Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/24
We. Are. Rising.
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you had a good weekend.
Like many of you, I attended a Tesla Takedown on Saturday—mine was in Old Town Pasadena. I have to say, it was incredible. I can’t recommend attending one highly enough! Not only did I run into some subscribers—so fun—but I also got to do democracy—to stand with a couple hundred other people and peacefully raise my voice against Elon Musk and this vile administration. We got so many supportive honks, so much positive feedback—it was just delightful. Here’s a little video (although it got more crowded later):
This, by the way, was one of about seven Tesla Takedown events in Southern California alone this weekend. Some folks I stood with were actually leaving the one we were at to go straight to another one in Glendale! There were hundreds more across the country—one, from what someone told me, had 11,000 people at it! (If you were at that one I’d love to know more.)
But hundreds of packed Tesla Takedowns weren’t all that happened this weekend. According to Bob Creamer, Bernie and AOC had 84,000 people at the 5 events they headlined over the last few days. EIGHTY FOUR THOUSAND! Absentee Town Halls for GOP reps also happened —and made news—all across the country. Many of you helped organize them! There was also a huge “March for the Constitution” here in L.A. Everywhere, patriotic Americans continued to rise and resist in ways large and small. So beautiful. And very, very hopeful.
Meanwhile Trump and his team of ghouls continue to overreach, trample the Constitution, and make themselves more despised by increasingly more Americans. It’s really hard to watch—and far worse to live through—but he is sowing the seeds of his own downfall. This level of evil can’t sustain itself. We won’t let it.
To anyone who attended a protest, a Tesla Takedown, a Town Hall, or anything else like it this weekend, thank you. Thank you for putting your time and resources into saving our democracy. Thank you for speaking up. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for instilling hope in others. I am continually inspired by every one of you, and so deeply happy to see this community growing.
What we’re doing is working—we must keep at it. So let’s get to work one more time!
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling to demand that the Senator speak out against the Trump administration’s deportation of Venezuelan immigrants without due process and against federal court orders. I am horrified by this situation. First, these individuals were already in detention here—they posed no immediate danger. Second, we are not at war with Venezuela. Third, some of the individuals sent to El Salvador, we now know, were not gang members at all! Absolutely atrocious.
Congress needs to subpoena the Trump administration officials responsible for these deportations, investigate the unlawful detainment of innocent immigrants, and hold the Trump administration accountable for their defiance of federal court orders. Thank you. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m very concerned about DOGE’s attacks on Social Security. Rep. John Larson has introduced 3 bills to protect it and I want the Congressmember to co-sponsor them all. They are HR 1876 the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act to put a moratorium on the closure of Social Security Field Offices, HR 1877, the Protecting Americans’ Social Security Data Act to block Elon Musk and DOGE’s access to sensitive beneficiary data, and H.Res.195, a Resolution of Inquiry to compel President Trump to disclose to Congress information about DOGE’s activity at SSA and any plans to close field offices or cut staff.
I urge the Congressmember to support these bills, to vocally speak out to protect our Social Security system, and to stand up and fight for the workers that keep Social Security working. Thanks. [H/T]
Extra Credit ✅
This is easy! Simply sign up for the new FREE Substack launched by MoveOn, Indivisible, and Working Families Power! Each week they'll be giving practical advice on ways to fight back against Trump and Musk.
These three groups are doing the organizational heavy lifting of the anti-MAGA movement. Let’s follow them! Oh, and please share this first post—it’s great!
Get Smart! 📚
Join BigTentUSA on Wednesday, March 26, at 7:00 PM ET for a crucial conversation with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, historian and author, and Barbara McQuade, former U.S. Attorney and MSNBC Legal Analyst. Kimberly Atkins Stohr, senior opinion writer and columnist at The Boston Globe, will moderate the conversation.
Both Ben-Ghiat and McQuade are recognized for their expertise in analyzing and addressing challenges to democratic institutions and the rule of law. Together, they will discuss connections between historical fascist tactics and the current threats facing America today. This timely discussion will shed light on the strategies used to manipulate public perception, erode trust in democracy, and consolidate power—offering insights into how we can resist and respond.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Use this fact sheet from the Alliance of Retired Americans—called “Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s biggest lies about Social Security”—when talking to misinformed friends. Very useful!
BTW, their whole website is a great resource for those worried about attacks on SSI, Medicare and Medicaid.
Give 💰!
Did you know there’s another important election in Wisconsin on April 1? It’s for Superintendent of Public Education, and we have a great candidate in Jill Underly.
Jill Underly is a life long advocate for public education while her opponent, Republican lobbyist Brittany Kinser, wants to drain public schools of funding and give it to unaccountable private schools. Kinser also said "it's fine" when asked about President Trump and Elon Musk's dismantling of the United States Department of Education.
Under Underly's leadership, Wisconsin K-12 education is now ranked 6th in the nation up from 14th in 2020 according to US News and World Report.
Please consider contributing to support her.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
A friendly reminder that this Saturday March 29 is a Tesla Takedown Global Day of Action! The goal is 500 Tesla Take down protests in one day!
WHERE: Tesla dealerships nationwide and in other countries. Find your closest US or International action here. Dates and times vary. I’ll be back in Old Town Pasadena from 12-2 on Saturday.
Grab Your Wallet! 💳
Another friendly reminder: Goods Unite Us is an excellent resource for folks looking to up their boycotting game. You can look up any company and find out where their corporate donations go. They have both a website and an app. I recently exchanged emails with one of its founders and confirmed that they are still actively updating the site on a regular basis. It’s a really helpful tool.
Some companies I’m off of completely: Amazon and all of its affiliates, Target, Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks, Hobby Lobby, AT&T, and Home Depot.
Feel free to add to the list in the comments!
Win Races! 🗳
My friend Will Baum just created a google doc listing every way he could find to help in Wisconsin. It’s really great, and has everything from donations to phone banks to text banks and more. This race is REALLY CLOSE. Please help!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T America’s Voice] [Text SIGN PLEMYX to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
I was very upset to learn from Reuters that thousands of Federal agents who usually hunt down child abusers, investigate money laundering, or pursue drug traffickers and tax fraud are now instead being diverted to work on mass deportation. It’s crazy!
The Trump team’s mass deportation obsession has no bounds; it is dangerous and makes no sense. They are willing to make us less safe–-including our children–-to go after immigrants who pay nearly $100 billion in taxes and Social Security every year and are vital workers in key industries. They are diverting money and manpower away from federal investigations into child abuse, drug trafficking, tax fraud and money laundering and redirecting them to indiscriminate immigration arrests and even to snoop through the private tax returns of every American.
All of this harms both America’s interests and values. It is also directly harmful to all of us. I want it to stop.
This is not who we are, and it’s also just dumb. Protect our kids. Keep federal agents working on fighting crime, not on attacking immigrants. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Not exactly related to the events on this newsletter but I do have some exciting news! I sent a letter to the New York Bar, in February, requesting they look into my senator here in TN, Bill Haggerty. He is licensed in NY. In my letter, I suggested that the Bar look into the complicity of Bill Haggerty as crimes were being committed. Sen. Haggerty has made no comment on those crimes, this is a blatant violation of the Bar. I received a response last week that my letter had merit and moved it to the next step! Not sure where it will end up but at least we are doing all things possible!
Hi, Jessica. Thanks for all you are doing. It's a lot and it's working!
I want to send along something we learned from Anat Shenker-Osorio last week. Please refer to what happened to those Venezuelans as an ABDUCTION. What happened was NOT a deportation. Describing it as a legal process is misleading and inaccurate. Thank you!