Chop Wood, Carry Water 3/25
Joy is not a naive optimism in the inevitability of social progress -- it is our strongest tool to truly bend the moral arc of the universe.
—Fatima Goss Graves (in this gorgeous piece about the KBJ confirmation hearings)
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
I’m feeling pretty energized this morning, having just heard that Joe Manchin will vote yes on Ketanji Brown Jackson, all but guaranteeing her confirmation. Thank God. I hadn’t been particularly worried, but I do so want this process to be over, for her sake and ours. I’m sure you feel the same.
It’s been a long week and, as is so often the case, an arduous one. Still, there’ve been a lot of wins. You’ll hear about them this weekend if you’re a paid subscriber—as always, my “Extra! Extra!” newsletter is filled to overflowing with small (and large) victories to celebrate.
And celebrate we must. It’s so, so important to focus on the wins, the joy, the sometimes surprising signs of progress. We are about to seat our nation’s first Black, female Supreme Court justice. This is REMARKABLE. It is critical that we not let frightened, loveless, morally depraved lawmakers take that joy away from us.
In fact, we must wave it in their faces every chance we get.
It drives them crazy, for they cannot feel it themselves.
So let’s “bend the arc with our joy” one more time. Because we should.
Because we must.
Because we CAN. Aren’t we lucky?
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I understand that Republicans stripped out $30M that was supposed to be in the recent funding bill for the IRS to investigate Russian oligarchs. This is outrageous. the IRS plays a major part in imposing sanctions on oligarchs and supporters of Vladimir Putin. I want that funding put back in the next funding bill and passed as soon as possible.
Also please confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court and Dr. Lisa Cook to the Federal Board of Governors. These are both highly qualified nominees who’ve endured horrific racism during their confirmation processes. We need to get them both seated immediately. No more abuse. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I understand that Republicans stripped out $30M that was supposed to be in the recent funding bill for the IRS to investigate Russian oligarchs. This is outrageous. the IRS plays a major part in imposing sanctions on oligarchs and supporters of Vladimir Putin. I want that funding put back in the next funding bill and passed as soon as possible. Along with more COVID funding, which we need badly. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Judd Legum is out with a new article about the six companies who claim to be pro-woman, but have given loads to money to lawmakers who’ve sponsored awful abortion bills in Idaho, Arizona, and Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, etc.
One of our intrepid readers has dug up email addresses for five of the companies and composed individual scripts, complete with donation amounts and state legislatures involved, so I’ve made click-to-send emails for each. PLEASE PERSONALIZE and change freely. (If click-to-sends don’t work for you on your computer, try using your phone without a VPN).
Anheuser Busch click to send.
United Healthcare click-to-send.
Comcast click-to-send.
Merck click-to-send.
AT&T click-to-send.
Get Smart! 📚
Join Markers For Democracy this Sunday, March 27th for an important conversation with Michael Waldman, President of the Brennan Center for Justice and leading voice on issues of law, democracy, and voting rights. He’ll be talking about his recently reissued and updated book, The Fight to Vote, and how it pertains to the current attacks on Americans’ freedom to vote.
He will also talk about how we fight back.
This Sunday, March 27th at 4:30 PM EDT on Zoom. Sign up here.
Get Social!
Please tweet or RT this (download the graphic here). I’m told the vote could be any day. And bonus points if you can call again. I just did—it took two seconds.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to your Senators] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PPJEEF to 50409]
Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree that no president, regardless of party, should be able to obstruct and undermine the will of the American people or exploit weaknesses in our political system for personal gain.
That’s where the Protecting Our Democracy Act (S. 2921) comes in. If passed, it would prevent future abuse of presidential power and corruption, increase transparency, and ensure presidents of either party can be held accountable.
Strengthening the guardrails on presidential power is just common sense. If the average person used their office for personal gain, they’d go to jail. If the average person could pardon themselves, there would be no rule of law.
No president should be above the law. That’s why I’m urging you to work diligently to pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act. We must prevent future presidents of any party from abusing the power of their office. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
Awesome indeed...you are, dear Jessica. Thank you.
In another month I will be able to change my cellular service from AT&T, yahoo!
In the meantime thanks for making it easy to express ourselves to our legislators and to give feedback to the companies who are being liars and hypocrites.