Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/11

Stay calm, maintain dignity, stay united.

Hi, all, and happy Thursday!

I’m going to keep this quick, since yesterday’s opening was on the long side.

Yesterday was, well, bonkers. Hunter Biden showed up at an Oversight hearing unexpectedly, after which an apoplectic Nancy Mace accused him of “White privilege,” Marjorie Taylor Greene brought out more lewd photographs, and Jim Jordan displayed new levels of subpoena-flaunting hypocrisy. I won’t cover the details—Jay Kuo did a great job of doing so here—but honestly, our government, at least on one side of the aisle, has been reduced to a shocking level of primitivism, puerility, and idiocy.

There’s savagery, too. I didn’t watch the Republican debates, but Ron DeSantis apparently said, among many other things, that if Israel wants to ethnically cleanse two million Palestinians from Gaza that would be fine by him. Meanwhile at his “Town Hall,” (and I use the phrase generously), Trump bragged about ending abortion, repeated his intention to be a dictator, and reiterated that he hoped the economy would crash this year.

I could go on, but it’s surely unnecessary. We’re all on the same news feeds, more or less.

Suffice it to say that if we survive this era and return to normalcy—a semi-big if—historians will look back on it with dumbfounded astonishment.

But they’ll look back on what we do, too. So our job remains the same: To stay calm, maintain dignity, and keep united, while repeating our positive message (more on that below!) and underscoring the danger of the MAGA agenda. It’s a lot, but we can do it!

And we must. Remember, friends, this is tough, but we’re tougher.

Let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

First, I’d like the Senator to support the Healthy MOM Act, which would add pregnancy to the list of “qualifying life events,” allowing pregnant women to register for health insurance at any point during the calendar year. The bill number is S. 3509.

Second, I know the Senate is still working on an immigration deal. I support the proposed Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, and its companion, the "Let Them Work" amendment. These are pivotal steps toward granting asylum seekers the expedited work permits needed for them to live with the dignity they deserve, ensuring access to essential needs like food and shelter. Please ask the Senator to support these provisions. Thanks!

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling in support of the proposed Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, and its companion, the "Let Them Work" amendment. These would be part of the government funding deal currently being negotiated, and they are pivotal steps toward granting asylum seekers the expedited work permits needed for them to live with the dignity they deserve, ensuring access to essential needs like food and shelter.

Please ask the Congressmember to support the bipartisan Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act and "Let Them Work" amendment. [H/T]

Also, I support funding for Ukraine and want to see it passed. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Let’s take an action from the wonderful Climate Action Now app.

We’ll email Michael Regan from the EPA and John Kerry, our Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Their addresses are regan.michael@epa.gov and kerryj@state.gov . We’ll be writing them about the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss.

Say something like (please customize):

I'm a ————- [say something about who you are and why climate matters to you.]

I want to applaud the EPA for its announcement of the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss at COP28 in December. The commitment to reduce landfilled food waste by 50% by 2030 is a powerful step forward for the climate and hungry people.

Given the looming election, however, time is of the essence. I urge EPA to proceed with great urgency to put this strategy into effect and set the U.S. on an intractable path to tackling food waste.

Methane - more than 58% of which comes from landfilled organics, according to a recent EPA report - offers a rare strategic opportunity to make major, rapid climate progress. Now is the moment to act boldly for our future and put a cap on methane emissions!

Sincerely,

[Name, address]

Buy a Tee-Shirt! 👕

Be a Messenger for Democrats Everywhere You Go!

Average citizens who are willing to spread Democratic messaging in their daily lives can have a huge impact on the outcome of the 2024 elections! Now, a new t-shirt created by the geniuses at Indivisible Marin (with input from Democratic strategists) can turn you into a walking, talking billboard for Dems! The text on the front, “Dems Make Life Better,” is intended to prompt conversation in your daily life, and the back of the shirt lists the many ways Dems DO make life better.

As a bonus, purchasers will be emailed a Dem Messenger Toolkit with guidance on how to engage in conversations prompted by the shirt.

Order the shirt here! Isn’t it awesome? Oh, and all proceeds go to the Movement Voter Project!!!!!

Spread the Word! 📣

DemCast and Congressman Eric Swalwell are asking us to amplify this excellent new video from the folks at Progress Action Fund. You can download it in the toolkit here.

Win Races! 🗳

We have several voter registration needs—and opportunities—in NY state!

First, Field Team 6 could urgently use more volunteers to register new Democrats in NY-03! In a toss-up district like this, every new Democrat we register is worth their weight in gold, for this election AND the one in November!

They have:

- a phone bank to register new Dems, in partnership with NY for Biden/Harris.

- free BYOP texting to register new Dems.

- postcards to register new Dems.

- a Zoom training for holding in-person NY voter drives on Saturday!

Second, the Civics Center has an event to teach volunteers to register young people in NY next Tuesday. Sign up here.

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

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

If nothing is done to strengthen Social Security’s finances, starting in 2034, Social Security will only be able to pay roughly 80% of benefits owed.

Thankfully, there’s a fiscally responsible easy solution to this future shortfall that doesn’t impoverish seniors or their families: Make the wealthy pay their fair share!

Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the Social Security Expansion Act of 2023, which would increase benefits by $2,400, extend the lifespan of the Trust Fund by 75 years and do much more to solidify this bedrock of working-class prosperity. And, it’s completely paid for by scrapping the payroll tax cap on incomes over $250,000―meaning that millionaires and billionaires would finally start paying more of their fair share.

In the House, Rep. John Larson has previously introduced the Social Security 2100 Act: A Sacred Trust, which would affect just the top 0.4% of wage earners. It would fulfill the promise of our Social Security system by improving benefits for millions of seniors living in poverty and extending the lifespan of the Trust Fund―once again, paid for by making the wealthy pay more of their fair share.

Instead of Republican proposals to raise the retirement age or directly cut benefits, Congress needs to scrap the Social Security payroll tax cap on the wealthy. That means that while working people won’t pay a dime more in Social Security contributions, millionaires and billionaires will finally be paying their fair share all year long. Good!

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

Talk tomorrow.

Jess