Chop Wood, Carry Water 10/16

Freedom is on the ballot

Hi, all, and happy Monday.

Of course, there’s not much that’s happy about it; consider the greeting aspirational.

It was, however, wonderful seeing so many of you at the Center For Common Ground fundraiser yesterday. What a special and deeply inspiring event. Here is a link to the recording if you’d like to watch it. It featured short and excellent talks from Robert Hubbell, the actor Kyra Sedgewick, Cliff Albright from Black Voters Matter, and Heather Booth, organizer, dynamo, and co-founder of the Janes. We raised over 20K, which is a huge deal—you’ll understand why if you watch the recording—and had a lot of fun. The donation link is still up if you want to get in on the action.

Speaking of action, this week will be, even by today’s standards, extremely eventful. While I will, of course, be following events in the Middle East closely, my calls to action will be largely focussed on domestic issues. After all, as Robert Hubbell said brilliantly in last night’s newsletter:

A strong, just, liberal democracy in America is an indispensable condition for any fair solution in the Middle East. Everything you do to preserve and extend democracy in America will—indirectly—help promote eventual peace in the Middle East.

He’s right. And that’s something I know how to help with.

We have a lot of work to do on that front, of course. The next fire to put out is the potential catastrophe of a Jim Jordan speakership. Jay Kuo has a great summary of the state of play here, as well as a thought experiment on what the alternative of a “governing majority” might look like. It turns out such a bipartisan coalition polls well across parties, and there’s a slim chance we could get there…but we have to stop a Jordan speakership first.

Today is our chance. Jordan’s team is threatening, bullying, weaponizing Fox news hosts, and doing everything else they can to intimidate the Republican House members who oppose him into getting on board. So I’m going to ask you to not just call your representative if he or she is a Republican, but to ask everyone you know in your district to do the same. Especially if your House member is a so-called “moderate.” Bonus points if they’re one of the 18 GOP House members serving in a district that Biden won.

We have 24 hours. Let’s use them well. DemCast has a helpful spreadsheet with every House member’s phone number, social media handles, vote margin, and more. Find it here.

I continue to send my love, thoughts, and support to anyone affected by the absolutely terrifying calamity unfolding in Israel and Gaza. I have no more words. Only prayers—and I’m not even religious—and tears.

Nevertheless, we must persist. And so we will. If democracy is to survive it is we who must save it. So let’s get to work one more time.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

[If your Congressmember is one of the 18 Republicans in a district won by Biden this call is especially CRITICAL.]

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

I’m calling to demand that the Congressmember vote no on Jim Jordan for Speaker. This is really, really important. There is no way Jordan should be in charge of anything, let alone the House of Representatives. He is too extreme, too divisive, and too disloyal to our constitution. Republicans should partner with Democrats on a bipartisan governing coalition. There is no other way forward if we want our democracy to survive. Again, Jim Jordan is a danger to our democracy and absolutely cannot be speaker. [If GOP add:] The Congressmember swore an oath to uphold our constitution. Will s/he commit to opposing Jordan in tomorrow’s vote?

Get Smart on Abortion! 📚

This post about how best to message on abortion is REALLY good. It’s a critical read for those of us phonebanking into either Ohio or Virginia. But since we’ll ALL be talking about abortion a lot this year and next if we want to win elections, this is messaging we should all synthesize and use. Please read and please share.

Talking Points: Abortion Care

Get Smart on SCOTUS! 📚

SCOTUS Coordinating Call hosted by United For Democracy.

The Supreme Court term is underway, and over the coming months, before decisions are handed down, we have a critical opportunity and urgency to shape the understanding and narrative about the ongoing harm, injustice, and corruption at the Court. To help us do so, please join United For Democracy for their next monthly SCOTUS Coordinating Call on Wednesday, October 18 at 12:30 pm ET. 

Register here to receive the Zoom link and join them on Wednesday, October 18 at 12:30pm ET. 

Spread the Word! 📣

The guides.vote project has created AMAZING nonpartisan guides for important fall races. They produce nonpartisan voter guides produced by veteran journalists with links to credible sources.

These guides are great for getting reluctant voters past political cynicism and withdrawal. 

Here’s what they have:

• Pennsylvania Supreme Court mobile friendly, PDF, and Spanish, plus audio format

• Virginia legislative races, mobile friendly, PDF, and Spanish, plus audio format

• Kentucky Gov, in  mobile friendly, PDF and Spanish

• Mississippi Gov in mobile friendly and PDF

• They’re also laying the groundwork for all the major 2024 races. Sign up for updates on their website to be alerted when they drop!

Win Races—TEXT! 🗳

Lots of texting opportunities courtesy of Indivisible Sonoma County:

1. NextGen will be texting voters in Pennsylvania and Virginia for the upcoming November 7th Elections on October 17, 18, and 19 from 10 AM - Noon Pacific
   Note: RSVP page shows Eastern time. RSVP

2. Working Families Party (WFP) Regular Tuesday Text Parties
   Every Tuesday
   3 - 5 PM Pacific
   Note: RSVP page shows Eastern time. RSVP

3. Texting Tuesday: Black Voters Matter
   Every Tuesday
   3 - 4 PM Pacific RSVP

4. Public Citizen Early Vote-a-thon Thursdays 6-7:30 PM ET Register here.

Win Races—Call! 🗳

If you’re ever going to get on the phones to help us win in November, now is the time we need you. Here are some good opportunities:

1. Swing Blue Alliance is doing a Monday 6 – 7:30pm EDT phonebank into VA using a dialer. We’re ballot-chasing now, which means we are simply contacting registered Democrats who have already requested a VBM ballot but haven’t turned it in. We’re just giving them a nudge and any information they need to complete their vote. Please join us—I’ll be there every Monday between now and the election. Register here.

2. The DNC announced that starting this week their Zoom Phone Bank Schedule has expanded to add a Sunday and a Wednesday Evening Phone Bank. Click here to view the whole schedule and register!

3. My Tuesday phonebank with Grassroots Dems HQ now has a dialer! WOOT! Please come—it’s so fun now and I need more people badly. They also have phonebanks Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Register here.

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

[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PDZOUU to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

Worldwide, the fossil fuel industry is continuing to receive record-high subsidies, despite scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels is a major contributor to climate change, poor air quality, extreme weather and extreme heat. These subsidies put our communities' futures at risk for disaster.

It is estimated that by ending global fossil fuel subsidies, we could reduce emissions by 34% by 2030 and make huge progress towards the 43% cut required to keep global warming below the dangerous 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold.

There's no denying that we must take action on climate change if we want to preserve a livable planet -- and the U.S. must take the lead. Now more than ever, we need Congress to stop giving billions of dollars every year in federal subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.

I urge you to support legislation that would eliminate these subsidies.

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

Talk soon.

Jess