Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/1

TGIF!

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Hi, all, and happy Friday!

TGIF! Below, some miscellany.

First, yesterday one of you pointed out—very kindly, I might add—that the word “cabal,” which I’d used in the newsletter, is somewhat problematic. She explained:

I have learned that the root of cabal comes from Kabbalists, an ancient Jewish group of rabbis and mystics. It was usurped by anti-Semites to throw shade on any gathering of people up to nefarious and evil intent because, well… you know… they’re like Jews! SO… now I have shed my vocabulary of cabal when impugning groups of bad actors, so as not to conflate them with Jews.

That sounds like a good choice. Sorry about that, folks! I so appreciate learning things like this, and will omit using that word in the future.

Second, some of you may know that I am running for office again here in Los Angeles, for Los Angeles County Central Committee. It’s an unglamorous and minor Democratic party position, but we delegates can do some good, and God knows both the L.A. and the CA state party still need a lot of work. I’ve been in this position for the last couple of years, and I’d be thrilled to continue in the role. So if you know anyone who lives in Northeast Los Angeles—specifically AD 52—I’d be most grateful if you’d ask them to vote for my terrific slate (you can find it here). I’ve also got a CA voting guide for you. It’s focussed on Los Angeles, but I’m trying to include other important races in the state as I learn about them. Please use it, share it, and let me know if I’m missing an important candidate or slate in California.

Third, the House and Senate both passed Continuing Resolutions yesterday—somehow Johnson is able to keep doing this with impunity, something that must drive Kevin McCarthy craz. The government is now funded until March 8 and March 22, respectively. Six packages will need to be done by each date. If for some reason we don’t finish the full appropriations process by April 30 we will hit something called sequestration, which we don’t want. So we’ll keep pushing to fund programs we care about and block heinous poison pill riders. Ideally we’ll see this entire process wrap up soon, as Congress is already overdue on starting—you guessed it—next year’s budget.

Finally, every week or so I get an email from a disgruntled reader who tells me that they’re unsubscribing because I’m “ignoring” the situation in Israel and Gaza. This is your friendly reminder that I have a separate email for ALL THINGS international, including the Middle East. We have, in fact, been taking action regularly and will continue to. Feel free to join us.

OK, all. So much to do, and so little time. Have I mentioned that you’re my heroes?

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m glad that the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution so the government won’t shut down tonight, but we’re not out of the woods until the House and Senate both pass clean spending packages to get this budget done for good. The American people have real problems we’d like you to work on; we’re frustrated by Congress’s inability to do even the most basic part of their jobs. So pass a clean budget bill, please. No poison bills, no attempts to hurt LGBTQ people, no under-the-radar attacks on abortion rights, no sabotaging our climate progress. Just get the budget done and pass Ukraine aid…

[If GOP:] …or we will vote you out. Thanks.

[If Dem:] …and continue to hold the line against the Republican party’s fascist demands. We’ve got your back. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m glad that the House passed a Continuing Resolution so the government won’t shut down tonight, but we’re not out of the woods until the House and Senate both pass clean spending packages to get this budget done for good. The American people have real problems we’d like you to work on; we’re frustrated by Congress’s inability to do even the most basic part of their jobs. So pass a clean budget bill, please. No poison bills, no attempts to hurt LGBTQ people, no under-the-radar attacks on abortion rights, no sabotaging our climate progress. Just get the budget done and pass Ukraine aid…

[If GOP:] …or we will vote you out. Thanks.

[If Dem:] …and continue to hold the line against the Republican party’s fascist demands. We’ve got your back. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

I attended a workshop about the appropriations process yesterday—it was put on by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center in partnership with the Southern Economic Advancement Project. Maybe I’m a nerd, but I LOVED it. I got so much clarity on the way this critical process works, and I also learned a ton about what’s unfolding right now and how it may play out.

I can’t recommend watching this webinar highly enough. And you can! Right here!

You can also subscribe to the CPCC’s email list, which provides “concise updates on Hill timelines and processes, the current state of play on key Congressional activity, and potential outcomes.” If you’re a nerd like me you’ll love them!

Spread the Word! 📣

I have a great new resource for you! The American Economic Liberties Project just issued a new memo highlighting the Biden administration's competition policy wins.

While the job is not done, the last three years of reinvigorated antitrust enforcement and rulemaking have delivered huge benefits for American families from cheaper airfares, lower meat and drug prices, and greater protections for workers. This agenda has involved taking on the biggest corporations - UnitedHealth Group, Apple Google, Amazon, Kroger-Albertsons, Meta, JetBlue-Spirit, Penguin Random House-Simon & Schuster, Illumina-Grail, Cigna-Humana - and winning. 

This kind of thing is REALLY popular with a wide swath of Americans—IF THEY KNOW ABOUT IT! Please find ways to spread the word about the remarkable progress outlined in this document and share share share!

Give 💰!

Join the wonderful folks at Walk the Walk USA on Monday, March 4th at 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET as they kick off their evidence-backed strategy for safeguarding democracy and winning critical races across the country this year.  

They’ll be in conversation with their long-time partner, Michigan People’s Campaign, which will play an outsized role across so many critical races this year – the U.S. presidency, U.S. Senate, U.S House, MI State legislature, and more.  

Walk the Walk is an all-volunteer initiative that raises funds for strategic voter empowerment in key geographies -- to realize the promise of an inclusive U.S. democracy.  Since Walk the Walk is run entirely by volunteers and has no overhead, every dollar raised goes to its effective grassroots partners.  

Attendance is free – Register Today!

Win Races—POSTCARD! 🗳

It’s time to turn to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Mandela Barnes lost to MAGA Senator Ron Johnson because voters in Milwaukee failed to turn out in November of 2022. WE CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!

To assure voters in Milwaukee vote November 5, 2024 for President Biden and Senator Baldwin we need to get people to register and vote in the local election April 2. 

Can you help write postcards to Milwaukee voters and mail them by March 25? Cards have preprinted voting information so the personal, handwritten message is short.

These postcards are part of a broader strategy of messaging multiple times to each voter in the target area of Milwaukee—using email, postcards, letters, phone calls and texts. Our strategy increased voting in 2020 ad 2022. We need to make sure there is a similar increase in voting this year so President Biden and Senator Baldwin carry the state. 

If you can help, email Anita Bloch at anitabloch132@gmail.com. 

🚨 Win Races in CA—TEXT or CALL! 🚨

In CA-22, Democratic candidate Rudy Salas faces a primary in which the top two vote getters, no matter what party, will earn places on the November ballot. So it’s essential that Democrats get out the vote to ensure Salas has a chance to compete in the general election. Biden’s win in the district in 2020 means this is a flippable race.

Grassroots Democrats HQ has texting on Monday, March 4 from 4 – 7 p.m. to remind people in CA-22 how crucial it is to vote on March 5. Sign Up to Text

There are also phonebanks over the weekend with some fancy people— they desperately need more volunteers for these shifts:

With Rep Brad Sherman on Saturday from 10-12 PT sign up here.

With Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi on Saturday from 1-3 PT sign up here.

With Rep Pete Aguilar on Sunday from 1-3PM PT sign up here.

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T NYT The Morning] [Text SIGN PNLOBN to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

House Republicans hoping to impeach President Biden have repeatedly promoted information that appears to have been based partly on Russian disinformation. For example, many Republicans have cited an F.B.I. document in which an informant accused Biden and his son, Hunter, of taking $5 million bribes from the owner of Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company.

But federal prosecutors have now accused the informant, Alexander Smirnov, of fabricating the allegation to damage Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. Smirnov has told the F.B.I. that people linked to Russian intelligence passed him information about Hunter Biden.

A federal judge has since ordered Smirnov detained and called him a flight risk. Good. But what is our government doing to address the implications of this explosive revelation? We must understand just how far Russian intelligence has infiltrated our own government. When will we see hearings? The Smirnov news is a scandal of massive proportions; we need to know who knew what, and when.

Both the Senate and the House must launch investigations into which Congressmembers, if any, were complicit with Smirnoff and other Russian operatives. This is a threat to our national security; please treat it like one. Thanks.

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

Talk soon.

Jess