Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/21
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
TGIF! I encourage you to read this
post to start your weekend off right. I found it reassuring and hopeful; I think you will, too.
Reich is right, of course. The resistance to Trump and Musk is growing, rejection of their policies is increasing, and lawmakers are getting enormous pushback from Americans about what’s happening. Just watch this clip from a town hall in a deep red district in Georgia if you don’t believe me! Oh, and Trump’s and Musk’s approval ratings are definitely dropping, too.
It makes sense! Don’t forget, most Americans are decent people. Too many are politically disengaged—and that’s a problem—but few want what’s happening right now. Americans don’t want 11-year-olds committing suicide over fears of their parents being deported. They don’t want women getting sepsis because of abortion bans. They don’t want mass layoffs of qualified and necessary federal employees. They don’t want hatred and division. They don’t want the U.S. to betray its allies. They really don’t want cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security—programs Republicans are now openly admitting they intend to slash.
Americans, for the most part, just want to live their lives in peace and stability, with a modicum of economic security. These, too, are things Trump and Musk are taking away from them.
It can’t end well. Republicans are sowing the seeds of their own destruction.
Our job? To stay in the fight. To keep doing what we’re doing. To keep calling. Keep marching. Keep boycotting. Keep sharing the truth. Keep birddogging our Republican lawmakers. Keep calling them out in every way we can. Keep taking care of ourselves. Keep loving our family and friends. Keep getting rest.
In so doing we’ll get through this. And we’ll win. We really will.
I couldn’t be more proud of the work you’re doing. To say that it matters is an understatement.
Now let’s get to work.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I want the Senator to vote NO on Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education. She’s a MAGA extremist who is currently embroiled in a sexual misconduct lawsuit involving children. Gross. Vote no.
I also want the Senator to pressure the Trump administration to include Ukraine in any peace talks to end the war. Trump’s recent lies about President Zelenskyy and Ukraine make me sick. We’re betraying our ally—it’s completely shameful. I urge the Senator to vocally support and defend Ukraine. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I want the Congressmember to vote NO on H.R.32, the Defund Our Communities Act. This bill could potentially cut federal funding to schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, and transportation systems in more than two dozen states deemed "sanctuaries." Please vote NO. Also vote no on H.R. 22 the SAVE Act, which will suppress millions of American votes.
Finally, I want the Congressmember to vote no on any budget bill that cuts Medicaid, SNAP, veterans benefits, Medicare, or Social Security. Period. I know Republicans are trying to do just that in order to give the richest Americans tax cuts and I’ll tell you, there will be hell to pay from us voters if they do it. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
This week immigrants’ rights orgs were ordered to immediately pause services on government’s Unaccompanied Children Program. The program provides over 26,000 children with direct legal representation, and hundreds of thousands of kids receive legal orientations, self-help guides and information about their legal options every year. This strands children without the help they need to succeed in their immigration cases.
One of these orgs, Acacia, has created a Congressional action form HERE for people to send messages to their members of Congress and demand the restoration of legal services for unaccompanied children. Please do so! And if you can, please personalize the beginning of the letter a bit.
HERE is a social media toolkit to help uplift the action.
Get Smart! 📚
Please watch the below extraordinary conversation with political strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio and Anand Giridharadas of
! In it, Shenker-Osorio offers razor-sharp insights and practical solutions for the challenges we face. Instead of waiting for top-down leadership, she encourages us all: WE can lead! She asks us to focus on creating local momentum instead of relying on big names. Watch now for actionable steps and empowering advice!YOU. WILL. BE. INSPIRED. Promise.
Take to the Streets!
A group called Stand Up For Science is holding nationwide demonstrations on March 7. Learn more here.
Give 💰!
Join Sister District for their State Bridges event series! This is SUCH an important and effective endeavor.
The State Bridges program supports grassroots organizations leading year-round power-building efforts in the swing states. Sign up for Sister District’s first webinar on 2/26 to hear from Arizona and Pennsylvania organizations.
The following webinars will include organizations building critical infrastructure in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Virginia!
Or, simply support all of Sister District's State Bridges partners here.
Win Races—postcard! 🗳
Blue Wave postcards just announced their first postcard campaign of the year, in support of the liberal Supreme Court candidate in Wisconsin, Susan Crawford.
The outcome of this race will determine the balance of power in the Wisconsin Supreme Court through 2028. Maintaining the liberal majority will help protect the constitutional rights of Wisconsinites and ensure fair maps and free and fair elections in 2026 and 2028. Other issues that will come before that court include abortion rights, union rules, and more.
These cards must be purchased but they come with stick-on address labels and have a VERY short message. It’s a great way to help!
Win Races—phonebank!
Elon Musk is putting millions of dollars into the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. We can’t let him win! Please, please help!
Judge Susan Crawford Phone Banks
Sign Up Here
Volunteer Recruitment Phone Banks
Sign Up Here
Get Involved with the WisDems
Register Here
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps ] [H/T
] [Text SIGN PCKIYE to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]In his first day in office Trump signed an executive order that renames the little-known but highly respected United States Digital Service office as the United States DOGE Service, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency, an effort helmed by tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk.
The order also moves the USDS from the Office of Management and Budget to the Executive Office of the President and directs each federal agency to create a "DOGE Team" that may include a team leader, engineer, human resources specialist and attorney to help facilitate Trump's "DOGE agenda."
We now know that this team of unvetted hackers has had access to and released classified Secret information on their website, has read/write access to our personal digital data, has access to all government payment systems and government personnel data and actively and illegally seeks to fire employees, and illegally close Congressionally mandated and funded government operations.
This must stop.
We call upon you, our elected representatives to defund DOGE to halt this illegal hijacking of government function and operations.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Before we see massive protest marches and other forms of resistance to Trump's delusional decent into dictatorship and monarchy, there is an immediate reason for some hope. Trump's rapidly declining approval rating.
After his victory Trump's approval rating was at 48%. Just 4 weeks into Trump 2.0 its dropped to 42-44%..And the "King" has barely started destroying himself. We the Governed are coming for King Donald.
And apparently the stock market is too. The Dow is now down almost 4% since Jan 20.
Imagine where his standing in public opinion email be after he slashes Medicare and CHIP programs for 80 million Americans. Or he refuses to release federal FEMA funds to disaster victims. Or Hegseth, at Trump's direction cuts the military budget by 8% and discharges the LGBTQ community from service. Many of the citizens negatively effected by these abominable initiatives voted for Trump. What happens to Americans cost of living when inflation rapidly ticks back up to 9% because of Trump's tariff tax and his expulsion of hard working immigrants. Or unemployment skyrockets. Or every American with parents, grandparents or great grandparents who fought in WWII watch Trump disparage NATO and hug Putin. And Trumps AG and FBI Director make a mockery of Justice in America.
How will the American investor class feel when his cumulating actions drive stock prices down by 20-30%? The risks are very high and the benefits of his agenda are very meager.
I'm hoping Trump's approval rating plummets into the mid 30s by the end of March and keeps falling.
What will the chicken s**t GOP do then? Especially in purple districts. Trump's agenda is the agenda they're supporting in silence. They own it. The public will gladly vote them out of office in 2026.
Thank you, Jessica! Your posts are always encouraging. I hope you and your family enjoy your weekend 💙