Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/26
Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
President Biden is giving a speech on the economy as we speak—I hope you’re watching it. He’s talking about the economy, and boy, does he have a lot to say! Under his leadership we’ve seen 11 million jobs created. 750,000 manufacturing jobs. The lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. The strongest two years for small business applications on record—over 10 million! Inflation has fallen for six months straight. Real wages are up. It goes on and on.
Meanwhile, the Republican plan for our economy? Instituting a 30% across-the-board sales tax while abolishing the IRS, cutting Medicare and Social Security, and raising gas prices by banning releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Not to mention their goal to repeal Biden’s law lowering drug prices for seniors and roll back his laws tackling the climate crisis—a crisis which cost the US economy 165 billion last year!
The Republican party has no plan but to tear apart our government and tear away every program Americans rely on.
Our party wants to do the opposite.
It’s a noble cause. The right cause. A just cause.
Let’s work to support it one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling to say that I strongly oppose the Republicans’ economic agenda. Playing games with the debt ceiling is jeopardizing our economy. Cuts to Social Security and Medicare will threaten my future. A 30% sales tax would be catastrophic for middle class Americans and a huge giveaway to rich people. Blocking Biden’s releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves will raise my gas prices. Repealing the Democrats bill lowering drug prices would hurt seniors. Threatening to abolish the IRS when Americans want more enforcement so rich tax cheats will pay their fair share is wrong. I oppose all of those policies and want the Senator to as well. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m upset about Kevin McCarthy’s removal of Congressmen Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee. There was absolutely no justification for it. I also oppose McCarthy’s efforts to remove Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I know that this removal must be voted upon by the full House, and I want the Congressmember to oppose it. There’s simply no reason for it except vengefulness. Paul Gosar and Marjorie Taylor Greene were removed from their committees because they threatened violence against other members, including death. Congresswoman Omar did nothing but express her opinion—even if it’s an unpopular one. We don’t want Congress run this way. Please vote to oppose her removal. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
The following action is about racial justice and environmental justice. Please take it!
The Atlanta Police Department wants to build a giant new, highly militarized training complex called “Cop City “ in a forested area on the outskirts of the city. 100 acres of trees would be razed to make room for it. Activists are trying to protect the forest, which abuts a predominantly Black neighborhood, and stop the training center from being built. On January 18, one of these “forest defenders” was murdered by police. (You can read a much better summary of what’s happening in this toolkit.)
Showing Up For Racial Justice (an outstanding and important organization I encourage you to follow) is asking us to write to the board of the Atlanta Police Foundation and demand they resign. So please, send the below email (ideally personalized) to the any or all of the following board members:
Dr. Deepak Raghavan at raghavan@astro.gsu.edu, Bryan Davis at bedavis@jonesday.com, Simon Bloom at sbloom@bloom-law.com, Claire Sterk at CES@emory.edu, David Dantzler at david.dantzler@troutman.com, Dr. Douglas Murphy at douglas.murphy@emory.edu, and Carol Cookerly at crisis@cookerly.com.
(The toolkit has phone numbers for them, too. Bonus points if you can call instead!)
Dear NAME,
My name is _____ and I am contacting you in solidarity with Showing Up for Racial Justice to demand that you resign from the Board of the Atlanta Police Foundation.
On January 18, forest defender Tortuguita was murdered by police while they were trying to peacefully protect 100 acres of forest that the APF Board wants to destroy in order to build a militarized police training facility. The forest is located next to a Black working-class neighborhood and the neighbors and residents of Atlanta have made clear their opposition, recently through 14 hours of public comment speaking before the Atlanta City Council.
Stop Cop City NOW.
YOUR NAME
Also please sign this Color of Change petition!
Spread the Word! 📣
Record-Breaking Open Enrollment Numbers
Yesterday, new data showed that in this year’s open enrollment period, a record-breaking 16.3 million Americans signed up for affordable health care through the Affordable Care Act.
That’s over double the number of Americans who signed up for health insurance coverage through the marketplaces during the first open enrollment in 2014.
Four out of five consumers looking for health care through the Affordable Care Act could find health care plans for $10 or less per month. That’s because of the lower health insurance rates that President Biden and congressional Democrats delivered.
These lower rates are allowing millions of Americans to continue to save $800 per year on health insurance coverage.
Win Races! 🗳
A friendly reminder that both Civics Center and Activate America have postcarding into Wisconsin for the upcoming (insanely important) Supreme Court race!
📫 If you want to provide your own postcards you can write with Activate America by going here. Cards must be mailed by 2/9.
📫 If you don’t have postcards and want to help help register young people in Wisconsin you can order cards from the Civics Center here. Cards must be mailed by March 3rd.)
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To all 3 reps][H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PCMLGK to 50409]
I know that Connecticut lawmakers plan to reintroduce federal legislation aimed at parents who leave firearms unsecured in their homes. The bill is called Ethan’s Law.
Ethan’s Law would dictate that adults in homes with children, or anyone else ineligible to own a firearm, would be required to keep their weapons secured. Violators would face fines starting at $500, or in cases resulting in an injured child, they could be imprisoned for up to five years. The law is named for Ethan Song of Guilford, who at age 15 accidentally shot himself with an unsecured gun in a friend’s home in 2018. Song’s parents successfully pushed this legislation through the Connecticut General Assembly in 2019 with bipartisan support. They now have a gun violence rate 400% lower than the states in this country with the loosest gun laws.
This legislation is relevant not only to gun-related accidents; it could also reduce the number of school shootings and teen suicides. A 2019 study from the U.S. Secret Service that found that 76% of all school shootings were carried out with unsecured firearms from the perpetrator’s home.
This bill is a no-brainer. Please make it a top priority and help get it passed. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Yes, everyone needs to watch the speech. This is the kind of stuff that should be covered by the media.
Thanks for telling us about that Connecticut bill. That is a no brainer.