Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/7

Together. We. Are. Mighty.

Hi, all, and happy Monday!

Hope you had a spectacular weekend. Here in SoCal we had some glorious (albeit too-warm) weather; I took advantage of it by going on walks with my kid, reading this book in my back yard, and, of course, attending a protest.

That protest may have been the highlight; it was absolutely terrific.

I’m a member—tangentially—of a group called the Glendale Environmental Coalition. They’re a group of regular folks in the neighborhood next to mine who heard a few years ago about their city’s plans to build a new, hugely expensive and polluting gas-powered plant, and decided to organize to stop it. Their initial efforts were wildly successful—one of the original members even went on to run for City Council and win!—but now the utility company is moving in the wrong direction again, so they’re organizing again, and again doing a great job. The protest was well-attended and extremely high-energy; the speakers were excellent, and everyone left feeling fired up and committed to fighting for a clean energy future.

I was reminded for the millionth time of the power regular, determined people have to make meaningful change in their own communities—perhaps the most power of all. While federal legislation stalls and Joe Manchin holds the whole world hostage, this scrappy group of local volunteers will—I almost guarantee it—stop their utility company from doing what they otherwise would absolutely do. While this single victory won’t change the world, it will measurably improve people’s live here in Northeast LA.

And enough small victories like this, put together, will change the world indeed.

So when you feel frustrated with the glacial pace of progress in the country at large ask yourself what in your own back yard needs fixing.

Then find some friends and set about to fix it. You’ll be amazed at what you can do.

Call Your Senators (find yours here)

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

I want the Senator to support S. 2992, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. [optional add:] This bill would outlaw Big Tech's unfair treatment of competitors, end the practice of giving their own products preferential treatment, and create a bureau at the FTC to enforce these regulations and protect competition in the digital markets. 

I’d also like him/her to support nursing moms by co-sponsoring the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (S. 1658). It’s already passed in the House and now needs a push to get through the Senate. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here)

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

I want the Congressmember to support HR 4445, the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, when it comes up for a vote tonight. [Optional add:] This bill invalidates arbitration agreements that prevent someone from filing a lawsuit in court involving sexual assault or sexual harassment, and it’s long overdue.

I’d also like him/her to support the American Innovation and Choice Act, HR 3816. It’s long past time to rein in Big Tech. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

[Thanks to reader Laura M. for the idea and basic script, which I adapted slightly.]

Read this:

Top College Board executive advocates limiting instruction of race and history in classrooms

Then send an email to the folks at the College Board using this link. I said (please edit and personalize):

I am the parent of an LGBTQ 12-year-old who, I trust, will eventually take many AP classes. I am also a subscriber to Judd Legum's Popular Information and just read about your SVP Todd Huston,  who is determined to whitewash the teaching of American history in his state and eliminate content that might make some students 'uncomfortable'. (I'm sure he would argue that kids like mine should be sent to conversion therapy as well.) 

The College Board has an enormous influence on what is taught in high schools across the country. Right now those same schools are facing a wave of book banning, censorship, and racist dog-whistle CRT fights that are not just despicable, but harm our kids massively. Yet you keep Huston on your payroll? Unacceptable.

Todd Huston’s vision is not compatible with educational or democratic values.  Such educational 'gag orders' have no place in our schools or our country. Please fire him or accept that your organization has lost all pedagogical credibility. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

Join NOPE (Neighbors Defending Democracy, a great East-coast activist group) today at 4 PST/ 7 EST to hear Reverend Raphael Warnock speak about how we’ll win in Georgia. NOPE will be supporting his campaign this year, as well as Georgia grassroots groups that are crucial to fighting voter suppression and getting out the vote in the state.

Want to help win in Georgia? Come to this meeting! RSVP here.

Win Races! 🗳

Join Environmental Voter Project to call low propensity environmental voters in New York State Assembly District 72, which is part of Manhattan, ahead of the February 15th Special Election! This. Is. How. We. Win!

Sign up here. They have excellent training.

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

Send this to President Biden, either by his email form or by using Resistbot [quick send code: text SIGN PJPLGF to 50409]

While the country continues to focus on the supply chain shortages that have prompted the Biden administration to seek 24/7 operation of the nation’s ports, we have overlooked the likely health consequences for the Black, brown, indigenous and Asian-American communities living near those ports.

As scientists, doctors and public health experts have known for decades, the diesel exhaust from the trucks, trains and ships carrying goods into and out of those sea and inland ports causes severe illnesses and premature deaths — aggravated asthma, lung cancer, heart disease and neurological disorders.

It should be incumbent upon the Biden administration, given its oft-stated commitment to place environmental justice at the center of its reform priorities, to deal effectively with the dilemma by expeditiously requiring and supporting the use of non-polluting equipment such as all-electric trucks, locomotives and ships.

Right now the EPA is in the process of reviewing its heavy-duty truck rules. We need the President to demonstrate leadership and direct the EPA to move actionable policies and programs across the freight transportation sector starting with them.

Moving to universal electric vehicle use is no longer a technology problem. It requires political will and an appropriate sense of urgency. The timeline for action to limit climate-change damage is short, but it is far shorter for port-adjacent communities who, right now, face the prospect of hyper-accelerated rates of serious illness and premature deaths. Please act with urgency and push the EPA to make certain that truck emissions rapidly reduce to zero, while requiring that by 2035, 100 percent of trucks sold be zero emission vehicles. Thanks.

[Taken from this article]

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

Talk tomorrow.

Jess