Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/3

Hi, all, and happy Monday!

I’m going to keep this intro quick today because I know you’re all eager to get to your calls, and it’s extremely important that you make them.

I did, though, just want to catch you up on what was said at a big mass call I was on last night—a joint call hosted by Indivisible, Working Families Party, and Move On. I only heard of this call at the last minute, which is why it wasn’t in the newsletter on Friday, but somehow word got around—there were about 65,000 people on it between Zoom and YouTube! The recording hasn’t been released yet, but once it is I’ll post it here.

The long and the short of it is that we have a very big, very important, and very urgent task in front of us. As I know you all know already, Elon Musk has essentially hijacked the department of Treasury and purged it of all the civil servants who should be protecting our money. He has with him a group of six college students about whom no one knows anything. Despite their having no training, experience, or clearance, they, too have been given full access. No one knows what they’re doing with it. It’s an absolute crisis.

Another issue of great concern is the confirmation vote for Russell Vought that’s coming up later this week. Vought, of course, was Trump’s OMB head during his first term. He’s one of the main authors of Project 2025 and the consensus is that it was he who orchestrated last week’s failed funding freeze. He’s a huge advocate of draconian cuts to government programs, a white nationalist, and basically just evil incarnate. In order to protect our funds—and democracy— we need to stop him, too. (Indivisible has a good two-minute explainer video about him here).

So. All of that is the problem. Take a deep breath, now, as we’re now going to talk about solutions. Indivisible’s calls to action are as follows:

First, they want us to call our reps, for sure, and I’ve put scripts below. But they’re also urging us to go in to our U.S. Senators’ offices in person between now and Thursday. They’ve created a toolkit to tell us how to do it. I know it sounds daunting, but remember, these offices are there for constituents and they’re supposed to be willing to meet with anyone who asks. You won’t talk to the lawmaker, of course, but to a staffer who will convey what you say to them. I’m going to Senator Padilla’s L.A. office with a group of Indivisibles on Wednesday—if you’re in the L.A. area email me and you can join us. We will be demanding a NO vote on Russell Vought and an immediate ejection of Elon Musk.

(Oh, and if you don’t know where your lawmakers’ offices are guess what? Resistbot has a keyword for that! Text the word VISIT to 50409, follow the simple prompts, and they’ll give you all of your lawmakers’ office addresses.)

Second, if you live in the D.C. area they are asking you to show up in person on Tuesday, tomorrow, at 5PM, at the Treasury Department. They want a large showing, so please go if you can.

Finally, and this is actually an ask from Heather Cox Richardson, talk to your Republican and non-voting friends and family. They literally have no idea this is happening, or how it will effect them. Watch Cox Richardson’s Politics Chat from last night here, then get busy! This isn’t a time for blame or “I-told-you-so.” It’s a time for solidarity—to let them know that it’s us against the billionaires and we can win if they help. Make sure they understand this.

Ok, folks. I know this is a really overwhelming and scary time. I’m doing my best to thread the needle by giving you enough actions to make a difference without overwhelming you. Depending on what happens this week I may send a couple of extra newsletters with time-sensitive scripts, but don’t forget 5 Calls is always available, too. If you’re wanting to call about something I haven’t mentioned they probably have a script for it.

One last thing: I’m hearing that it’s really hard to get through to lawmakers today. I’m pretty sure we’re crashing the Capitol switchboard. Good! Please consider calling your lawmakers at their district offices—you can find those numbers on their official websites. It’ll be much easier to get through there.

OK. Deep breaths. Let’s get to work. One day at a time we’ll get through this.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m furious that Elon Musk, an unelected Ketamine user with no government experience, has taken over the Treasury Department system. He’s also given a bunch of college kids access to our most sensitive financial information. This is an illegal takeover of the federal government, and it’s got to be stopped. The Treasury is responsible for trillions of dollars in U.S. government payments for things like Social Security and Medicare. Millions of us depend on that money. It’s ours. [Give a personal example, if you like, of how you depend on government funding.] I want the Senator to do whatever it takes to get Musk out of there, including halting all Congressional activity until he steps down. Protect our taxpayer dollars—and our constitution—at all costs.

One more thing: Russell Vought can’t be allowed anywhere near our government. We don’t want Project 2025 and if it’s forced on us American workers will go on strike. I mean it. Vote no. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m deeply concerned about what’s happening at the Treasury Department right now. An unelected citizen with a drug problem and no government training has hijacked access to our most sensitive financial information and fired the civil servants in charge of keeping it safe. He’s given six kids with zero experience or clearance full access to these funds and no one knows what they’re doing with it. It’s absolutely insane. How can our money be considered safe under these circumstances? Will I still have access to [name a government funding program you count on]. Most importantly, why is Congress letting it happen? Where is the accountability? Where is your spine? I’d like a call back with answers to all of these questions, please. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Let’s call the Senate Finance Committee at 202-224-4515 and say:

My name is ____ and I live in [city, state]. I am outraged about Elon Musk’s takeover of the Treasury Department. He and a bunch of unknown kids now have access to trillions of dollars in American funds—funds Americans count on for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and more. No one knows what they’re doing with it. This is unconstitutional and illegal. What is this committee doing to stop it?

Hey Lousiana!

Apparently Senator Cassidy is a gettable NO vote for RFK Jr. If he’s your Senator, or if you know anyone in Louisiana, please call (or have them call) every day. I had scripts about him in last week’s newsletter and 5calls.org has them too. Call call call!

Win Races! 🗳

GDHQ is partnering with WisDems and women's March Action to do phone banks for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford

Join them every week on Wednesdays to recruit volunteers from 3-5pm PT/6-8pm ET and Sundays to contact voters from 10am-12pm/1pm-3pm ET.

Sign up here.

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

This February, the Climate Action Campaign is launching a large-scale grassroots push. As part of their strategy to make climate as visible, vocal, and urgent as possible in the new Administration and new Congress, they aim to engage 1,000,000 people in a simple action: putting a climate stripe sticker on their laptop, water bottle, car, bike, etc. This campaign is called Stick It To Climate Change.

To order stickers, please fill out this google form.

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PVBIVI to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

I want the Congressmember to introduce a privileged motion to impeach Scott Bessent. His willingness to give access to the Treasury Department’s funds to Elon Musk and a group of unqualified college students is disqualifying. He’s an inept plutocrat who’s enabling a coup.

Any member of Congress can introduce a privileged motion. Once introduced it must be voted on. Do this today, please. Bessent is a danger to our democracy who isn’t protecting our money. He must be impeached.

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

Talk soon.

Jess