Chop Wood, Carry Water 10/25
Faith is an action
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Quiet news day, huh?
Kidding. There’s a ton going on. It never stops. Still, I do feel cautiously optimistic that we have a deal shaping up AND that we may be getting more traction in our quest to hold the January 6th attackers to account. (Obviously, last night’s Rolling Stone article is a must-read).
At times like this—heck, at all times—I remind myself to breathe in faith, breathe out fear. Faith in what, you may ask?
Faith in you. Faith in me.
Faith in us.
I have that in spades. So let’s take action together one more time, relying on each other to get. This. Done.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[If Dem:] First, I’m calling to urge the Senator to support the tax reform plan being put forward by Senator Wyden and Majority Leader Schumer. It will raise the revenue needed to fully fund the Build Back Better plan now that Kyrsten Sinema has stripped other tax provisions from the bill. This plan includes the Billionaires Income Tax, which I strongly support. [H/T and more info]
[to all:]
Second, I just read the reporting from Rolling Stone, and I agree with Marc Elias, who said: “Every Member of Congress who was involved should be expelled. Every staffer who was involved should be fired. Every lawyer who was involved should be disbarred.” We need a Special Counsel and we need one now. This was an inside job and it was planned with military precision. If Congress doesn’t act swiftly and forcefully it’ll happen again. And next time it will succeed. What is the Senator doing to pressure the administration to prosecute the leaders of the insurrection?
Finally, I want the Senator to do everything in their power to pass the Freedom to Vote Act (S. 2747), which we desperately need in order to protect our democracy. [If Dem add:] Please work around or abolish the Senate filibuster to get this done. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, American families are relying on the expanded Child Tax Credit payments. We need them to be extended PERMANENTLY. Please don’t take this important lifeline away from struggling families. Also, I urge the Congressmember to make sure the policy is made ‘fully and permanently refundable’ so that ALL families, especially those with little or no income, continue to receive monthly payments.
Second, I support Medicare’s being able to negotiate drug pricing. This polls at upwards of 80% with ALL voters. Americans know that the high cost of prescription drugs in America isn't normal, we know that other countries pay a fraction of the price we do. The system is rigged against us. It's time to make it fair. Please ask the Congressmember to vote YES on Medicare drug price negotiation. Thanks. [H/T]
Extra Credit
A bit of an “insider tip:”
Kyrsten Sinema is now on board for free community college. We just need Manchin, and in order to get him we need to shame the lobbyist who makes $700k/yr by blocking free public college.
That lobbyist is Barbara Mistick; she is the head of NAICU.edu, the lobbying org for private colleges.
Let’s email her at barbara@naicu.edu and ask that she cease lobbying the White House and Senate against free community college. Wealthy private schools should be expanding college access, not shutting down a path towards expansion. Ask her if making $700k/year has skewed her ability to understand the difficult reality of lower income and middle income students.
You can click here to have an email auto populated in your email program, but please PERSONALIZE!!
Get Educated!
Media Matters will be holding a “Tech Platforms & Disinformation / Online Toxicity Call” tomorrow, and you’re invited! October 26, 2020 at 2pm EST.
Yael Eisenstat, democracy activist and Future of Democracy Fellow at the Berggruen Institute will discuss: The blowback from Facebook whistleblower revelations, Facebook’s announcement to rebrand/rename of the platform; what groups like those on the call can do to push for a healthier internet that serves the public interest.
Get on the Phones! ☎️
Virginia’s Election Day is in EIGHT DAYS!!!! 😳
Fortunately, Activate America has a phonebank into VA today from 3-5PM PDT/6-8 EDT. Their phonebanks are delightful because a) they have great trainers, b) they have the best dialer and c) you get to leave voicemails! Fun and super easy!
Sign up here. WE NEED YOU!!!!
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [shortcut code to send this: SIGN PPGCPD]
12 million children in the United States are facing hunger right now. They rely on our nation's most important anti-hunger programs for the food they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Any budget reconciliation legislation MUST include funding to expand hunger-fighting programs:
- Extend and expand the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, currently operating as Pandemic EBT, to ensure the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has the authority needed to continue this important program during summers and for future school closings.
- Extend the temporary increases in the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit to provide families with children and working adults with additional critical economic resources.
- Expand the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) by increasing funding, lowering the eligibility threshold, and expanding automatic enrollment to allow schools and school districts to provide free school meals to an additional nine million children.
In addition, Congress must increase funds for USDA food purchases to help food banks meet the need for food assistance in their communities. Specifically, we urge Congress to support an additional $900 million for food purchases through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), so food banks can help families and children get the nutritious food they need.
Please support nutrition provisions in the budget reconciliation legislation that will help millions of families in America keep food on the table. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
Thank you so much for all your work!!!