Chop Wood, Carry Water 2/8

Hi, all, and happy Thursday.

It’s not all happy, of course. It seems that SCOTUS is inclined to allow Trump to stay on the ballot in Colorado. You may be feeling a bit disheartened by the news—I know I was at first.

But really, should we be surprised? We know the makeup of this court. We know it boasts only a few honest brokers. Our hopes that it might, miraculously, behave differently than it historically has were never well-founded. Now we know that the more pessimistic predictors were correct: the MAGA majority will do what they always do: They will protect their own. Trump will almost certainly remain on the ballot. It’s a tough pill to swallow because it’s so deeply, deeply wrong, but it shouldn’t come as a shock.

Those of us longing for “magic bullets” to the problem of Trump and MAGA keep getting the same answer over and over again: the courts won’t save us. The Republicans won’t save us. The DNC won’t save us.

We will have to save us.

Fortunately, we have the skills to do so. We may not always feel up to it, but we are. We have proven it over and over again.

So let’s feel the sadness at the brokenness of our institutions, then shake ourselves off and get on with the business of winning. We can handle disappointment—it’s an old acquaintance by now. But a closer acquaintance still is fortitude; we have it in spades.

Let’s draw the latter closer and push the former away. We have work to do.

We may have lost this battle but we are absolutely winning the war. Never forget it.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I understand that the Senate has removed the immigration provisions from the supplemental bill and voted to advance the foreign aid portion on its own. While I’m frustrated that Senate Republicans wasted four months of time demanding an immigration bill they then rejected, I am happy to see the foreign aid moving forward. Please pass this package as soon as possible. Our allies can’t wait.

Also please pass the Child Tax Credit Extension bill now! Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I understand that House leadership is pushing a “fiscal commission” that seeks to balance the federal budget through huge funding cuts to essential programs like Social Security, Medicare, SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs working people rely on. I strongly oppose this. If Congress wants to do something about our debt they should first give the IRS more funding, as it’s bringing in $12 for every dollar it gets, and then increase taxes on billionaires. Take those two actions and leave our vital services alone.

{If GOP add:]

Also, I know the House will vote on the Mayorkas impeachment again soon. I want the Congressmember to vote NO. Republicans clearly don’t care about fixing the border. If they did they would have passed the bill that just failed in the Senate. The Mayorkas impeachment is a political stunt; it doesn’t help anything. Don’t do it. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is weaponizing governmental power at a critical time in the climate crisis. It’s trying to stop shareholder representative As You Sow (an organization I love and to which I donate) and 13 other organizations from securing climate action from corporations by alleging “antitrust” violations.

Why? Their subpoena claims that asking a company to reduce carbon pollution infringes on the freedom of all Americans. It would be funny if it weren’t a deadly serious example of the oil and gas industry’s grip on our government, economy, and fundamental democratic freedoms.

Please personalize and send this letter telling Congress to end its attacks on climate progress.

Get Smart! 📚

Building Bridges for America is an awesome, nationwide all-volunteer group that builds progressive power from the ground up.  They're basically grassroots organizers who help other grassroots organizers do the work of democracy. They train volunteers, support stellar down-ballot candidates and reach voters all over the world.

Their events are free and open to all.  Join them by signing up on Mobilize or sign up for their mailing list here. You can also donate to their efforts to do voter outreach to Democrats registered abroad by donating here (nobody I know of is doing this!!)

Give 💰!

Focus for Democracy's Zoom Briefing

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Tuesday, February 13th
5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET
Register here.

Win Races! 🗳

Once again, I’m phonebanking for Tom Suozzi today. There were 60 volunteers at yesterday’s Swing Left event—it was so fun! I can’t urge you enough to try it; nothing feels better than having helped win an election like this.

Today’s phonebank is from 3-5 PT / 6-8 ET. Sign up here.

Can’t make that one? There are more weekday phonebanks here and phonebanks over the weekend here.

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Project Drawdown just recommended a new 10-minute Ted Talk about climate solutions we should be focussing on. I just watched it and it is, indeed, excellent.

Watch it here.

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

[To: your state legislative representatives and your Governor ] [H/T Alan Unell] [Text SIGN PQZJOE to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I am your constituent and I want you to know that book bans in schools or in public libraries are not in the public interest. Having free access to a wide variety of ideas helps us all to learn, broaden our experience, grow and become better problem solvers. If someone is offended by a topic they should steer clear of it.

I just learned that a new law went into effect in Illinois that outlaws book bans, thus encouraging schools and libraries to embrace education, literary justice, and equity. It is Public Act 103-0100.

Here is a link to the Illinois law: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=103-0100

I want you to build and enact a similar bill for our state and protect the free flow of ideas. Thank you.

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

Talk soon.

Jess