
Today Demcast is doing a social media campaign centered on provisions in the Build Back Better Act. Here is an insanely easy-to-use toolkit. Can you post something promoting the BBB’s provisions on your favorite social platform?
Get on the Phones! ☎️
I’ve got a phonebank into Virginia today with the Grassroots Dems, and I’m hoping for a much better turnout. It’s from 3-5 PDT/ 6-8 EDT. Please come keep me company and make these easy calls. WE ARE ONLY CALLING DEMOCRATS! Couldn’t be friendlier. Yesterday I helped two folks look up their early voting location and it felt so good!
Don’t you want to feel good?
Join me by signing up here.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to your Senators] [H/T and more info] [You can send this quickly by texting SIGN PXKDUX to 50409]
I am writing today to urge the Senate to introduce and pass a bipartisan VAWA reauthorization bill that builds on the House-passed H.R.1620 and meets the identified needs of survivors and communities.
The Violence Against Women Act is one of the pillars of the federal response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Every time VAWA has been reauthorized, it has been strengthened based on our increased understanding of gender-based violence, and this reauthorization can be no different.
The COVID-19 pandemic, when the rates of domestic violence and sexual assault have increased, is not the time to roll back important protections or even to maintain the status quo. H.R.1620, which passed the House with strong bipartisan support, maintains protections for all victims, makes vital investments in sexual assault prevention and services, ensures sexual predators who prey on Native women can be held accountable, invests in culturally specific organizations, protects victims of domestic violence from intimate partner homicide, provides alternatives to the legal system for survivors who want them, and increases victims’ access to safe housing and economic stability.
As a constituent, I urge the Senator to prioritize the introduction and passage of a VAWA reauthorization that builds on the House-passed bill and meets the identified needs of survivors and communities. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess