Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/10
Your easy democracy maintenance tool.
Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!
I’m feeling pretty good about myself this morning—I’ve already taken a walk, gone grocery shopping, done a load of laundry, and made calls to all of my Congressmembers.
Notice how I include that last part with my other quotidian chores? That’s intentional! Because tending to democracy should be something we work into our daily routines. We brush our teeth every day, right? So plaque and tartar don’t build up? We buy groceries often to refill our pantries. We wash our clothes when they’re dirty. We exercise regularly, because we can’t stay healthy on last week’s efforts.
Similarly should we work small attentions to our democracy into our weekly routines. How? Simply by contacting our representatives, working to help great lawmakers get elected, voting, and helping others to vote! These are the easy ways we can maintain and improve our democracy. When we do them regularly, diligently, and for long enough, we will find that our union gets stronger, more resilient, healthier…and stays that way!
So let’s not despair at the “plaque” that’s built up on our democracy. It’s bad, but—contrary to popular opinion—it’s never too late to reverse such damage. We must simply develop new good habits, apply them with patience, and keep them up day in and day out!
That’s what we’re doing here, and I’m so glad that you’ve joined me for it. Democracy maintenance is so much more fun when we do it together, isn’t it?
P.S. It’s apparently National Sibling Day, and my sister Abigail has put together a terrific Spotify playlist of sibling acts. Check it out here! (Bonus points if you can figure out which track I’m singing backups on.)
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling about two issues:
First, I’m really concerned that the Affordable Connectivity Program is about to run out of money. 22 million Americans use it to stay connected. Congress needs to act now. Will the Senator work to make sure this funding gets renewed?
Second, has the Senator yet co-sponsored S. 3612, the Access to Family Building Act? We need federal protection for the right to access IVF. This bill would do that and protect families and doctors from criminalization. Will the Senator sign onto it and publicly call for a vote on it? [H/T Indivisible]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling about two issues:
First, aid to Ukraine has been delayed for six months, and I’m very concerned that this delay is only serving the interests of Vladimir Putin. Reports tell us that if an aid package for Ukraine were brought to the floor, it would pass. So what is the Congress(wo)man doing right now to get the aid to Ukraine up for a vote? [H/T Small Deeds Done]
Second, I’m really concerned that the Affordable Connectivity Program is about to run out of money. 22 million Americans use it to stay connected. Congress needs to act now. The internet is critical to our everyday lives. It’s a basic need. Will the Congressmember work to make sure this funding gets renewed?
Extra Credit ✅
Art The Vote has issued a CALL FOR ART inviting young people (17–29) to enter a national juried art challenge to help Get Out The Young Vote in 2024. The ATV Challenge: Create original ARTCARDS or STICKERS that pierce the noise and pervasive disaffection to energize & engage young voters.
Visit Artthevote.org for submission guidelines and more information. The deadline for submissions is June 30th. Please spread the word to the young people in your life. There are cash prizes for top submissions.
Get Smart! 📚
In the first half of this webinar they’ll review the People Over Long Lines Act (H.R. 5291/S. 3517) which would end wait times of more than 30 minutes at the polls and ensure adequate polling sites and resources according to voter demand, not income level. Fewer polling places and long lines deter people from voting and we need to make sure that doesn’t happen by urging our members of Congress to pass this bill.
The second 30 minutes are a legislative visit training so that you can learn or brush up on how to engage your senators, representatives, and their staff. No experience is necessary — all are welcome!
Spread the Word! 📣
Below is another outstanding Biden ad that should be shared. Dan Pfeiffer feels Trump’s promise to gut the ACA is a really potent weapon to use against him. Let’s make sure we do that! Remember:
During his first term, Trump was one vote away from repealing the ACA. Now, he is promising to “terminate” the ACA again and gut health care for the millions of Americans who rely on the program.
Trump and his allies also have plans to repeal President Biden’s legislation that builds on the ACA to further lower health premiums and prescription drug costs.
Trump is openly campaigning on a promise to:
Threaten health care protections for 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions like cancer, asthma, and diabetes;
Raise premiums and health care costs by thousands of dollars a year for millions of Americans;
Raise seniors’ prescription drug costs by hundreds of dollars per year;
Jeopardize free preventive care like cancer screenings, annual check-ups, and cholesterol tests for 150 million Americans;
Cause uninsurance rates for communities of color to skyrocket;
Kick millions of young people off their parents’ coverage;
And take away access to mental health care or substance use treatment for millions.
Give 💰!
On Tuesday, April 16, 7:00-8:00pm ET on Zoom join Force Multiplier to learn about two states and two races that are critical to Democratic success in 2024.
Meet House Candidates Rep. Don Davis NC 01 + Curtis Hertel MI 07, as well as North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and Michigan Democratic State Party Chair Lavora Barnes. (Wow! Great speakers!)
This is a fundraiser, but technically there is no minimum donation required to attend. REGISTER + DONATE
Your donation will be split among Don Davis, Curtis Hertel and
the State Democratic Parties of North Carolina and Michigan.
Win Races! 🗳
Starting this month, the Environmental Voter Project has phone banks at consistent times three times per week: Tuesdays at 12pm ET / 9am PT, Wednesdays at 7pm ET / 4pm PT, and Fridays at 11am ET/ 8am PT. If one or more of these times works for your schedule on a regular basis, please consider adding one to your weekly schedule to ensure you always make time to make a difference.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
How can we tell stories that engage people on climate change? Please join the Yale Center for Environmental Communication on Friday, April 19 from Noon-1PM ET for a discussion moderated by Sara Peach, Editor-in-Chief of Yale Climate Connections, with Antonieta Cadiz, Deputy Executive Director of Climate Power en Acción, Dominique Browning, co-founder and Director of Moms Clean Air Force, and Dr. Francesca Polletta, sociology professor at UC Irvine and author of It Was Like a Fever: Storytelling and Protest Politics.
They will explore how climate organizations are currently using storytelling in their work, the impacts of these stories, and lessons learned from other movements.
RSVP HERE
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T First Five Years Fund ] [Text SIGN PUNZQU to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
Parents are struggling to find and afford high-quality child care for their kids. They need your support.
Right now, you have the opportunity to sign on to Dear Colleague letters being circulated calling for increased funding for early learning and child care programs. As your constituent, I strongly urge you to add your name to help working parents and give more young children a strong foundation for success in school and life.
These programs, including Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Head Start and Early Head Start, Early Head Start - Child Care Partnerships, and Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five (PDG B-5), ensure families have access to the high-quality care they rely on to go to work or school. But at current funding levels these important programs only reach a fraction of the families who are eligible. We need to strengthen them and make sure they reach more of the families who need support.
I am grateful for the years of support these programs have received from both Republicans and Democrats, and I hope you will publicly show your support for these programs by signing on to these letters. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
I’m going to go hang that laundry now. Talk tomorrow!
Jess
You're right! I've timed it, and with your excellent prompts it takes less than 7 minutes to call all 3 of my congressional peeps and give them the straight scoop.
Question: Do you build relationships with those staff? Do you discuss things with them? Don't they get sick of your calling every day on one thing or another. That is one reason I hesitate.