Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/9

We were born for this.

Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!

I’ll start with a caveat: I am phonebanking into Florida’s HD-35 as we speak, so if I sound disjointed—and I will—it’s because I’m toggling over to my phonebanking tab every time someone answers the phone. Gotta love automatic dialers! They take multitasking to a new level!

Speaking of the Florida election, it’s officially a week away, and early voting has started. I made a TikTok about the race yesterday, and in so doing learned that Keen’s opponent is a Moms-For-Liberty type who’s obsessed with “parents’ rights” and banning books. She’s also a dyed-in-the-wool Trump supporter. I’d really like her to lose. Please do what you can to help. My Adopt Florida doc is here and the Keen campaign’s volunteer hub page is here. My TikTok about the race is on YouTube here, in case you know anyone in Orange or Osceola Counties you can forward it to.

Just please, let’s win. Keen seems wonderful, and his opponent is…not.

Remember, if we treat every “small” election as if it were of the ultimate importance, winning the bigger elections will become a far easier lift. Also, morale matters! EVERY race we win is more wind in our sails, more evidence that our message resonates with voters, and more proof that we’re on the right side of the issues. It’s also more of a drag on Republicans’ progress. The narrative that “they keep losing” is one of our strengths and one of their greatest weaknesses. Let’s keep it.

(I just got a person to vote!)

In other news, the Freedom Caucus is apoplectic with Mike Johnson for working with Democrats, Biden is continuing to make great speeches, it’s a big day in the courts for Trump, and the New Yorker has a new piece out showing that in 2022 a woman died in Texas, very likely due to the state’s abortion ban.

(Just got two more votes!)

We’re living in tempestuous times, my friends. Frightening times. Historic times. Chaotic times. But, to quote Kamala Harris:

Let us not throw up our hands when it’s time to roll up our sleeves. Because we were born for a time such as this.

Indeed we were. Never forget it. And never forget how strong you are.

Now let’s get to work.

P.S. Just got another voter. (:

Call Your Senators (find yours here) and Congressmember (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling because I’m getting increasingly worried about the threats of political violence coming from Donald Trump, his supporters, and some members of the Republican party. I’m also concerned with the instances of “swatting” we’re seeing happen more and more frequently. They’re dangerous, destructive of democracy, and an egregious misuse of law enforcement resources. What is Congress doing to ensure that threats of political violence, swatting, and other anti-democratic measures are being sufficiently addressed? This is a huge concern for me—something needs to be done. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

[Trigger warning: miscarriage]

Brittany Watts, a mother of 3, was told by doctors that her pregnancy was no longer viable but refused medical treatment. At 22-weeks pregnant she went home and ultimately miscarried in her toilet. She has been criminalized for attempting to flush the fetus.

Brittany is currently awaiting a grand jury decision on whether she will stand trial for a felony (abuse of corpse) for how she responded in a moment that should never have been made public. 

Needless to say this is a travesty of justice.

Let’s call Governor Mike DeWine. His number is: (614) 466-3555. We can say something like:

I’m calling to express my outrage that Trumbull County is charging Brittany Watts with a felony for her pregnancy loss. No one should be criminalized while they are grieving and recovering from a miscarriage. I urge your office to take immediate action to stop this prosecution. Thank you.

We can also email him here. I just did. You can adapt the above for your letter, but please make sure to customize it so it’s not discarded as spam.

Moms Rising has a petition here.

Finally, you can, and should, leave a bad google review for Trumball County Prosecutor’s office here. I did it—very cathartic. And reading the other reviews is actually quite moving.

If you want to share these actions with others I got most of them from this #JusticeForBrittany toolkit. Please share it!

Get Smart! 📚

Workshop: Jumpstart for 2024 - Tips for Joyful, Sustainable Activism hosted by our democracy ally, Field Team 6.  Sat. Jan. 13 @ 4pm PT / 7pm ET.

This workshop of like-minded democracy defenders will provide positive strategies to refresh and reinvigorate us for the year ahead. REGISTER and join from anywhere. Woot!

Give 💰!

Friendly reminder, I’m co-hosting an in-person fundraiser for BlueVoterGuide.org on Saturday, January 20th from 2 - 4pm in Los Feliz. If you’re local to Los Angeles please consider coming. If not, please consider donating!

Blue Voter Guide is a turnout-boosting secret weapon for November. It tackles ballot confusion--a critically underestimated problem that keeps young, inexperienced, and low propensity voters from completing their ballots. With Blue Voter Guide driving up turnout nationwide, we can win elections at all levels. 

The site is all-volunteer, but the ballot data costs a bunch, so...fundraising! RSVP (or, if you can't make it, just donate) here.

Win Races! 🗳

I’m running a Grassroots Dems HQ phonebank for Tom Suozzi today. It’s from 3-5PM PT / 6-8 PM ET. Please join us! Sign up here. If you can’t make this one, of course, GDHQ is hosting phonebanks for him almost every other day of the week as well. They’re all on that same link.

And tomorrow I’ll be speaking briefly at the Swing Left Suozzi phonebank, then sticking around to make calls. It’s at 2:30PT / 5:30 ET. Join us there instead? Sign up here.

Let’s blow this one out of the water, folks!

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Habits of Waste is a great organization who focusses on cutting out single use plastics. They convinced the Golden Globes to go plastic free, and now they’re working on the Oscars. Why? Because millions of viewers are watching and learning. In a situation like this public pressure can make a huge difference.

Please sign the petition to the Oscars board here.

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

[To: ] [Source and more info: Alan Unell] [Text SIGN PXNAGP to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I am your constituent and I am outraged to have learned that the US pays at least 300% more for the 10 drugs Medicare is going to negotiate than the next highest nation (Switzerland).

We need to be able to get drug prices under control in the US and the way to do it is to negotiate fair drug prices for all of us by having Universal Healthcare. I want you to start representing the interests of your constituents and not the drug companies and insurance companies.

I want you to support and pass Universal Healthcare like HR 3421. You owe it to your constituents. Thank you.

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

Talk soon.

Jess