Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/8

Hi, all, and happy Monday!

Hope you had a restorative weekend. I did, largely because my family and I went to see a terrific exhibit here in Los Angeles called “Luna Luna.” How magical it was! It’s basically a reconstructed amusement park that was originally created in the 1980s by some of the 20th century’s most notable artists. When the park shut down the pieces were stored away and forgotten. Now, forty years later, they’ve been reassembled (for viewing, not riding on) in downtown Los Angeles. There’s a ferris wheel by Jean-Michel Basquiat, a merry-go-round by Keith Haring, the above-pictured carousel by Arik Brouer…it really is incredible. If you’re in the area I so recommend going—I believe the exhibit is up until June.

After all, as I’ve said many times, recreation is a part of effective resistance!

On a more mundane but important note, congressional leadership announced a bipartisan funding framework over the weekend, aiming to prevent a potential government shutdown later this month. It is now up to the House to approve the proposed budget and send it to the Senate. The top-line numbers reflect the funding levels that President Biden negotiated with both parties and signed into law last spring. But how exactly that money gets spent is still completely up for grabs.

The deal does accelerate previously-agreed-to IRS spending cuts. It’s important to note that Republicans are misrepresenting this as “major new cuts” to the IRS, but that’s false. They are, in fact, the same 20B in cuts that were agreed to last year. Some of them are simply happening a year faster.

Anyway. We are going to have to fight to keep poison pills out of the budget and our priorities in it. This means we are going to have to stay loud about funding WIC (nutritional assistance for women and children) and childcare especially. We will keep demanding Ukraine funding, because it matters. And we will keep advocating to keep IRS funding, because we need it. (I made a short video about why IRS funding is existentially important. Find it here if you’re interested.)

Then there’s the border deal, which, alone, presents a massive challenge. And the supplemental funding packages. And all of the many, many culture war amendments the Freedom Caucus will attempt to add.

And to complicate things further, consider this, from the Progressive Caucus Center:

Republicans hold 220 House seats. Majority Leader Steve Scalise will be absent this month to receive cancer treatments, leaving the GOP with 219. On January 21, Rep. Bill Johnson will resign, bringing them to 218—the bare minimum for passing legislation under regular order. 

Given the Freedom Caucus’ angry response to this weekend’s deal, it seems safe to assume that at least some of its members will not vote for the “rule” to consider corresponding FY2024 spending bills. Since the minority party typically opposes the rule unanimously, the Speaker’s razor-thin margins make it all but certain that any rule to consider FY2024 spending bills will fail.

That means the House will have to consider them under suspension of the rules, which does not allow for amendments and, critically, requires ⅔ of House members’ support to pass. Thus, Speaker Johnson would have to rely heavily on Democratic votes—a ploy that could further enrage the same far-right members who forced out former Speaker McCarthy. 

Hmmm. That’s a lot of balls in the air. All of them must be “caught,” in theory, by January 19th. Seems ambitious. But we’ll see. And I’ll have call scripts for you no matter what adventure Congress chooses.

After all, no matter what the news cycle throws at us the actions to take in response are relatively simple: make a few calls, send a Resistbot, maybe sign up for a phonebank. Send a few postcards.

Chop wood, carry water, in other words. And save the world.

Call Your Senators & Congressmembers (find yours here and here) 📲

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

I’m calling to ask Senator/Representative [Last Name] to support supplemental funding for Ukraine. If we don’t help them stop Russian aggression we’ll likely see Putin expand his war—which means our own forces would be drawn into combat. I don’t want that. Moreover 100% of the funds requested are for weapons produced in the United States—this represents a serious investment in domestic manufacturing and American jobs and will enhance our military readiness. Thanks. [H/T and more info]Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Extra Credit ✅

I’m going to call James Comer today and ask him what he’s going to do about Trump’s improperly profiting off of foreign countries during his Presidency. (I know. The answer is nothing. I’m still calling.)

His numbers are: (202) 225-3115 or 270-408-1865 or (270) 487-9509 or you can call the House Oversight Committee directly at: (202) 225-5051.

I’ll say:

I’m calling Chairman Comer as a concerned American because I have information about foreign governments who gave money to a US politician to gain influence. I know Chairman Comer is very concerned about this kind of thing. It turns out that there is overwhelming evidence against Donald Trump, who took almost 8 million dollars from countries including China, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar while he was President, in exchange for major foreign policy concessions. This, of course, violates the Constitution’s Emoluments clause. Since the Chairman is investigating President Biden for exactly the same thing with no evidence at all I thought he’d be excited to hear that we have another case for him to investigate—and there IS evidence! I was wondering when the hearings about this will start. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

Another absolute must-read from the Frame Lab. Even I was making this mistake, and now I won’t.

Why Trump wants you to compare him to Hitler

Spread the Word! 📣

This isn’t getting NEARLY the amplification it should. It’s a HUGE deal: 500 illegal under-21 gun purchases have been prevented by Biden’s new gun bill.

WH Statement: Statement from President Joe Biden on Stopping Over 500 Illegal Under-21 Gun Purchases Through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

Scrippts News: Justice Department stops 500 illegal gun purchases with bipartisan act

The Biden administration is celebrating a new milestone in its effort to end gun violence — 500 illegal gun purchases by people under 21 years old stopped thanks to enhanced background checks enacted under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

"By interrupting these illegal gun purchases, we are taking action to stop suicides, deadly domestic violence, and mass shootings. Simply put: this legislation is saving lives,” President Biden said in a statement Friday.

The 2022 law expanded background checks for individuals under 21. Young people with criminal records or who have been determined to be a danger to themselves or the community are flagged under the new checks system.

Give 💰!

Focus For Democracy, a brilliantly-run organization that helps left-leaning donors determine where best to give money, is having their first network event of this election year. I highly recommend attending!

In this event, they will share their 2024 strategy and recommendations timed for this stage of the cycle. They always have a TON of data to back up their suggestions, and they always recommend great groups.

Join them THIS Thursday, January 11th at 5PM Pacific/8PM Eastern. You’ll enjoy it, I promise.

Click here to register. No donation required to attend.

Win Races! 🗳

Phonebank to get Maine to Join the National Popular Vote Compact! Thursday, Jan 11 from 6:00-8:30 pm ET.

In two of the past six presidential elections, the candidate who won the most votes lost the election, a result of the winner-take-all method that states use to award their electoral college votes. And even when the popular and electoral votes are aligned, it’s just a handful of battleground states that determine the outcome. 

The National Popular Vote Compact is a solution that ensures that everyone’s vote matters regardless of where they live, and it doesn’t require abolishing the Electoral College. States in the Compact commit to voting their electors for the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide. It comes into force once states in the Compact have a combined 270 electoral votes, the number needed to win the presidency.

Right now there’s an opportunity for Maine to be the next state to join the NPV Compact, which would bring the total electoral votes of states in the Compact to 209. A bill with bi-partisan support has been introduced in the Maine Legislature and will be up for a vote early in 2024.

Please click here to register for a phone bank hosted by RepresentUs and the League of Women Voters of Maine. You’ll be briefed and then will call Maine voters to encourage them to contact their legislators to support the bill. Constituent outreach is vital to getting the bill passed. This phone bank is a key part of the campaign to get Maine to join the NPV Compact.

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Zahra Hirji’s “12 New Year’s Resolutions for Sustainable Living” is filled with simple practical steps we can each take, from talking about climate change, eating leftovers, and composting to learning how to spot greenwashing and swapping out beef. It’s great! Check it out! [H/T Climate Change Resources]

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

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

I am deeply concerned about the potential harm to nutritionally at-risk women with low incomes and their young children if Congress fails to provide the funding needed for WIC in the FY24 spending package.

WIC is essential to the health and well-being of over 6.5 million women and young children, including roughly half of all infants born in the U.S. It provides families with wide-ranging benefits and services, including safer pregnancies, improved dietary outcomes, and the healthy growth and development of children.

Congress previously recognized the profound benefits of WIC by making significant investments in the program during the COVID-19 pandemic, including increasing the monthly value of the fruit and vegetable benefits for women and children. This, along with innovative outreach and increased demand, has fueled the ability of WIC to reach the increasing numbers of those who are eligible.

But without full funding for WIC, this progress will quickly unravel. Participants are at risk of losing these vital benefits if Congress does not include enough funding for WIC in the final FY 2024 funding bill. This will result in an interruption of services, and long waiting lists, leading to more moms, babies, and young children struggling against hunger, lacking adequate health care, and losing out on other vital WIC services.

I strongly urge Congress to continue the long, historic, bipartisan support for WIC and to include full funding in the final FY24 appropriations bill to ensure access to WIC’s nutrition and health benefits and services. An investment in WIC is an investment in our nation’s future. Thanks.

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

Talk soon.

Jess