Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/1

Mar 01, 2023

Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!

Amazing news this morning—Eli Lily announced that it is slashing the prices of its insulin drugs and capping the out-of-pocket cost for everyone at $35 a month. This is a really, really big deal, and it’s the direct result of relentless efforts by President Biden to lower the cost of this life-saving drug. To say that it’s a win—for diabetics, for Americans, and for Biden himself—is a massive understatement.

I’ve put more information about this in the “Spread the Word” section below. Please help us get the word out! Remember, everyone complains that Democrats are terrible at amplifying their accomplishments. But if we want better, we must be those messengers ourselves. So tell everyone you know!

There is so much good that the Biden administration is doing—more than can possibly be described in any one missive. A great deal of it, furthermore, is “in-the-weeds” stuff, like the DOJ successfully prosecuting its sixth redlining case. As Joyce Vance explains in her essay this morning:

There have been six redlining cases and settlements, securing $84 million in relief for communities of color that have been victims of lending discrimination across the country since the work began in October 2021…
…This quiet stretch of successful cases by the Civil Rights Division represents an enormous amount of difficult, diligent, but largely unheralded work. It will lead to meaningful improvements in the lives of a large number of people in this and future generations.

Beautifully said. And descriptive of so much of what Biden and his team have done: “Quiet,” “successful,” and “unheralded.”

Let us work to change that last part.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling because I understand that Senators Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance, both of Ohio, have introduced a new bill that would strengthen notification and inspection requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials, increase fines for safety violations by rail carriers and authorize $27 million for research on safety improvements. It’s not everything we need to do—not by a long shot—but it’s a start. I want the Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor right away. Will s/he?

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling because I understand that Reps Deluzio and Khanna just introduced the as-yet unnumbered Decreasing Emergency Railroad Accident Instances Locally or ‘‘DERAIL” Act. This bill would require the Department of Transportation to modify and greatly tighten the definition of ‘‘high-hazard flammable train.” It’s not everything we need to do—not by a long shot—but it’s a start. Will the Congressmember sign on as an original co-sponsor?

Extra Credit ✅

Join Lever Action to protect communities from corporate railroad greed. Their open letter demands that Secretary Buttigieg immediately use his existing power to make safety rules stronger, so that rail workers and communities across America are protected. Click here to join the action.

Important Note: Other aligned organizations are part of this open letter and they may contact you after you sign it.

Get Smart! 📚

The Environmental Voter Project is expanding its efforts into two new states: Louisiana and Nebraska! Join them this Thursday, March 2nd, at 5pm PT / 8pm ET to get the inside scoop on why they made this decision and what their plans are.

They've had some great press coverage on their expansion, btw:

I love EVP and will follow wherever they lead. Hope to see you there!

Spread the Word! 📣

Heeding President Biden’s repeated calls to do so, drugmaker Eli Lilly will cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month, bringing relief for millions!

“Eli Lilly will cap the out-of-pocket cost of its insulin at $35 a month, the drugmaker said Wednesday. The move, experts say, could prompt other insulin makers in the U.S. to follow suit. The change, which Eli Lilly said takes effect immediately, puts the drugmaker in line with a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act, which last month imposed a $35 monthly cap on the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for seniors enrolled in Medicare.”

You can post this meme, too, if you like.

Give 💰!

NOPE is having a Wisconsin fundraiser at 7 PM ET tomorrow. Their lead speaker will be Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. You'll also hear from Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of VOCES de la Frontera, a powerhouse Wisconsin grassroots group. You will have the opportunity to donate to a fund that will be split between WisDems and VOCES, or just listen and learn! Register for the event here.

(You can also donate without attending right here.)

Win Races! 🗳

Swing Left San Gabrielle Valley—a lovely and formidable group—is hosting four Zoom letter-writing parties for Wisconsin! They are:

Sunday, March 5, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PT,

Wednesday, March 15, 10:00 am – 11:00 am PT,

Sunday, March 19, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PT, and

Sunday, March 26, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PT

You’ll listen to music, chat and write letters to potential Democratic Wisconsin voters.

Visit votefwd.org and download and print 20 letters. You’ll also need 20 #10 envelopes, 20 1^st-class stamps, a blue or black pen and Wite-Out.

If you’ve never written letters before, they’ll show you what to do. Don't have a printer? Email Donna at laballetgirl@gmail.com, and “we'll figure it out together.”

Register for one or all of their Letter Writing Parties. Every letter you write can make the difference!

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

[to all 3 reps] [H/t Americans For Financial Reform] [Quick send text SIGN PZOHGT to 50409]

I’m writing to ask you to fight to protect the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by opposing the TABS Act!

The CFPB is very popular with voters across the ideological spectrum, including Independents and rank and file Republicans. Wall Street needs oversight and the CFPB has returned over $13.5 billion to consumers. It’s out there every single day working on behalf of American families.

America needs a strong and independent CFPB fulfilling its mission to protect consumers from illegal and predatory practices and other harm caused by Wall Street corporations that are all too willing to break the law.

Republican Rep. Andy Barr’s bill, the Taking Account of Bureaucrats’ Spending Act, also known as the TABS Act, would replace the CFPB’s independent funding mechanism, which other banking regulators also have, with annual appropriations by Congress. Republicans want to starve the agency into submission.

As your constituent, I call on you to publicly oppose and vote against the TABS Act and defend the independence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau now.

I look forward to your response on this issue.

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

Talk soon.

Jess

Chop Wood, Carry Water