Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
Hope you had a lovely three-day weekend, and got some extra rest.
We’re going to need it. Between the debt ceiling crisis, George Santos, general Republican chicanery, Biden’s documents, and the possibility of indictments in the GA case, we’ve got lots going on. And that doesn’t count the unexpected bombs that will almost certainly go off, because…they seemingly always do.
Our job? Keep calm and carry on. No matter what. Reminding ourselves constantly that our side is the side of good governance, compassion, economic growth, climate progress, workers’ rights, abortion rights, healthcare expansion, and social justice. Our side is also wildly diverse (have you seen the picture of the new Republican House Committe chairs?) and deeply inclusive. It’s smart. It’s forward-looking. It’s got a deep bench of young and inspiring leaders. It’s got IDEAS.
It’s the side, in short, you want to be on.
So let’s celebrate the fact that we are, then do everything we can to help and support this gorgeous, vitally important, democracy-saving team we’re on.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
We are now just a couple of days away from hitting our debt limit. The money owed is money Congress has already voted to spend— there is absolutely no reason we should be refusing to pay our debts. America can’t afford even the appeance of a default, and Republicans’ proposal to opt for debt prioritization instead is not a better option—it would mean huge cuts to critical federal expenditures such as Medicaid, food safety inspections, border control and air traffic control. No way. Raise the debt celing and be done with it. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
We are now just a couple of days away from hitting our debt limit. The money owed is money Congress has already voted to spend— there is absolutely no reason we should be refusing to pay our debts. America can’t afford even the appeance of a default, and Republicans’ proposal to opt for debt prioritization instead is not a better option—it would mean huge cuts to critical federal expenditures such as Medicaid, food safety inspections, border control and air traffic control. No way. Raise the debt celing and be done with it. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
[From Rogan’s List]
Jobs with Justice urges us to celebrate Martin Luther King. Jr. Day and King's dream of economic justice by supporting the 340,000 Teamsters at UPS and signing their petition to UPS CEO Carol B. Tome. Among other things, this petition calls for the end to the two-tier pay system, unfair discipline, excessive forced overtime, and for the recognition of MLK Day and Juneteenth as paid holidays.
Let’s honor MLK Day by signing here.
Get Smart! 📚
Progressive Turnout Project helped rally Democrats across the US to power 2022 wins (they ran Postcards to Swing States, among other campaigns). A key element of their efforts was funding other grassroots organizations through Turnout Grants. Many of these organizations led innovative relational organizing programs with key communities, resulting in historic voter turnout across the country.
Join PTP for a celebratory recap of the Turnout Grants program and a chance to hear the greatest take-aways from the relational organizers. You’ll hear from Melissa Gallahan, PTP’s Relational Organizing Director, and three of the Turnout Grantees: Northeast Arizona Native Democrats (AZ), Focus Action Network and Unity in the Community (PA), and Voces de la Frontera Action (WI).
Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 18th at 5PM PT / 8PM ET. Register here.
Spread the Word! 📣
Yesterday, Donald Trump went on conservative media to brag about how he paved the way for states to implement abortion bans across the country by appointing three conservative Supreme Court justices, saying ‘nobody has ever done more’ to ban abortion. Trump’s comments show that taking away women’s freedom to access reproductive care will be a definitive litmus test in the Republican primary. Read more from the DNC War Room here.
Give 💰!
Thanks to all of you who’ve already given to my PA Giving Circle. For whatever it’s worth, the States Project just launched a 50K matching challenge, so if you were on the fence about giving you now have the chance to see anything you give DOUBLED! Woot!
Donation link is here. Thanks!
Win Races! 🗳
For the next two weeks the Environmental Voter Project will be calling environmental voters in Pennsylvania State Senate Distict 27 to encourage them to vote in their January 31st special election. District 27 includes part of Luzerne County and all of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder Counties. This little-talked-about election is an excellent opportunity to get these important voters into the habit of voting.
I will be signing up to make calls for sure—EVP phonebanks are my absolute favorite! So easy even my 13-year-old has done them!
Join EVP to call Pennsylvania voters this Thursday, January 19th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET; Saturday, January 21st at 12pm PT / 3pm ET; and Monday, January 23rd at 3pm PT / 6pm ET.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to President Biden] [H/T and much more info] [Quick send: text SIGN PGUBBT to 50409]
I’m writing as someone who strongly supports you AND wants all Americans to be able to access healthcare when they need it, and at prices they can afford. I also strongly oppose the privatization of Medicare.
Please issue an executive order to cancel the Medicare Direct Contracting and REACH program. This Trump-era program pays third-party middlemen to manage Medicare beneficiaries’ care, allowing them to keep as profit what they don’t spend on medical services. Even worse, seniors who chose Traditional Medicare are being automatically enrolled in Direct Contracting without their knowledge or consent. We cannot let Wall Street profiteers take over Medicare. We need to end this ruinous experiment and recommit to a humane, efficient, and truly public Medicare program. In the meantime, I’m making sure all my friends and family are aware of this scam and how it started. Please end this program today! Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Morning Jessica,
Thanks, as always, for your upbeat opening comments. They really keep me going.
Loved the item re the photo of the new Republican Committee heads. On the Twitter feed almost everyone noted they are all white, and mostly male (14 out of 17). I also noted that 14 of the 17 are from Southern states, with 4 of them from Texas. Not very representative of the American people, but, then, that factor seems to be beyond the comprehension of that party.
Hi Jess!
My Congressional Dist 5 in Oregon flipped to GOP in 2022 when the DNC ( or Nancy Pelosi and President Biden ) withheld Democratic funding from Democratic candidate Jami McLeod-Skinner.
My “Pollyanna” response to my new GOP rep Lori Chavez-DeRemer is to glory in the opportunity to send her all the anti-GOP emails, letters, petitions, phone calls, etc., all noting that I will be watching her voting record for my future voting decisions. I can’t remember if she had Trump’s endorsement, but she carefully did not campaign on her anti-abortion stance, anti-gun control position and her support for all the other GOP positions.
And I continue contact my Oregon senators, Governor and state legislators, all Democratic, to register my support for the work they do for the Oregon Democratic Party.
Finally, thank you for the referral to the Climate Action Now app where I can quickly send out emails to the right people on important issues, expressing my views. It is so easy to blast out 5, 10, 15 or more emails in just a few minutes each day. Also they have such good background info pieces on so many important issues!!
Thanks again for all you do, Jess!!