Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/17 🍀

Hi, all, and happy St. Patrick’s Day! (Also happy Thursday.)

This morning the Congressional Progressive Caucus released an agenda of priority items they want President Biden to address via Executive Action. They are demanding unilateral action on everything from student loan forgiveness to climate change to voting rights to criminal justice reforms and immigration issues. 

The folks at Indivisible have been suggesting just such a pivot for the last several weeks.

Why? Because it’s smart.

The sad truth is that until we expand our Senate majority—adopt a state, y’all!— the hopes of accomplishing anything meaningful in Congress are vanishingly slim. We have tried mightily. Manchin and Sinema have blocked even the most inarguably necessary legislation.

As in war, battlefronts change; so must strategy.

We will continue calling our representatives, of course, because there is still legislation that must go through them. Judicial and cabinet confirmations, too.

But we will also join the push to demand that President Biden go it alone in areas where he can, and where Republicans (and corporate Democrats) have left us no choice.

We can transform this country. We must.

And so we will.

By any means necessary. 🔥

Call Your Senators (find yours here)

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

First, I want the Senator to co-sponsor Sheldon Whitehouse’s new bill, the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act. While Big Oil and Gas rake in massive profits, their tax burden remains shockingly low. Meanwhile Americans are suffering. It’s not OK. The bill doesn’t yet have a number, but I hope the Senator will look it up and publicly express support right away. Thanks.

Also, please confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as soon as possible. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here)

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

I’m fed up with corporate price gouging. I want the Congressmember to co-sponsor H.R. 675, The COVID-19 Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would help the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General protect people across the country from pandemic profiteering. I also want him/her to co-sponsor Ro Khanna’s new bill, the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act. It doesn’t yet have a number, but I hope the Congressmember will look it up and publicly express support right away. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

So an amazing researcher at the Yale School of Management has compiled a continually-updated list of the companies that have left Russia (over 400 of them), and those who refuse to pull out (34, as of this morning).

Let’s shame the heck out of the latter.

✍🏼 Starting with Halliburton. Send them an email by clicking here. (You can also just write them at investors@halliburton.com or through their web contact form here).

✍🏼 Then let’s do International Paper. You’ll have to use their “contact us” form here.

✍🏼 Then LG Electronics. Contact form here. Or click to send email here.

✍🏼 Then Natura and Co. (They make Body Shop, Avon, and Aesop). Contact form is here. If anyone can find me an email address there I’ll make a quick-send email.

✍🏼 Then Authentic Brands (owners of Reebok, Aeropostale, Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers, Nine West and more). Click here to email (or use pr@authenticbrands.com and corporate@authenticbrands.com).

✍🏼 Then Focus Brands (owners of Cinnabon, Carvel ice cream, Schlotzsky’s sandwiches, Auntie Anne’s pretzel, and more). Click here for an auto send email or write to press@focusbrands.com.

✍🏼  Here is the Koch Industries contact form (here’s Judd Legum’s update on their position). Obviously they don’t care what we think, but I believe it’s worth telling them you’re a shareholder and you plan on divesting. In this case almost all of us–assuming we have retirement portfolios–likely DO own stock. I’d LOVE if someone could find me an email address, btw.

For all of these companies I said (and PLEASE personalize):

I’m writing because ____ is on a list of only 34 companies who have refused to exit Russia, despite the war crimes Vladimir Putin is committing. Despite the massive civilian casualties, the shocking cruelty, the breathtaking destruction. Despite the fact that economic sanctions are literally the ONLY thing we can use to stop Russia's aggression without ourselves being dragged into war.

Except sanctions won't work until EVERYONE gets out. Your company is literally prolonging this war and getting innocent people killed.

I'm asking _____ to please, please, pull out of Russia now. Over four hundred other companies have. Your company will be forever stained by the continued fact of your refusal to do so. Thanks.

I’ll try to expand this list as I get more contact info for the remaining companies. I made a toolkit doc with all of the above here. I’ll add new companies as I get them.

Extra Extra Credit!

Please call Biden’s Chief of Staff now.

Phone Number: Ron Klain, Chief of Staff, (888) 431 - 7599 (or try 202-456-1414)

Sample Script: Hi, my name is ____, and I’m from ____. I’m calling to demand the Biden Administration heed growing calls to declare a climate emergency, stop fossil fuel leasing on public lands and waters, and use the Defense Production Act to create millions of union jobs by jumpstarting just renewable energy production. We are in a climate emergency, and the window to avoid the most catastrophic effects is closing. We can’t wait for Congress - we need bold executive climate action now. Thank you!

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

[to President Biden] [H/T and background] [quick send text SIGN PETUOV to 50409]

Your plan to address income inequality and finance bold action on the climate emergency by making sure corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share of taxes is very popular with the American people. You can demonstrate your conviction to do that and inspire the American people by replacing IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig immediately.

• IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig made his name helping the wealthy fight IRS enforcement actions. As Commissioner, faced with budget constraints, he cut audits of the wealthy and large corporations while continuing to pursue EITC claimants.

• His FY 2020 budget request included major cuts to taxpayer services, which are crucial, particularly for low-income taxpayers trying to navigate the complicated tax rules. 

• Rettig is a long-time Trump associate who supported his refusal to share his tax returns with the American people during the 2016 campaign and while he was president.

He needs to go immediately. Thanks.

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

Talk tomorrow.

Jess