Chop Wood, Carry Water 11/4

Hi, all, and happy Friday.

I know. The polls!

I want to tell you a quick story. Forgive me if it’s too personal.

My husband and I didn’t have an easy time conceiving a child. We tried for almost two years the “old fashioned way,” then did IUI, and finally had to resort to IVF. As anyone who’s gone through it will tell you, this is a grueling, expensive, and incredibly stressful process—made more so by the fact that it comes with no guarantee of success—but we desperately wanted to conceive. So we went ahead.

I got pregnant after the first round. With twins! My husband and I were exuberant. Our families, too. But we soon learned that the pregnancy was nonviable. Devastated, we proceeded with a DNC.

The next month we tried again. On this round the ovulation “boosters” didn’t work, and I produced hardly any eggs.

We decided to forge on to the next step—fertilization—with the few we had.

That done, we waited nervously to see if any of these fertilized eggs would “take.”

A few days later I got a call. My doctor’s voice was sad. He told me that we had gotten only two embryos out of the process. He went on to add, gently, that one was not developing at all, and the other was of “low quality” and was unlikely to take.

The news hit like a gut blow.

“Is there any point in even finishing the cycle?” I asked after a moment, through tears.

The doctor was frank. “It’s your call. We have the embryos. I’m happy to go through with the final procedure. Or we can cancel it and try a new cycle next month.”

From his tone it was clear which option he thought more prudent.

After much agonizing my husband and I decided to go ahead and implant the embryos. We knew the chances of success were infinitesimal; we knew the doctor thought it pointless; I, myself, was certain it would fail.

But we showed up anyway. We went through the motions. Even though we knew it wouldn’t work.

We decided that in this case hope was an action.

Thirteen years later, that “low quality embryo” is the brilliant, kind, talented (and extremely “high quality”) child I just dropped off at school.

The moral of the story?

If we don’t show up we won’t win. If we do? We might, against all odds, common wisdom, and predictions, achieve a victory most considered impossible.

And let me tell you, winning against the odds is the best kind of winning of all.

Call Your Senators (find yours here)

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

I’m calling about two things today. First, I support the “Lead Endangers Animals Daily (LEAD) Act of 2022” (S. 4157), which Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced in May of this year.  This bill would require the U.S. Department of the Interior to prohibit the use of lead-based ammunition on any lands that fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and to impose penalties on individuals who violate the prohibition.  Will the Senator co-sponsor it?

Second, I want Congress to reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions in the year-end budget negotiations. These funds dramatically lowered child poverty. We need them back. Thanks. [H/T]

Call Your House Rep (find yours here)

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

I’m calling to say that I want Congress to reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions in the year-end budget negotiations. These funds dramatically lowered child poverty. We need them back. Thanks. [H/T]

Extra Credit ✅

If you haven’t yet signed Save the Post Office’s petition to the President asking him to replace Moak and Zollars on the Postal Board with two progressives please add your signature and share—they will deliver the petition to POTUS next week! It’s already got 100,000 signatures. Can you help get those numbers even higher?

Extra Extra Credit! ✅✅

Post this on your social media, please!

Know a Democrat who lives abroad?

They can (and should) still vote!

Key states (including AZ, NC) allow voters outside the country to request their ballots by email up until Election Day and thirty states allow for some form of electronic ballot return (fax, email, online upload).  Many states that require ballots to be returned by postal mail have extended deadlines to receive them.  Voters outside the country can also use an emergency backup ballot to vote if they requested but have not received their ballots.  All information on ballot request, state deadlines and more can be found at votefromabroad.org. Please spread the word!

Text Young People Again!

Due to the success of their text banks this week, the Civics Center is holding two more in time for the Midterms! Their additional events will be held this Friday, Nov 4 at 12pm PT and Monday, Nov 7 at 12pm PT. Unlike many text banks, ours focuses on young people who are new to the election process and may need help with registration, voter ID, and finding their polling place. 

Once again, they'll be limiting each text bank to 8 registrants. Volunteers should be prepared to field responses for 30-60 minutes after the event concludes, and again on the following day, as we've historically seen a large number of responses come in the day after the event. Thank you for your continued support!

Win Races 1! 🗳

Mission For Arizona needs volunteers to call into AZ TODAY Friday, Nov. 4 at 1 pm and 5 pm MST.

Phone banking is easy to learn and can be done from the comfort of your own home. RSVP today and invite a friend to join you!

Sign up here. Or, if you wish to do Spanish speaking calls, sign up HERE.

Win Races 2!

The Environmental Voter Project phonebanks have been fantastic this whole cycle, so I am doing a bunch over the weekend, starting today at 1PM PT. They have shifts almost continuously through Tuesday. Can you sign up for one here?

Win Races 3!

Same goes for the Sister District phonebanks I’ve been doing—they are fun, positive, well attended, and VERY productive. Again, they have phonebanks with great trainings pretty much continuously between now and Tuesday. Please, y’all, if you’re not canvassing this weekend sign up for a shift. EVERY. SINGLE. VOTE. MATTERS>

No Resistbot Today. Sign up to call voters instead!

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

Talk Monday.

Jess