Chop Wood, Carry Water 12/15

Never let history down.

Hi, all, and happy Friday!

I don’t know about you, but I’m waiting with bated breath to see how much money Rudy is going to have to pay. I know he’s broke, but still, it would be a holiday gift to us all if he got hit with a walloping amount. I feel cautiously optimistic he will.

I need something positive to focus on, because this morning I read the New York Times piece about Samuel Alito and the Jackson v. Mississippi case. Livid doesn’t begin to describe my reaction. I’m sharing a gift link here. Please read and share it with everyone you know. It’ll make you apoplectic, but it’s important that we all clearly understand just how broken our highest court is.

When you share the article please also share the link to my “How to fix SCOTUS” resource document. This awful mess won’t get cleaned up on its own. We’re all going to need to roll up our sleeves and do the work. So let’s do that!

Speaking of work: next week begins my semi-holiday-break. Mike, Mj and I will be flying to New York to see my family and staying for ten days. This doesn’t mean there’ll be no newsletters, but it does mean there will be fewer, and they will likely be shorter. I’m sure none of you will mind a bit! I will, however, try to make sure “Extra! Extra!” doesn’t stop going out. The good news boost is too important!

Anyway. For today we’ve got lots to do. It’s a big news week, and history is counting on us to get in there and do something about it.

Fortunately you never let history down. That’s why I’m so proud to walk beside you.

Let’s get to work, team!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling for two reasons today:

First, I want to urge the Senator to co-sponsor S. 3127, the Break Free From Plastics Act. Plastic pollution is a huge concern for me. This bill would help reduce the amount of plastic produced and reform our broken waste and recycling systems. It’s really important.

Second, I want the Senator to ensure that human rights are at the heart of any temporary supplemental bill and to reject any negotiated deal that opens the door to Trump-era immigration and asylum crackdowns. I strongly support Ukraine funding, but not at the expense of asylum seekers. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I want the Congressmember to co-sponsor H.R. 6053, the Break Free From Plastics Act. Plastic pollution is a huge concern for me. This bill would help reduce the amount of plastic produced and reform our broken waste and recycling systems. It’s really important.

Also, I want the Congressmember to ensure that human rights are at the heart of any temporary supplemental bill and to reject any negotiated deal that opens the door to Trump-era immigration and asylum crackdowns. I strongly support Ukraine funding, but not at the expense of asylum seekers. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

The Media and Democracy Project is pushing the FCC to hold a hearing on their challenge of Fox/Murdoch's license for a local broadcast TV station Fox owns. 

They are seeking to hold the Fox/Murdochs accountable for knowingly allowing their employees to lie about the 2020 election (as demonstrated in the Dominion discovery documents). They assert that this disqualifies Fox from being granted a local TV station broadcast license - and at the very least warrants an FCC hearing on the subject. 

Please help by signing on in support of their request for an FCC hearing. You can do so here.

Get Smart! 📚

In his wonderful newsletter this morning Congressman Jeff Jackson wrote about how his bill to expand parental leave for folks in the National Guard and Reserve forces passed! It’s a fascinating look at the “sausage-making” that goes in to passing a bill—like a little civics lesson in a Substack. Check it out! It’s also great news!

A bill actually became a law

Spread the Word! 📣

This new ad from Mothers Against Greg Abbott is absolutely devastating. Trigger warning: it’s upsetting, as it involves child mortality. But if you can stand to watch it please do—it is EXACTLY the kind of ad we need to be running in every GOP lawmaker’s district all day every day. A more circumspect approach hasn’t worked. Maybe something like this will. If you agree please share it.

Give 💰!

Please join Focus for Democracy for its final event of 2023! This event is about driving early money to a select set of organizations that are poised to generate the most votes in 2024.

Plus, a generous donor has offered to match ALL pledges from this event!  Opportunities will be presented that let your donation stretch further by using tax-deductible dollars (including IRA minimal required distributions).

Join F4D this Sunday, December 17th at 5PM Pacific/8PM Eastern. These presentations are always fascinating and inspiring.

Click here to register.

Win Races! 🗳

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT! Write postcards for CA school board races with Markers For Democracy! Candidates are:

Maliha Williamson - Riverside County Board of Education (Inside Will Rollins' District)
Beatriz “Bea” Mendoza - Orange County Board of Education  Area 1 - Santa Ana, Anaheim, and parts of Tustin 
Nancy Watkins - Orange County Board of Education, Area 3
David Johnson -  Orange County Board of Education, Area 4

• Get Addresses Here: Postcards For Democracy

• Deadline: Write & Hold To Mail On January 29th

Added value: These school districts are in swingable Congressional districts.  Maliha Williamson's district is in CA Congressional District (CD) 41 where Will Rollins is already working hard to flip this district blue. Success in Bea Mendoza's, Nancy Watkins', & Dave Johnson's districts will help flip CA-45 (Michelle Steel), protect CA-47 (Katie Porter’s open seat), and perhaps flip CA-40 (Yong Kim: stretch flip).

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Every Friday the Environmental Polling Consortium sends out their polling roundup for the week. Today’s has some fascinating and heartening tidbits about Americans’ views about climate and clean energy. Check it out here.

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

[To: ] [H/T] [Text SIGN PUMDXQ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / MESSENGER]

I’m writing because I’m outraged and dismayed at the corruption on our Supreme Court, especially in light of the New York Times’s new reporting on Samuel Alito’s interference in the case used to overturn Roe v Wade. I want you to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring S. 1616 / HR 3422 the Judiciary Act of 2023. I also want you to co-sponsor S. 359 / HR 926 the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act.

We also need term limits for Supreme Court Justices. Badly.

Finally, I want aggressive investigations into justices who have taken money and perks from people or groups with business before the court. Americans have utterly lost faith in this institution. It needs to be addressed. Thanks.

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

Talk soon.

Jess