Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
I get such joy from this photo of the White House lit up to celebrate President Biden’s signing of the Respect For Marriage Act. Can you believe it? All criticisms of the bill notwithstanding, what progress! Can you imagine a Republican president signing such a bill? Let alone celebrating that signature with such unfeigned joy? Of course not! A Republican celebrating love? Tolerance? Acceptance? Diversity?
Never. Not today’s Republican.
Look, this fight is hard. It feels interminable. It’s not something any of us would have chosen.
But BOY does it feel good to be on the right side of it. The side of decency. Of compassion. Of embracing ALL Americans. The side with the rainbow lights!
Don’t underestimate what a big deal it is to be on the right side of history, y’all. Be proud of yourselves, and proud of every good American who worked to get us to this moment.
Now onwards—to the next win.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I know that Congress is in its last days of negotiating which bills to pass this session, and I want to reiterate my support for a few crucial pieces of legislation. The first and most important is HR 5746, the Freedom to Vote John R. Lewis Act—I know it’s a long shot but please—our democracy is hanging by a thread. Work to pass it!
We also need to pass S. 445 the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, S. 4431 the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, S.4573, the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, S. 736 the Assault Weapons Ban Act, and legislation to protect DACA recipients. It’s a lot, but there’s a lot at stake. Please stay at work until it’s done.
One more thing: please oppose adding Joe Manchin’s pipeline deal to any must-pass legislation. We are in a climate crisis. I’ll be watching this vote closely. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I know that Congress is in its last days of negotiating which bills to pass this session, and I want to state my support for a couple of crucial pieces of legislation.
First, I want the Congressmember to support H.R. 959, the The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, to improve health outcomes for Black mothers.
Second, I want Congress to reinstate the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansions. We know these dramatically lower child poverty and relieve food insecurity for families with children. [H/T]
[ONLY if Democrat add:] Finally, Democrats need to raise the debt ceiling now using reconciliation. We can’t allow Republicans to take it hostage next year. Please ask the Representative to stay at work until it’s done. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Check My Ads is pushing Yahoo to stop advertising with Fox News. They’re asking us to email Yahoo’s Chief Compliance Officer and their Exchange and Supply International chair. Their emails are simon.halstead@yahooinc.com and jeffrey.novak@yahooinc.com. You can use the below letter as a template.
(I’ve also made a quick-send tool which you can use to quickly autopopulate such an email in your mail program—PLEASE personalize and sign! But it won’t work if you have a VPN).
If sending the email manually, you can say something like:
Hi Simon and J.L,
I’ve just learned that Yahoo has continued to monetize FoxNews.com, despite the outlet’s role in promoting the January 6th insurrection on Capitol Hill. This is a major violation of Yahoo’s Supply Partner Policies.
Fox News cast doubt and pushed conspiracy theories about election results nearly 600 times between election day 2020 and November 16, 2020. This directly contributed to the events of January 6th.
This puts Fox News in violation of a number of Yahoo’s Supply Partner Policies, including: Content that is or may reasonably be considered misleading or false, content that is violent, glorifying or advocating the use of violence, and content that promotes terrorism or terrorist groups.
I urge you to review Fox News and remove the account from your advertising network as soon as possible.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Get Smart! 📚
Yesterday Future Majority hosted TargetSmart's Tom Bonier and NDN’ Simon Rosenberg for a live, in-depth look at the 2022 elections. It was their most extensive discussion of the encouraging 2022 election to date. Missed it? No worries! You can watch a recording of the event here on YouTube.
(Also, if you haven’t seen Simon’s With Democrats Things Get Better presentation watch it! You’ll be blown away!)
Spread the Word! 📣
DeSantis shows his MAGA extremism: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is showing how extreme he is as he plays for the MAGA base in an expectedly messy 2024 Republican field. DeSantis is taking a dangerous anti-vaccine action that could result in prosecuting doctors and providers while also opposing marriage equality protections, even as more than 50 Republicans in Congress supported them.
As GOP primary hopefuls race to the most extreme fringe, Ron is leading the pack in order to win the hearts of the MAGA base. Read more from the DNC War Room.
Win Races! 🗳
A reader kindly pointed out that Postcards to Voters is also writing postcards for the VA Special election. Sign up here! WE NEED TO WIN THIS SEAT!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to your Senators] [Quick send text SIGN PNDZKU to 50409]
I’m writing to ask the Senator to prioritize passing S.4573, the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, ideally by including it in the Omnibus bill currently under consideration.
This bill should be the strongest possible version it can be made, and it must address the Independent State Legislature theory!
We’re running out of time, and the results for our democracy if this bill doesn’t get passed could be disastrous. Don’t let another January 6th happen. Pass this bill now! Thanks!
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
I did the calls to Senators & Representative for the day and wrote the emails to Yahoo execs. I'm already a writer for Postcards to Voters (and have been since they started in March 2017), so sent off my first dozen cards for the VA election early this week. You help me be a better activist!
🦅🇲🇾Thank you Jessica: I met with two key legal counselors for Senator Baldwin and House Katherine Clark today. My ask: asking Senators Schumer and Speaker Pelosi to ask President Biden to come to the Senate and urge all senators to stand up for Article 1.4: the role of Congress to set times, places and manner of voting: a federal election code so our zip code doesn't determine IF, where, when and how we can vote. Fingers crossed ... there is just tomorrow to protect our democracy from the US Supreme Court's soon to be ruled: Moore v Harper and Merrill v Mulligan. More info at www.nationalvotercorps.org This is the end of the lame duck Fingers crossed and thank you everyone who has called your Senators and said H.R 5746 is essential to save our democracy.