Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/29
The principles we live by
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you all got some rest, because I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty consequential week. There’s a lot of shifting ground, all kinds of potential breaking news, and many lights flashing—the crisis in Texas could heat up significantly, the war in the Middle East could escalate, Trump could will say more deranged things that undermine the Constitution, huge legal decisions will likely come down, Congressional Republicans could agree to come to a resolution on Ukraine and the border…or punt and further destroy their own credibility—the list goes on.
With such an ever-shifting, consequential, and manic news environment it’s up to us to remember the simple principles we must abide by, for no matter what’s happening our mandate remains the same: We’ll take the next right action, stay in the day, and “work the program, not the problem.”
Look, we can’t control the future, and have no idea what will happen next week, next month, or in November. We are powerless to fix or change all kinds of stuff. But what we can control—what we do have power over—is what we do TODAY to help preserve our democracy for tomorrow.
So instead of fixating on what’s wrong let’s take simple actions today towards achieving what’s right.
I’ll start: I’m signed up for two phonebanks today—one at 3PM PT for Jim Prokopiak in PA, and a second one at 4PM PT with the Environmental Voter Project to call into NY-03. I will have to leave the first one early to hit the second one, but I figure an hour there is better than nothing.
So that’s me. What about you? Where will you bring your powerful self? What vital information will you share, and with whom? Whom will you inspire? Whom will you motivate?
How, in other words, will you chop wood and carry water today? I ask not just because I want our democracy to survive, but because I want YOU to thrive.
Taking action ensures both. So let’s do that.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[If GOP]
I’m truly furious to hear that Republicans are thinking of tanking the immigration bill they’ve been working on with Democrats because Trump is telling them to. While I don’t agree with some of the rumored provisions in the bill, we obviously have to do something about the border, and we need Ukraine funding immediately. Are the Senator’s loyalties to his/her country or are they to a serial loser, rapist, and criminal who only wants to win the Presidency so he can stay out of prison? This voter wants to know.
[If Democrat]
I’m calling to ask the Senator to keep pushing for bipartisan border legislation that avoids draconian treatment of asylum seekers and treats every aspiring American with dignity. I’d also like him/her to keep calling Republicans out for refusing to pass immigration legislation because Trump doesn’t want them to. Democrats should be loud and repetitive about the fact that Republicans are putting the demands of a serial loser, rapist, and criminal above American interests. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I understand that House Budget Committee Chair Arrington has passed his so-called “fiscal commission” out of committee. I also understand that Speaker Johnson is “100 percent committed to this commission” and is seeking to attach it to must-pass government funding bills this winter. No way.
A fiscal commission is nothing more than a way for Republicans to cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and other key programs behind closed doors so the American people don’t know who to blame. I oppose it completely.
Also, please ask the Congressmember to support the Child Tax Credit improvements included in the newly announced bipartisan, bicameral tax proposal. I will be watching his/her vote closely on this.
Extra Credit ✅
Subscriber Louise Wollman has crafted a great letter to send to two people who may be in a position to make a decision on televising (or livestreaming) Trump’s trial.
So let’s email:
Merrick Garland at the Dept of Justice:
https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
Under General Topic, choose “Messages to the Attorney General”Susan M Davies. Acting Assistant Attorney General for Office of Legal Policy
https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice
Under General Topic, choose Office of Legal Policy
Her suggested letter (I’ve edited it slightly, and so should you):
Just last week and even during this time of political gridlock—both Congress and the Senate managed to pass—virtually unanimously—S.3250, an act that allows victims of Pan Am Lockerbie Flight 103 technological access to the court proceedings of their case, whether via remote video (TV) or telephonic (audio). This is access to which they are clearly entitled.
We deserve nothing less in Trump’s upcoming federal trials.
As citizens of the United States we are all potential victims of whatever crimes Donald Trump may—or may not—have perpetrated on our democracy. In fact, on recent January 6th we watched it all on TV as he acted—or in some cases failed to.
Nothing could be clearer than our right to see justice unfold, whatever the result.
Please make sure Trump’s trial is viewable to all interested Americans. Thanks.
You can also copy and paste this into Resistbot to send it to “Congress,” although I know we sent a similar letter last week. No harm in doubling down!
Get Smart! 📚
Tomorrow at noon ET BigTent will be hosting Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice and retired Judge J. Michael Luttig. They will join Big Tent to discuss the 2024 election and whether Trump is ineligible for the presidency in accordance with Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Judge Luttig has said that the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the question of Trump’s eligibility will be “one of the most consequential Supreme Court decisions since the founding of the nation.”
This should be a great discussion—these are amazing speakers and Big Tent is a great organization.
Spread the Word! 📣
Please, please read this article and share it everywhere! The stats and comparisons it contains are indescribably useful.
Data Don’t Lie: Biden’s Economic Record is Much Better than Trump’s
[H/T Simon Rosenberg, who linked to this article in his newsletter]
Give 💰!
Come to my event about strategic donating!
Each day we’re deluged by requests from candidates and organizations asking for money. We know early money is vital to campaigns, but where should we put it? Where will it have the greatest impact? How do we avoid scammers?
On Tuesday, February 6 at 6:30 pm, SL SGV will host Jessica Craven (me) when she talks to us about strategic donations, how to get the biggest bang for our buck in the most important election year of our lives and common mistakes left-leaning donors make. Bring a notepad or your phone because you’ll want to jot down the guidance she offers. And invite a friend or two as well!
Win Races! 🗳
Big Tent USA is launching a letter writing campaign with VoteRiders into North Carolina and Texas. Confusion about voter ID easily turns into disenfranchisement. Your efforts will help make sure eligible voters have the ID and information they need to cast a ballot that counts.
If you’re ready to take action, please fill your request for letters here, so we can get you started ASAP. As we are approaching the deadline to register for the North Carolina primary election (Friday, February 9th), we ask that you mail your letters no later than Friday, February 2nd.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
You want an EV, but you don’t own a house. Here’s how to charge it.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps ] [H/T] [Text SIGN PFHLLZ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
Every 11 minutes, someone’s life is lost to gun violence in the United States. In an average year, this public health crisis claims more than 40,000 lives and wounds twice as many. For the lives lost and the loved ones left behind, there is no way to capture the true cost of this epidemic, but every year, the United States chooses to spend $557 billion on the consequences of gun violence rather than stopping it before it happens.
Gun violence is not normal, and Americans do not need to accept it as such. We have the tools, strategies, and people to prevent these daily tragedies, but for too long, the federal government has dramatically underspent on proven community-based programs that address the root causes of gun violence, while allocating billions of dollars to reactive interventions that have historically failed to keep Americans safe. The status quo isn’t working. That’s why we need the Break the Cycle of Violence Act (H.R 5003/S. 2638).
The Break the Cycle of Violence Act would provide $5 billion in federal grants for community violence intervention programs and $1.5 billion in workforce initiatives that are proven to reduce gun violence. These programs make communities safer by investing directly in the people and communities most affected to stop gun violence before it happens.
Grants funded by the Break the Cycle of Violence Act will support local programs that use proven strategies to reduce community violence without contributing to mass incarceration. Communities that have invested in these interventions have seen reductions in gun homicides by as much as 60 percent, saving taxpayers up to $41 in emergency services for each dollar spent. These much-needed resources will also expand economic opportunity to communities grappling with trauma, systemic neglect, divestment, and long-standing hardships.
Please work to pass this bill immediately. Thanks!
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Thank you Jessica for all the encouraging words! I was pretty unhappy last week when I read about Mitch McConnell's "quandary" about passing border/immigration legislation. So I wrote out a little script and called one of my Senators...Joni Ernst. Again, I spoke with a nice person who said they would take notes and I left my message. Today I made donations to Sarah Corkery (running against my House Rep. Ashley Hinson) and to Lanon Baccam running in Iowa 3rd District against Zach Nunn. Keeping the good thoughts...we can't do everything but we can do something.
You inspire me to do more than I would otherwise, Jess. I have a few heroes these days, thank god, and you’re truly at the top of the list. Thank you so much.