Chop Wood, Carry Water 10/28

On the rise.

Find this and other “VOTE” GIFs here.

Hi, all, and happy Monday!

Quiet weekend, eh?

Just kidding. My God. What a crazy couple of days. I didn’t watch Trump’s fascist rally—I never intentionally watch him speak—but I’ve seen enough of the clips to know that it was bad—very bad—and may well backfire hugely. In fact, judging by the swift and infuriated response from Puerto Rican celebrities, politicians, and influencers, perhaps that “may well” should be a simple “will.” Of course, I take nothing for granted in the Trump era—he gets away with a shocking amount of bad behavior—but this does seem as if it may have been a bridge too far for a vital slice of the voting public.

To me the fact that the campaign allowed the Puerto Rico “joke” to be made—because trust me, they knew exactly what that comedian was going to say—is interesting and telling. It speaks of the sheer arrogance that has consumed the Trump movement. Trump and his team have drunk their own Kool-aid. They genuinely believe, at this point, that he can actually shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it. And in many ways they’re not wrong. But in one important way they are mistaken: they forget that Trump hasn’t won an election since 2016.

So while many voters tolerate his increasingly deranged and shameful behavior, not enough of them did to re-elect him even four years ago. Since then we’ve had January 6, the Dobbs decision, a guilty verdict on 34 felony counts, a rape conviction (more or less), and an increasing level of racism, cruelty, and derangement on Trump’s part. Do we think all of that has gained him voters? Sorry. I don’t. Not enough, anyway, especially when you consider that whatever angry young men he may be picking up he’s losing on the other side as his base either finally leaves him or ages out and passes away.

And it’s not just Trump who’s a loser at the ballot box. Let’s remember that his endorsement track record is awful, too. Those he backs lose at a stunningly high rate. So while there may not be consequences for MAGA’s abhorrent behavior in most ways, in elections there have been, and will continue to be.

Remember, in a race as purportedly close as this one the two candidates should be fighting for every vote they can get—everywhere. They should be trying to woo every demographic, every interest group, every corner of the electorate. Last night Trump did the opposite, and he’s too arrogant to think it’ll hurt him.

There’s a reason “pride cometh before a fall” is a saying as old as time. Because it’s true. It always has been. Always will be. And right now Trump is utterly blinded by pride.

Mark my words, he is about to fall. Bigly.

But enough about him. Let’s talk about us. It’s the final stretch! It’s all gas, no brakes from here on out, my friends! I will be dumping quite a lot of stuff in each newsletter this week, most of which will be GOTV-related. Take what you like and leave the rest; I’ll try to include something for everyone. Remember, we have basically one more day to write postcards and Vote Forward letters—and I hope you do. After that we will all need to shift to door knocking, phonebanking, doing Neighbor to Neighbor if we’re in a swing district, and talking to our friends and family all day every day (here’s an amazing tool to help!)

We can do this. It’s tough, but we’re tougher.

And if we have any doubt about the stakes of this election Trump showed them to us again last night. They’re as high as it’s possible to be.

But let’s not be scared. Let’s be determined. Are you angry that we find ourselves here? Good! Let’s channel that rage. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to hand our country over to small minded, greedy, and cruel men. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let our kids, and our kids’ kids, grow up in a fallen nation. I’ll be damned if I’m going to throw women, queer people, people with disabilities, senior citizens, the working poor, children, our planet, people of color, and other marginalized communities under the bus. Not to mention the rest of the world—I am hearing daily from folks in other countries—they’re rooting for us, too! This election matters to everyone on earth!

So let’s lower our shoulders, raise our heads, take a deep breath, and reach out to as many voters as we can.

Together we can make not only a difference, but the difference. The people reading this are not to be underestimated. You are the heroes of this generation. The warriors. The history-makers. It’s an honor to be in your presence.

Now, together, let’s keep doing the work.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling to ask the Congressmember to co-sponsor HR 4184, Rep. Adam Schiff’s bill to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. If Congress can act to remove social media's civil liability shield to protect children then they can act to remove the gun industry's civil liability shield as well. PLCAA has prevented gun violence survivors from seeking justice in the civil courts and made our gun violence problem far worse. Please co-sponsor this bill right away. Thanks. [More info here]

Extra Credit ✅

Please sign this petition to the publishers of the Washington Post and the L.A. Times asking them to reverse their decisions not to endorse Kamala Harris. Then send it to ten friends!

Get Smart! 📚

Join Big Tent USA on Monday, October 28th at 7:00PM ET for a special discussion on election protection. With November 5 around the corner and millions of Americans already casting their ballots, the stakes for our democracy couldn't be higher.

Joanna Lydgate and her States United Democracy Center are at the forefront of a national effort to safeguard our free and fair elections, working to support election officials in the most critical states.  Joining Lydgate are Steve Bullock, former Governor and Attorney General of Montana, and Cisco Aguilar, the Nevada Secretary of State. They will discuss what to expect during an election season that may be long and contentious, how state officials are preparing, and explore solutions to the democracy crisis we are facing in this country.

Moderated by Samantha Bee, this timely conversation will address the evolving threats to democracy and the crucial role we all play in protecting our democracy for future generations of goblins and ghosts 😈 👻.

RSVP HERE | MON. 10.28 | 7:00PM ET

Get Smart #2

Join Democracy Docket on Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET for a live, virtual discussion with Marc Elias featuring Congressman Jamie Raskin and political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen. They’ll give a status update one week out from Election Day and preview what to expect if things don’t go Trump’s way.

Register here: The Race to Certify: What Happens After Election Day with Rep. Jamie Raskin and Brian Tyler Cohen

Spread the Word! 📣

Someone just turned me on to this Kamala Harris Resume. It’s a long, well-sourced document filled with Harris’s accomplishments across time and subject matter. Really good for those “but what has she DONE?” people.

The resume, along with the below piece, to which I linked in the intro, should give you all the ammunition you need to talk to voters.

Convince Someone to Vote Harris TODAY

Give 💰!

Mike Lux, an brilliant political strategist with decades of experience in elections, sent out an email yesterday with his last-minute political giving recommendations. I thought it was so great that I popped it onto a google doc so you can all read it. And share it, too! Please give if you can—Mike explains that last minute money really does help in these close races. He’s also really honest about which races do NOT need more money, which I always appreciate. Enjoy!

Spanish Speakers Needed!

From subscriber Rachel G.

Currently, I am responsible for recruitment for the Harris Spanish Language phone banks for Pennsylvania (500,000 hispanic voters).  

We need to fill 10 phonebanks up for the last few days.  Would it be possible for you to share this information for us?  Here is a link for bilingual Spanish/English speakers to register.   

As you know better than anyone, this last stretch is vital, and we are really in need of hundreds of Spanish speakers.

Please can anyone help?

Postcarders needed!

Finished postcarding for the big races and want to do more? Please lend your postcarding hand to this awesome downballot race: IdaRose Sylvester is running for City Council in Mountain View, CA. 

She stands out as a progressive candidate who will fight for housing justice, critical climate change protections, and the economic vitality of her city, including small businesses. She has won the endorsement of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, and Mountain View Housing Justice. 

City Council race outcomes can significantly impact peoples' access to housing and other important life needs in our little town, so please lend a hand today. 

Please email IdaRosePostcards@gmail.com for addresses and instructions - just let them know how many addresses you would like. You would need to supply your own postcards and stamps. Many thanks!

In PA? Team Harris-Walz Needs Beds!

The Harris-Walz team are looking for Harris-Walz supporters in Pennsylvania with extra space in their homes to host campaign workers from now through GOTV weekend and Election Day.

They have a form that those interested in hosting can fill out (bit.ly/housingforharrisPA). They are especially looking for supporter housing in the regions of northeast and South Philly; northeast and south Allegheny Country; Luzerne; York, Erie, Beaver, and Butler Counties, where their supporter housing stock is lower than expected. 

Offering supporter housing is a great option for people who may not have capacity to door-knock, but have extra beds in their homes and can give a volunteer a place to stay so they can work on GOTV in Pennsylvania. Thanks, all!

Need help in AZ!

Seed the Vote is calling for more volunteers to canvass in Maricopa County, Arizona. It will pay for housing and transportation costs for anyone who needs financial assistance. Sign up here.  

Unite Here is also offering paid canvassing jobs to those who are willing.  For more information, call or text Seth Chazin at 510-507-8100.

Getting out the vote in Arizona is critical for the presidential race, Ruben Gallego's Senate race, Amish Shah's race for Congress in AZ CD-1, the abortion access initiative, and to flip the AZ state House and Senate from red to blue.  Please go if you can, even if it is just for a couple of days.

Win Races—Lots of Ways! 🗳

From Women For Harris-Walz—suggestions for this week! (Really good, I might add.)

TALK HEALTHCARE 🚑🩺🏥 - Talk to five people in your life about why the Harris plan for Medicare to cover home healthcare matters.

ACTIVISM AT THE CHECK-OUT 🛒 ⛽️ - Ask the cashier at the grocery store or gas station about their plan to vote. If they need help, send them to  https://iwillvote.com for answers! 

SAFE KIDS 🚸🛝🚌 - Reach out to a parent or grandparent in your life and talk about Kamala Harris’ stance on curbing gun violence and keeping kids safe at school.

NEXT GENERATION 🎓📓 - Talk to your first time voter about why it’s critical to vote in this election.

SAY CHEESE 😬🤳 - Post a selfie of yourself dropping off your ballot and encourage others to vote as early as they can.

BE VIRTUALLY AWESOME: Support critical Get Out the Vote efforts in the Battleground states virtually, including PHONE and TEXT BANKING. 📞📲

BE A JOYFUL WARRIOR IN A BATTLEGROUND STATE: We urgently need canvassing volunteers in Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada to knock doors and encourage people to go vote. Grab your pals, pack some snacks for the road, and Canvass for Kamala to one of these locations. 🚶🏾‍♀️🚶‍♀️🚶🚶🏽

CHECK OPTIONS TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO THE POLLS:
Ride Share 2 the Polls 🚙🚗

Win Races—Write Postcards!

Postcards to Voters has added some last-minute campaigns! Click here to go to their site and request addresses—you have to be already approved.

Win Races—Text!

1. Join the weekly Text Party with WFP — Join Working Families Party with one week to go until Election Day to help text voters in swing states (Tue, October 29, 6pm EDT).

2. Or Join the Coalition For human Needs on Tuesday, October 29 at 6pm EST, for their second Vote for Human Needs Text Banking Party! They're working with the Empower App to get as many people as possible to the polls on November 5th. Register for the event by clicking here.

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

[To: ] [H/T Patriotic Millionaires] [Text SIGN PVBLPU to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

As your constituent, I am urging you to co-sponsor the American Stability Act (ASA). The American Stability Act is a bold, elegant solution to the threat posed by destabilizing levels of inequality.

The American Stability Act does the following:

-ELIMINATES FEDERAL TAXES for any taxpayer making less than the median cost of living for a single adult with no children (slightly above $40,000 a year);

-SHIFTS the responsibility for these revenues onto taxpayers making more than $1 million a year;

-REPLACES the ‘minimum’ wage with a new “Stability Wage,” which is set to the median cost of living in the US for a single adult with no children, and then indexes it to make that principle permanent.

We need bold, innovative reform. Lawmakers like you must structure a more stable, prosperous economy that will deliver the results we need for a strong nation.

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

Talk soon.

Jess