Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/24 🏳️⚧️
Hi, all, and happy Friday,
For inspiration today I offer you not my words, but the fighting words—truly!—of Democratic State Senator Megan Hunt of Nebraska.
Hunt is not only a Democrat, and a lawmaker, but the mom to a transgender son. The fiery speech—excerpted in the above video—in which she explains to her Republican colleagues that because they have chosen to try to keep advancing their ban on gender affirming healthcare “this session is over,” is one everyone must see. It’s not just the fact that she, along with two other Democrats in the minority, are committing to filibustering ALL legislation until the anti-trans bill is withdrawn. It’s the bright, clear, moral line in the sand she draws with her words. And the absolute fury she expresses. And the brutal, fearless determination she shows.
We need more like this.
And let me remind you of something: Democrats in the Nebraska Senate are in the minority. By a lot. They are able to filibuster this bill because it takes 33 votes to overcome a filibuster. Republicans have 32. They are short the ONE VOTE they need.
And that one Democratic seat blocking them? It was won just last year by 41 votes. Votes that the States Project helped get with their strategic work and fundraising. Do you see now why their work matters? And why every vote matters? And why every seat in every statehouse matters?
Lives will be saved, trans kids’ hope maintained, dastardly legislation stopped—all because of ONE seat, and the 41 extra people who turned out to vote for it.
The flap of a butterfly’s wings, essentially, changing the course of history.
NEVER think for a second that what you do doesn’t matter. ALL of it matters. Every single bit of it.
Watch the speech. Feel that passion. Then channel your inner Megan Hunt and help us fight.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling because new polling shows that 77% of voters support legislation to provide more oversight into railroad carriers and improve industry safety regulations. This includes majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans. Yet S. 576, the Railway Safety Act of 2023, has only 5 co-sponsors. May I ask whether the Senator is one of them and if not why? Americans want rail regulations tightened and we want that before the next catastrophic derailment, not after. Why is this bill not moving faster?
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling because new polling shows that 77% of voters support legislation to provide more oversight into railroad carriers and improve industry safety regulations. This includes majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans. Yet Representative Khanna’s H.R.1238 - the Decreasing Emergency Railroad Accident Instances Locally Act has only 28 co-sponsors in the House. May I ask whether the Congressmember is one of them and if not why? Americans want rail regulations tightened and we want that before the next catastrophic derailment, not after. Why is this bill not moving faster?
Extra Credit ✅
The Trevor Project —one of my all-time favorite orgs—tracks anti-LGBTQ+ bills around the clock and works fervently to defeat them. But they can’t do it without our help.
The best way to combat these dangerous bills is for legislators to hear directly from their constituents about how these bills affect you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors.
So please sign up to receive text alerts from the Trevor Project by texting TREVOR to 40649. That way they can quickly let you know when they need you to take action in your state.
Get Smart! 📚
Attend a Midterm Election Analysis with GalVanize!
If you’re not familiar with GalVanize USA, they’re an amazing organization that works, essentially, to flip white women who voted for Trump to our side. Using Facebook groups, data-driven messaging, and lots and lots of research, they are endeavoring to move these women to the blue column. They have already had LOTS of success, and they’ve got the data to prove it.
On Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 10:00am PT / 1:00pm ET they’re doing a midterm election analysis to show exactly what they were able to accomplish last year and what they’ve got planned next. From them:
Join Jackie Payne for a virtual briefing (webinar). We’ll do a deep dive on the midterm election results, share learnings from the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary, and explore what’s needed this year and next to advance progress.
Can’t recommend checking it out highly enough.
Spread the Word! 📣
ARTICLES TO AMPLIFY
News & Observer: Biden coming to Durham next week to visit expanding tech company
Spectrum News: Biden, officials to crisscross U.S. touting 'Investing in America'
The Wall Street Journal: South Korea’s LG Energy to Build $5.6 Billion Battery Plant in Arizona
DNC War Room: DeSantis Gives A FIFTH Different Answer Against Ukraine
Win Races—CALL! 🗳
Judge Janet Protasiewicz herself will be joining the WisDems phone bank on Saturday, March 25th at 2pm ET! Please join her and the DNC Call Crew to make calls for this critical WI Supreme Court election! They have the best dialer; you’ll be calling all Democrats; they will train you! Click here to RSVP.
Win Races—With Simon Rosenberg and Ben Wikler! 🗳️
The amazing Simon Rosenberg is doing a political briefing with WisDems chair Ben Wikler next Tuesday to talk about the current state of play, and you’re invited!
From Rosenberg:
This month's political briefing and discussion is this coming Tuesday, March 28th at 1pm ET. We are excited to announce that Ben Wikler, the dynamic Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, will be joining our discussion live at 130pm ET to provide an update on the all important April 4th Supreme Court election. You can watch the discussion live on my YouTube channel or RSVP here for Zoom.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PNFKGB to 50409]
I am writing to urge you to pass the Deliver Executive Profits on Seized Institutions to Taxpayers (DEPOSIT) Act that was recently introduced by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Reps Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Mike Levin (D-CA).
This important legislation would hold executives at failed banks financially responsible for their mismanagement and prevent them from selling off shares of stock, potentially profiting from their bank failure -- like Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker might have done when he sold $3.6 million of stock shortly before the collapse of SVB.
American taxpayers shouldn’t be left holding the bag and bailing out banks while their executives are walking away with multi-million dollar compensation and bonus packages. Please respond in writing and let me know you co-sponsored this bill. Thanks!
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Megan Hunt is my new hero. Thank you for using her to highlight the impact of the work we are doing.
3/25 Will watch the video later in the day. Just want to let you know I commented about your newsletter and fabulous work to Thom Hartmann on his forum, The Hartmann Report, and he just subscribed to CWCW!!! That means he'll be referring to info from your newsletter on his progressive talk show (by Podcast, Free Speech TV, Sirius XM, YouTube, and Facebook).
Both of you work extremely hard to inform and motivate, wanted to make sure you each knew about one another.
Peace out, it's late, I'm a late nighter, bad habit, just hate mornings and going to bed early.
-Diana