Chop Wood, Carry Water 10/17
The only way forward is together.
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
And it is a bit happier, because Jim Jordan just lost his first Speaker bid, and by more votes than I, at least, expected! There were twenty holdouts; a number of them were from the “Biden 18” list I posted yesterday. It is incredibly important that we keep up the pressure on ALL of our representatives to not elect Jordan and to elect, instead, a “consensus government” of some kind. It doesn’t need to be led by Hakeem Jeffries, in fact it’s imposible that Republicans would consent to that. But it can and should be led by a “moderate” Republican who will bring some much-needed decorum and gravitas to one of the most important jobs in the world.
Look, Jordan may win in the next round, but where there’s life there’s hope. I’m going to urge us all to fight, fight, fight!
On another note, President Biden issued this Statement on Hate Crime Statistics today.
Today, the FBI released their annual statistics on hate crimes. Antisemitic hate crimes rose 25 percent from 2021 to 2022, and Antisemitism accounted for over half of all reported religion-based hate crimes. Anti-LGBTQI+ hate crimes rose 16 percent, and Muslim Americans and African Americans continue to be overrepresented among victims. The data is a reminder that hate never goes away, it only hides. Any hate crime is a stain on the soul of America.
To those Americans worried about violence at home…we see you. We hear you. And I have asked members of my team, including Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas and Attorney General Garland, to prioritize the prevention and disruption of any emerging threats that could harm Jewish, Muslim, Arab American, or any other communities during this time. My Administration will continue to fight Antisemitism and Islamophobia.
It’s an excellent reminder of the stakes of our work. President Biden, human though he may be, is fighting every day to heal and unify this nation, and to protect the most oppressed and marginalized among us. He is steadfast in his insistence that hate is not the way forward.
We can’t take this for granted. It should be rewarded, supported, amplified, and applauded.
While Republicans work to elect an insurrectionist, failed lawmaker, and sexual abuse apologist to the House speakership, our Democratic President is striving to save this country—and the world—from extremism. He is working to stop harm to civilians overseas. He is trying to foster decency.
Elections matter. Your work matters. The actions you’ve taken—and those you continue to take—are shaping our future for the better. Never forget it.
Now let’s get back to work.
Call the “No On Jordan” Republicans 📲
This is a bit unusual, but I just saw that a far-right account on Twitter posted the names and phone numbers of the 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan just now. This account urges people to “melt their phones” telling them they must change their votes to Jordan. I’m going to make an exception to my usual rule of not calling lawmakers who aren’t ours and say that it would be good to call as many of these folks as possible and thank them instead. We should also urge them to stick to their guns. That wasn’t an easy vote to take in this atmosphere, and they’re going to get pummeled by MAGA for it.
Names, phone numbers and easy script are here.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
The first vote for Jim Jordan has failed, and I’m glad. He is utterly unfit and unqualified to be Speaker of the House. I want Democrats and Republicans to work together to elect a speaker from the moderate Republican caucus—likely either Rep. Bacon or Rep. McHenry. The two parties should then structure a power-sharing deal that would mandate that all bills with bi-partisan support be brought for a full floor vote. They should also change the rules so that one person can’t oust a speaker. We need a functioning House. This is the only way it happens. Please fight for it. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
A subscriber dropped me a note to let me know that Tommy Tuberville is on the ballot for the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame.
She added:
Please ask people to call or write to ask his name be taken off. No reason to reward him for anything at this point! Website is www.cfbhall.com/about/contact or you can call 404-880-4800 ext. 0 or email info@cfbhall.com.
I called & spoke to a real person. She didn’t ask for specific information about me but I’m hopeful the hall gets enough calls to rethink the idea of having Tuberville in the hall of fame.
I’m in agreement. Tuberville should know there are consequences for his flagrant obstructionism. Let’s see if we can help get him some. I wrote just a couple of lines reminding them that Tuberville is currently blocking over 300 military promotions, and that giving him this award would be “a slap in the face to the men and women who serve—or have served—our country.”
Get Smart! 📚
Simon Rosenberg is doing his outstanding “With Democrats Things Get Better” webinar this Thursday, Oct 19th at 1pm EST.
As Rosenberg describes it:
With Democrats Things Get Better is a 30-minute data-filled look at American politics from 1989 to present day. Distilled from my 3 decades of political work, it tells a simple but powerful story - that when Democrats are in the White House, things get better in America. The Republicans, on the other hand, have repeatedly failed to do their part.
If you haven’t yet seen this presentation I urge you to check it out. It’s a data-backed rebuttal of the “Republicans are better on the economy” argument, and we all need to be making it.
RSVP.
Give 💰!
All, if any of you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, I am co-hosting an in-person fundraiser for the Civics Center on Thursday, October 26, from 6:30-8:00 PM PT in Hancock Park!
is another co-host, and the wonderful Jessica Yellin of the newsletter will be a main speaker. This should be a great event, and we all know how important the Civics Center’s work is.Founder & CEO Laura W. Brill will provide an insider's look into The Civics Center's mission to register the eight million 18- & 19-year-olds who will be newly eligible to vote in the 2024 election.
To attend or to make a tax-deductible donation please click here
Win Races — WRITE! ✍🏼
Join Vote Forward on Monday, October 23, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT to write letters with members of the cast of Hamilton! This is their last letter writing event of the year—be in the room where it happens!
Win Races — CALL! 📲
Next week the Environmental Voter Project has two special events focused on mobilizing environmental voters in Houston, TX's Mayoral Election. Join their Executive Director for a special briefing and phone bank on Monday at 7:30pm EDT / 4:30pm PDT then help them continue mobilizing those voters next Wednesday at 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT with actor and actiivst Piper Perabo!
Aside from their Houston calls, they have many more opportunities to call voters over the next three weeks. Join them TOMORROW, October 18, at 6pm EDT / 3pm PDT to call Tucson, AZ; Tuesday, October 24, at 12pm EDT / 9am PDT to call Allegheny County, PA; and Thursday, October 26, at 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT to call Charlotte, NC; and Friday, October 27, at 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT to call Wichita, KS.
They’ll be mobilizing low propensity environmental voters across the country in the days leading up to November 7, too. Check out their special schedule for November 3-7, and sign up today! They have shifts available across a variety of times of day and days of the week.
THESE CALLS MATTER SO MUCH!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[H/T] [Text SIGN PBPYEO to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
I am your constituent and I am urging you to act now to rein in excessive CEO pay. At a time when workers' wages are stagnating while we’re dealing with record inflation, it’s shameful to see corporate executives getting richer while their workers struggle financially.
Exorbitant CEO pay is one of the biggest drivers of the growing income inequality gap we’re facing. In the 1970s, CEOs made 20 to 30 times the average pay of their workers; now the average CEO pay at a Fortune 500 company is 200 to 300 times more than what their average worker receives.
During the last session of Congress, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Barbara Lee introduced the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act, which would impose a corporate tax rate increase on companies whose CEO-to-worker pay ratio is more than 50 to 1. This incentivizes companies to not only lower CEO pay but also to raise workers’ wages.
I urge you and your colleagues to re-introduce and pass the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act to rein in CEO pay and address rising income inequality.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
I just called all 20 Congress People to thank them for the No vote against JJ and to keep it up. Where I got a live person, they were thrilled and relieved to hear something positive.
#3 of the criteria for choosing a Hall of Fame recipient says: "Football achievements are considered first, but the post-football record as a citizen is also weighed."