Ugh, Iām sorry! I had the worst sore throat of my life Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday. It finally eased up and is much more bearable today (Advil/Tylenol actually helping). Hope you start to feel better soon.
Kiddo is fully recovered but still faintly testing negative so housebound. I am simply very very weak and tired. Hope by tomorrow I can get out of bed for longer than 30 seconds. Glad you're improving as well!
I hope you recover quickly. Drink lots of fluids and rest. Jess, we need your happy warrior spirit. Iām going back to writing VoteForward letters. Take good care
My prayers and positive energy for your, and your family's, speedy recovery. The persistence of COVID is a physical mirror of the persistence of the "ruling class", in trying to keep the rest of us down. So, yes, we, the must be that much more persistent and stubborn-not to take away the legitimate rights of those with whom we disagree, but to ensure that our own such rights are maintained.
Thanks, Myra. I'm a bit better today than yesterday, so I should be right as rain in another day or two, I hope. Happy Thanksgiving to you! (If you observe it)
Over the weekend, would your readers pick up their phones and call (202) 224-3121 to each of their Senators and ask each of them:
To meet with their other progressive Senators and reach out to Senators Murkowski, Sinema and Manchin so they reconsider their votes for the filibuster against H.R. 5746. and put the John R Lewis Freedom to Vote Act: H.R. 5746 back on the floor of the Senate TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE with the loss of the House in the next session of Congress.
Cases now before the Court (Merrill v Mulligan and Moore v. Harper) threaten the power of Congress. Now is the time for Congress to guarantee full voting rights for all Americans.
The debate over the filibuster has become absurd. The Republicans have made it more than clear they will use any means to win, regardless of the costs. And if the Republicans had control of the Senate, Sen. McConnell would not hesitate for a second to end the filibuster in order to pass something his party wanted. The Democrats must do that now ā to make progress on voting rights, re-balancing the Supreme Court, raising the minimum wage, creating a fair tax system, and other long-overdue changes that have been paralyzed by partisan gridlock.
The Solution
Suspend the filibuster for voting rights, and pass H.R.5746, John R Lewis Voting Rights Act!! Our ZIP code should not determine how, if or when we can vote!
Some facts for the Senate to consider:
The Rise and Fall of Voting Rights in the United States
The Supreme Court has effectively ruled that unless Congress acts directly and specifically, voting rights can be determined by individual state legislatures ā potentially even overriding that stateās constitution.
But Congress does have the power to set national standards for voting rights, under the Constitution of the United States of America:
Article 1.4 grants to each State Legislature the power to set the times, places and manner of holding elections for US Senators and Representatives ābut the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations.....ā
How Did We Get Here?
The Rise of Voting Rights
Ā· The 14th and 15th Amendments guarantee rights to citizenship and equal protection regardless of ārace, color, or previous condition of servitude.ā
Ā· Under the powers in Article 1.4, and 14th and 15th Amendments, Congress extended voting rights to Native Americans (1924) and Asian Americans (1952).
Ā· The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 declared that āNo voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure, shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.ā
Ā· The VRAās greatest impact was in its pre clearance requirement for Federal Court or Justice Department approval before jurisdictions that had historically discriminated could change voting rules, processes or procedures. One result: Mississippiās black voters up from 6% to 59% registered to vote by 1969.
The Fall of Voting Rights under Supreme Court decisions
Ā· Citizens United v FEC (2010) unleashed the right for Corporations and Unions to use corporate money in politics.
Ā· Shelby County v Holder (2013) held that the pre-clearance formula is unconstitutional. Impact: 1688 polling places CLOSED in previously covered States; 30 million voters purged from rolls; restrictive voting laws passed in many states.
Ā· Rucho v Common Cause (2019) ruled that state laws permitting partisan (not racial) gerrymandering are ābeyond the reach of the federal courts.ā
Ā· Brnovich v DNC (2021) stopped people from collecting ballots to deliver to precincts and stopped counting ballots from people who go to the wrong precinct.
To reiterate: The Solution
Suspend the filibuster for voting rights, and pass the John R Lewis Voting Rights Act!!
Our ZIP code should not determine how, if or when we can vote!
You must have been a cheerleader at one time in your life. Your consistent enthusiasm and praise is very energizing, it got me motivated to start calling my congress critters! It is a first for me and it feels really good to be taking action. Something needs to change, that's for sure, and YOUR gentle persistence of giving us simple little daily tasks that anyone can accomplish is facilitating that change! Yay you, Jessica!
I hope that you and your kid get better fast! Take it easy.
Thanks, Susan! And no, hahaha I was definitely NOT a cheerleader. But I'm happy to take that role at this stage in my life--it seems to have found me. Grateful for it, and for so many wonderful folks to cheer on!
Take care, Jess. You know we need you as our awesome resistance leader. I hope you have a good day tomorrow and get some rest to help fight the Vid as my adult kids call it. ā¤ļø
Hang in there Jess. I came down with Covid for the first time Monday. So Iām lying in bed writing postcards for Warnock and watching Hulu ;)
Sorry. I hope you recover quickly, Nancy.
Thank you
Ah! How are you now? I was seriously down for the count yesterday. And...kind of still now. (:
Ugh, Iām sorry! I had the worst sore throat of my life Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday. It finally eased up and is much more bearable today (Advil/Tylenol actually helping). Hope you start to feel better soon.
How are you feeling, Nancy?
Aww, thanks for asking. Sore throat is gone. Now just feel very tired. How are you, doing? Howās your kiddo?
Kiddo is fully recovered but still faintly testing negative so housebound. I am simply very very weak and tired. Hope by tomorrow I can get out of bed for longer than 30 seconds. Glad you're improving as well!
Best Thanksgiving wishes to you and MJ - we hope that you all get a good rest and recover soon.
We're thankful that you continue to chop down injustice & prejudice and carry forward the fight for an equitable, peaceful & healthy world.
Big virtual hugs!
Aw, thank you, Kath. Happy Thanksgiving -- if you celebrate it--to you and yours.
I hope you recover quickly. Drink lots of fluids and rest. Jess, we need your happy warrior spirit. Iām going back to writing VoteForward letters. Take good care
I'll be fine by Monday, I'm sure of it. Thanks, Janice! And yes, all the fluids!
My prayers and positive energy for your, and your family's, speedy recovery. The persistence of COVID is a physical mirror of the persistence of the "ruling class", in trying to keep the rest of us down. So, yes, we, the must be that much more persistent and stubborn-not to take away the legitimate rights of those with whom we disagree, but to ensure that our own such rights are maintained.
All of this! Thank you!
Wishing you a good recovery, Jess and a blessed Thanksgiving. Thank
Thank you for chopping wood and
and carrying water for so many.
Thank YOU, Victoria. And a bless Thanksgiving to you and yours, as well.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, Jess! Grateful for all that you do for us and for our country. :)
So appreciated, Sherry!
Please rest and get well. Thank you for everything Jessica.
Thank you, Alan. I am doing just that!
Hope you recover quickly!
Thank you, Janyce! Appreciate that!
It was the district office I tried. I'll call the D.C. office tomorrow.
I hope you're feeling better, Jess.
Ah. So much for that theory. š
Best wishes for a full recovery, ASAP Jess!
Thanks, Myra. I'm a bit better today than yesterday, so I should be right as rain in another day or two, I hope. Happy Thanksgiving to you! (If you observe it)
Speedy recovery.
Over the weekend, would your readers pick up their phones and call (202) 224-3121 to each of their Senators and ask each of them:
To meet with their other progressive Senators and reach out to Senators Murkowski, Sinema and Manchin so they reconsider their votes for the filibuster against H.R. 5746. and put the John R Lewis Freedom to Vote Act: H.R. 5746 back on the floor of the Senate TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE with the loss of the House in the next session of Congress.
Cases now before the Court (Merrill v Mulligan and Moore v. Harper) threaten the power of Congress. Now is the time for Congress to guarantee full voting rights for all Americans.
The debate over the filibuster has become absurd. The Republicans have made it more than clear they will use any means to win, regardless of the costs. And if the Republicans had control of the Senate, Sen. McConnell would not hesitate for a second to end the filibuster in order to pass something his party wanted. The Democrats must do that now ā to make progress on voting rights, re-balancing the Supreme Court, raising the minimum wage, creating a fair tax system, and other long-overdue changes that have been paralyzed by partisan gridlock.
The Solution
Suspend the filibuster for voting rights, and pass H.R.5746, John R Lewis Voting Rights Act!! Our ZIP code should not determine how, if or when we can vote!
Some facts for the Senate to consider:
The Rise and Fall of Voting Rights in the United States
The Supreme Court has effectively ruled that unless Congress acts directly and specifically, voting rights can be determined by individual state legislatures ā potentially even overriding that stateās constitution.
But Congress does have the power to set national standards for voting rights, under the Constitution of the United States of America:
Article 1.4 grants to each State Legislature the power to set the times, places and manner of holding elections for US Senators and Representatives ābut the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations.....ā
How Did We Get Here?
The Rise of Voting Rights
Ā· The 14th and 15th Amendments guarantee rights to citizenship and equal protection regardless of ārace, color, or previous condition of servitude.ā
Ā· Under the powers in Article 1.4, and 14th and 15th Amendments, Congress extended voting rights to Native Americans (1924) and Asian Americans (1952).
Ā· The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 declared that āNo voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure, shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.ā
Ā· The VRAās greatest impact was in its pre clearance requirement for Federal Court or Justice Department approval before jurisdictions that had historically discriminated could change voting rules, processes or procedures. One result: Mississippiās black voters up from 6% to 59% registered to vote by 1969.
The Fall of Voting Rights under Supreme Court decisions
Ā· Citizens United v FEC (2010) unleashed the right for Corporations and Unions to use corporate money in politics.
Ā· Shelby County v Holder (2013) held that the pre-clearance formula is unconstitutional. Impact: 1688 polling places CLOSED in previously covered States; 30 million voters purged from rolls; restrictive voting laws passed in many states.
Ā· Rucho v Common Cause (2019) ruled that state laws permitting partisan (not racial) gerrymandering are ābeyond the reach of the federal courts.ā
Ā· Brnovich v DNC (2021) stopped people from collecting ballots to deliver to precincts and stopped counting ballots from people who go to the wrong precinct.
To reiterate: The Solution
Suspend the filibuster for voting rights, and pass the John R Lewis Voting Rights Act!!
Our ZIP code should not determine how, if or when we can vote!
Alice Schaffer Smith
Executive Director
National Voter Corps
www.nationalvotercorps.org
a nonpartisan 501(c) (3) a project under the Social Good Fund
Iām terribly grateful for you and they.
That is so sweet. Thank you.
You must have been a cheerleader at one time in your life. Your consistent enthusiasm and praise is very energizing, it got me motivated to start calling my congress critters! It is a first for me and it feels really good to be taking action. Something needs to change, that's for sure, and YOUR gentle persistence of giving us simple little daily tasks that anyone can accomplish is facilitating that change! Yay you, Jessica!
I hope that you and your kid get better fast! Take it easy.
Thanks, Susan! And no, hahaha I was definitely NOT a cheerleader. But I'm happy to take that role at this stage in my life--it seems to have found me. Grateful for it, and for so many wonderful folks to cheer on!
Oh Jess - sending you so much love and thank you for the beautiful note! ššŗ
š„°
Take care and may there be no long lasting effects
From your mouth to God's ears! (:
Take care, Jess. You know we need you as our awesome resistance leader. I hope you have a good day tomorrow and get some rest to help fight the Vid as my adult kids call it. ā¤ļø
The vid. Funny. I am in bed and watching a lot of TV. Secretly my happy place. (;