Chop Wood, Carry Water 12/12

"Just stay alive!"

Jessica Craven

Dec 12, 2024

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Hi, all, and happy Thursday.

Hope you enjoyed your day off!

I spent a lot of yesterday, as I do so often, battling with my email inbox—it’s become a beast I simply can’t tame, no matter how hard I try. As such, I’d also been slightly behind on reading your comments. I was saddened, then, to find, as I caught up with them, that my introduction to this newsletter on Tuesday had caused a great deal of angst in readers—at least those who responded to it. As someone who tries to provide reasons for hope and positivity, I was sorry indeed to see that I’d brought so many of you down.

The subject of all of this, of course, was my discussion of a recent Navigator report on voters’ views on abortion in the recent election. Readers were appalled and discouraged by it; comments ranged from “why do we even bother? These people are idiots,” to “I give up. There’s no use.” (I’m paraphrasing, but this is the gist.)

And folks, I understand. There is ample reason for cynicism right now, and that report, I suppose, added to it. I regret that. But we can’t shy away from the truth if we want to solve our problems, so I’ll keep bringing you such information when it seems relevant; I have to. The only way out, as they say, is through.

The news, too, keeps delivering its blows. Yesterday alone we had the success of the North Carolina Republicans’ legislative coup, Chris Wray’s cowardly accession to Trump, and Joni Ernst’s surrender on Pete Hegseth. It was a lot. And it’s going to be a lot every single day. Democratic leadership, moreover, is largely silent—it’s as if the grown ups have left the building. To say it’s discouraging is an understatement.

How, then, do we deal with such a “constant onslaught of yuck?” How do we keep going when so many of those in power are yielding in advance? How do we push back against the tide of hate, vitriol, or simply exhausted apathy we see rising everywhere?

I don’t have all of the answers, but I can suggest a few.

First, we must make sure to stay connected. If we have to lead ourselves right now—and it appears that we do—then we must make sure our arms are tightly locked. It’s much harder to break a wall of humans linked together than it is a bunch of individuals cowering alone. Every day we must imagine the army around us and grab a hand on each side, if only figuratively. We must stay in community—joining Indivisible calls, or local Dem club meetings, or “democracy potlucks,” or whatever else we can. We must see each other’s faces, feel each other’s hugs, and realize that we are not alone. This is absolutely vital.

Second, we must look for the helpers and help them! It’s true—most Democratic leaders are currently failing us. But some are not: Jamie Raskin is speaking out vocally and seeking a committee position from which he can fight Republican abuses. Let’s thank him! Rep Ocasio-Cortez seems likely to secure the ranking position on the Oversight Committee. She is putting herself forward as a leader—at significant personal risk, I might add. Let’s support her! Maxwell Frost is speaking up—good!—and the new chair of the House Progressive Caucus, Greg Casar, is showing some potential as well. Elizabeth Warren is fearlessly speaking out where other democratic Senators are silent. She deserves our support—all of these officials do!

Meanwhile, Ben Wikler is running to head the DNC—he’s not afraid of a fight. More on that below; getting him into that seat is a top goal of mine at the moment.

I could go on, and I hope you’ll add others who are standing strong in the comments. The point is that where many are failing us right now some are not. We need to highlight and amplify their voices, ask how we can help, and shower them with positive and public feedback. In this way we will both help keep them strong and encourage others to follow suit. Remember, what we focus on—and what we praise—tends to grow. So let’s do that.

Third, and last, we must endure. Pace yourself. Practice self care. Take it a day at a time. Remember that we are, in many ways, in the worst part of this process right now. Trump’s approval ratings are (bafflingly) high, Americans are still under the delusion that he’ll help them, and there have, as yet, been no real consequences to his election. Everything is going his way. This will start to change, and quickly, after January 20th. If Trump keeps even a fraction of his promises the bloom will fall off of the proverbial rose very, very quickly. Americans’ anger will be focussed not on Democrats, who will have no real power, but entirely on him and Congressional Republicans.

It will be a painful process, but more will join our fight as they see the catastrophes pile up. We just need to be patient, and be ready for them when they come.

I meant what I said about enduring, my friends. This is really, really hard. But I keep thinking of Daniel Day Lewis’s character in the (fairly awful) Last of the Mohicans. Those of you who’ve seen it will remember the scene where Madeline Stowe’s character is about to be whisked off into captivity and Day Lewis, her sweetheart, who can’t, for some reason, rescue her at that moment—sorry if the details are foggy—cries with great passion: “No matter what occurs, just stay alive. I will find you! Just stay alive!”

Exactly.

Our job, for now, is more or less just that. Speak up, yes. Fight back, absolutely. But also? Stay alive. Trust that hope will find us if we keep doing the work, even when we can’t currently see it or imagine where it will come from. Chop wood. Carry water. Then return to—and cherish—your lives.

In this way we’ll get through this. I am positive of it. Because I know you. I know me.

But most importantly, I know what we can do.

Now let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I am calling to say that the nomination of RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary is dangerous and I oppose it. He opposes lifesaving vaccines and has pledged to stop funding research on treatments and cures for deadly diseases. In a public health emergency more would die under his watch. He also lacks the experience necessary to manage major health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid. I urge the Senator to protect our health and reject RFK Jr.'s nomination. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m hearing that Medicare coverage for telehealth is set to expire at the end of the year unless Congress acts. Telehealth is really important to patients like me, and I’m calling to urge the Congressmember to do everything possible to extend coverage. Thanks. [H/T and more info Small Deeds Done]

Also, I’m worried about RFK Jr.’s nomination to run HHS. I want the Congressmember to speak out against it even though s/he can’t vote on it. RFK Jr. opposes lifesaving vaccines and has pledged to stop funding research on treatments and cures for deadly diseases. He also lacks the experience necessary to manage major health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Please ask the Congressmember to vocally oppose his confirmation. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

As most of you know, the DNC will be electing a new chair in February. I am supporting (vehemently) Ben Wikler’s bid for the seat. Wikler is the spectacularly effective chair of the Wisconsin Democratic party — I have direct experience with the work he’s done to turn his party and state around. I’ve hoped for years he’d get a shot at running the DNC; now that moment is here. I, for one, am going to do all I can to ensure he wins.

Fortunately,

Robert Reich

of Inequality Media feels the same way. He’s started a petition to all 448 voting members of the DNC urging them to choose Wikler. I’ve signed it, and hope you will, too. Find it here.

Get Smart! 📚

Please join Postcards to Swing States on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT as they share their takeaways about the November election results and where we go from here.

The margins in the presidential race in states where PTSS invested to reach voters were twice as narrow as the nation as a whole, and they helped Democrats secure critical victories in many races decided by less than 1% of votes. Those victories are even more important as we prepare to fight back over the next four years.

Here's a preview of what they'll share on the December 19 webinar:

Program totals by state and where their efforts played a key role in securing Democratic victories
Specific examples of how the victories they helped enable will make a big difference in the lives of countless Americans
Some of their early plans for postcard campaigns beginning almost immediately

RSVP here!

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

From subscriber Julie D.

Could you please highlight this simple action that everyone can take to fight back against Fox’s rightwing propaganda:
IF FOX IS ON IN ANY PUBLIC SPACE—a hotel lobby, gym, café, doctor’s office—ASK THEM TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL.
Explain that Fox fuels anger that isn’t good for their business.
Staying silent when Fox plays in public normalizes its poison. So SPEAK UP! It’s simple, and it WORKS!
If this simple step gets traction across the country, awareness will grow that it is possible to fight back against right-wing propaganda. And we can’t bring our country back to sanity until we break the propagandists’ grip on our fellow Americans.

Win Races! 🗳

I’ve got more actions for you to take for the Special Election in Virginia for Senate District SD 32 and House District 26. These seats are a MUST WIN for Democrats to maintain their majorities and to serve as a bulwark against Gov. Youngkin's extreme agenda. Election Day is Jan 7th.

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T America’s Voice] [Text SIGN PNQYBT to Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, or by text to 50409.]

I’m writing with great concern about Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan.

For months, economists and immigrants’ rights groups have been warning that Trump’s mass deportation plan would devastate our economy and harm all American families. The deportation of law-abiding residents and essential workers in agriculture, construction, and health care would cripple communities and spike inflation – raising prices for every American family.

Mass deportation plans, too, will not result in a safer America. Instead, Trump is pledging to get rid of ICE enforcement priorities to shift the focus away from violent criminals and divert local law enforcement – and even the military – from their missions and turn them into immigration agents. The incoming administration’s goal is to maximize the number of immigrants deported, even if that means jeopardizing public safety.

There will also be tremendous human suffering as American citizens are ripped from their families, as parents are separated from their children or as American citizens are deported by their own government. Trump and his allies have said it will be ‘bloody,’ that ‘nobody is off the table’ and that ‘you have to send them all back.’ This is horrific.

We should all agree that public safety and an orderly border are top priorities. Trump’s mass deportation plan will not achieve either of these goals and will in fact set us back on both border control and public safety. America needs a serious immigration reform proposal – with pathways to legal status and controlled and orderly legal immigration– that recognizes immigrants are essential for America's future. Please work on such a plan right away, and work to stop this self-destructive, cruel, and costly mass deportation plan. Thanks.

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re a hero.

Talk soon.

Jess

Chop Wood, Carry Water