Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/18

Focus on both.

download this image here

Hi, all, and happy Thursday.

Oof. There’s some tough news out there. Another Supreme Court case is going badly, Trump is making a mockery of our justice system, and it looks like Mike Johnson will, in fact, scuttle immigration reform—because Trump told him to.

It’s a lot, my friends.

So let me present you with some good news, too. Because we must, I remind you, focus on both.

Yesterday, the CFPB proposed a rule to regulate overdraft fees by large financial institutions. Consumers have paid an estimated $280 billion in overdraft fees over the past two decades, and roughly $9 billion in 2022 alone. These fees have been especially problematic due to a lack of sufficient regulation and transparency, but this rule would aim to close an outdated loophole ensuring these institutions comply with consumer protection laws like the Truth in Lending Act.

It’s estimated that this rule will save consumers over $3.5 billion in fees annually—a figure that reflects an average of $150 per household for the 23 million households who pay overdraft fees in any given year. The households hardest hit by overdraft fees could save much more. It’s huge.

Is this news as compelling as Trump’s mocking the woman he raped during her trial testimony yesterday? Will it get more clicks than the Supreme Court’s gutting the government’s ability to regulate, well, anything? Can it rise above the din of Republicans yelling that we’re in a “crisis” at the border (but that now isn’t the time for comprehensive immigration reform)? Probably not.

But will this rule improve millions of lives? Yes. Will it ease care and put dollars in Americans’ pockets? Yes. Will it rein in, if only a little, the avaricious behavior of big banks and credit unions? Yes, emphatically yes.

It is also exactly what government is supposed to be doing. And if we don’t stop and celebrate it—and amplify it, too—there’s a danger that Americans will not only sink further into despair, but forget what good government is capable of.

Don’t let either happen.

This is a lot to carry, friends, but we’re stronger than we think. One day at a time we’ll get through this together. Never forget it.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

First, please ask the Senator to confirm Nicole Berner to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She is a brilliant labor rights and civil rights lawyer who will make an excellent judge. [H/T]

Second, I’m horrified that the Supreme Court is about to overturn the Chevron deference. The right-wing majority is clearly beholden to extremist billionaires who want what’s best for business, not for Americans. It’s unacceptable. The Senate needs to pass S. 1616, the Judiciary Act, to expand the court to 13 justices, and S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. Nothing less will do to restore Americans’ confidence in this court.

[If Democrat add:] Also, there are nearly 100 vacancies on the federal bench right now. We need to get them filled with pro-democracy justices immediately. Please ask the Senator to make this a priority.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I want the Congressmember to work to avoid a government shutdown and ensure that essential programs and services are fully funded without any harmful policy provisions in the upcoming funding negotiations.

I also want Congress to pass the expanded Child Tax Credit.

One more thing: I’m horrified that the Supreme Court is about to overturn the Chevron deference. The right-wing majority is clearly beholden to extremist billionaires who want what’s best for business, not for Americans. It’s unacceptable. Congress needs to pass HR 3422, the Judiciary Act, and HR 926, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. Nothing less will do to restore Americans’ confidence in this court. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Folks, there’s a lot happening in the Middle East and I’m again struggling with staying quiet about it here. I’m going to just ask, again, that you consider signing up for J Street’s list. They’re an amazing organization doing thoughtful, balanced, and compassionate work in this area. They sent out an action this morning that I think was an important one—I took it, and I’d love to know that lots of you were taking it, too.

Get Smart! 📚

This month marks 14 years since the disastrous Citizens United ruling opened the floodgates to unlimited political spending by wealthy special interests.

Big money in politics prevents progress on the issues that matter most, including gun violence prevention, healthcare, and climate change.

This evening from 7-8 ET please join U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and leaders from Public Citizen, People for the American Way, American Promise, and End Citizens United for a movement call to discuss how we can combat the influence of big money in politics. I know I’ll be there.

Register here.

Spread the Word! 📣

Please share this video. It’s good, short, and effective at debunking of the major GOP talking points on the border.

Win Races—Write Postcards!

In California, Riverside and Orange Counties are the hotspots for Moms For Liberty and white Christian Nationalists. Everything you’ve heard about Pennridge PA, FL and TX is happening now in CA: book bans, whitewashed curriculum, targeting LGBTQI students with forced outing. UGH!

You can help fight this by helping us getting out the vote for Board of Education elections in Riverside County and Orange County. Postcards For Democracy are writing postcards for great progressive candidates now and holding them to mail until January 29, 2024—just before Early Voting begins in CA. 

Added bonus: Writing for these elections now will help up-ballot Congressional races later for Will Rollins (CA CD-41), Dave Min (Katie Porter/CA CD-47), Michelle Steel (CA CD-45) & stretch flip Yong Kim (CA CD-40). That’s 4 House seats!

Please grab some addresses & write some postcards for one or more of these excellent CA Board of Ed candidates @ Postcards For Democracy. You’ll need to provide your own cards, but if you don’t have any they’ll tell you where to order some.

P.S. Postcard stamp prices are increasing on the 21st of January, so buy your stamps soon!

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Please spread the news about just how bad for you bottled water is. Way worse than we knew. Bad for the planet, bad for the ocean, and VERY bad for our health.

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

[To all 3 reps] [H/T and a lot more background from Alan Unell] [Text SIGN PGCOXI to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I am your constituent and we all deserve a health care system that works for all of us. I just learned that health insurance companies often maintain inaccurate listings of in-network providers. There are so many errors that these are called Ghost Networks. We the consumers are lured into purchasing their health insurance with the goal of having access to those providers. It is a disaster when they are not available. Senator Ron Wyden and the staff of the Senate Finance Committee conducted a study recently that found systematically checking the directories of 12 insurance providers in 6 states they were only able to make appointments 18% of the time because 1/3 of the providers were unavailable due to inaccuracies and unresponsiveness.

Look, this kind of thing is out of bounds with universal healthcare, but we need help now. I want you to build legislation that demands that health insurance companies maintain accurate lists of in-network providers and has penalties if they don’t. Perhaps you could start with a letter to Javier Becerra, the secretary of HHS and Chiquita Brooks - LaSure, Head of CMS, to find out what they can do to address the problem for plans over which the federal government has oversight. Thank you.

---

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

Talk soon.

Jess