Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/14
Fight for what's right.
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
It hasn’t been an easy week. I’m used to it, as I’ve been a full-time activist for years, but for those of you who are newer to this fight, let me first send you a virtual hug, and then remind you that in this fight we sometimes—and this is one of those times—have to act despite feeling beaten. This is why I say that “hope is an action.” Because at times like this, most of us aren’t feeling it. We’re tired. We’re mad. We’re disgusted.
All very fair.
The actions, however, must continue. So we take them regardless—even if we believe they are utterly pointless—because THAT is what generates hope.
It also happens to be what generates results.
To quote one of my seasoned activist friends this morning:
“Back in 2017 the armchair pundits said we couldn’t save the Affordable Care Act, but we rolled up our sleeves, ignored the BS, organized over 10k health care events around the country and won.
We may not win this voting rights fight in the Senate, but we sure as Hell had better not give up fighting, because it isn’t over by a long shot.
They want you to give up, but we can’t and we won’t, because we can honestly still win.
He’s right. We’ve been told we would fail so many times before! Occasionally “they” were correct. But so often—the Midterms, the General Election, the ACA fight, the Georgia Senate races—they were wrong, wrong, wrong.
Sometimes “miracles” are just a fancy way of saying “a whole bunch of people wouldn’t give up.”
Let’s be miracles today. Maybe in so doing we’ll make one. Even if we don’t now, we’ll do it eventually. Nothing is in vain. Nothing is pointless. NOTHING is wasted, when you’re fighting for what is right.
So let’s do it one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[to all Senators] First, this is the first month [I / someone I know] didn’t receive the Child Tax Credit, and it really hurts. Can you tell me what the Senator is doing to get those payments re-started again? I’ve heard that millions of children will fall back below the poverty line if they don’t resume. [If you’ve been receiving them, tell the staffer how they’ve helped your family.] Please make re-starting the expanded Child Tax Credits a priority.
Second, we need to shore up our democracy. Every expert on the subject says it is faltering. I don’t want it to end in my lifetime, [nor my children’s,] and I’m sure the Senator doesn’t either. Passing voting rights legislation is the single most important thing we can do to address the problem.
[if Dem:] Please, ask the Senator to do everything in their power to get it passed, including persuading faltering colleagues. Don’t let an arcane rule spell the end of our democracy. Thanks.
[if GOP:] Please, ask the Senator to consider their legacy. Do they want to be seen as part of the forces that destroyed American democracy? If not I want them to support this bill. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I want the Congressmember to support HR 5841, the bipartisan Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act. It would close a gaping loophole in federal law that currently leaves state and local ballot initiatives vulnerable to foreign influence.
I urge him/her to stand up to protect our democracy and support this crucial bill. [H/T]
Extra Credit
Please post this on social (you can expand the abbreviated words on Facebook—this is shortened for twitter):
Have friends or family in AZ? This doc has a pre-written text you can send asking them to call @SenatorSinema to demand she does what it takes to pass #VotingRights legislation. It contains her phone #'s & a short script. Pls share!
#WeWantVotingRights
https://tinyurl.com/manchinema
Also? Please tweet as many times as you can using this hashtag today: #WeWantVotingRights. It’s currently trending on twitter and we want to keep it there all day.
Get Strategic About 2022!
On January 18th a grassroots organization I love called Airlift is hosting a webinar I’m EXTREMELY excited for. One of my favorite political podcasters and thinkers, Dan Pfieffer, will be leading it, and he’ll be joined by grassroots organizing leaders Pablo Rodriguez of California and Eliza Booth of Pennsylvania. They’ll be sharing their insights on how Dems can win in 2022.
It should be really interesting and informative, and VERY galvanizing.
Join me! Tuesday, January 18th 5PM PST/8PM EST. Register here.
Win Races! 🗳
Hey, hey! Activate America just launched a postcarding campaign to Democratic voters in Wisconsin to ask them to sign up for vote by mail!
Can you help by signing up for some here?
(Remember, if flipping Ron Johnson’s seat matters to you I’ve got lots more Wisconsin opportunities here at my Adopt Wisconsin page!)
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PEPFPQ to 50409]
I’m livid that the Supreme Court just struck down Biden’s vaccination-or-test mandate for workers. First, they let Texas's blatantly unconstitutional abortion ban remain in effect, now this. It's outrageous! No unelected body should be allowed to wield so much power in such a partisan manner.
I want you to co-sponsor H.R.2584 / S 1141, the Judiciary Act of 2021. If we are ever to have faith in this third branch of government again we must fix the Supreme Court. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
💙💙💙