GREAT news about closing the gun-show loophole!! Democrats continue to make dents with our small hammers. Wait until 2025 when we have sledge hammers!!!
Also, SUPER NEWS! My Rep. Dingell signed the discharge petition today to get money to Ukraine ASAP. YAY!! I was on the phone with one of her senior LA's (leg. aides) rather than an intern, and he was able to tell me WHY she was waiting to sign -- technical issues regarding the Gaza humanitarian aid delivery mechanism -- but then he told me she was a go!!! I yelled into the phone; poor guy probably has hearing loss ;-). Onward and more calls to come ... Thanks, Jess, for your amazing support and leadership.
Agree with Cheryl! 💙 postcarding with NEAZ Native Dems. My current project along with VoteRider/Vote Forward letters for NC✍️ Love seeing that lead of Josh Stein over DeSantis-on-steroids.
Love seeing that lead of Josh Stein over DeSantis-on-steroids.
You and me both!
Our local Indivisible chapter is writing postcards to defeat Trish Cotham (aka the treason weasel who flipped parties (D) to (R) to give the GOP a veto-proof mirnority in the state legislature). The GOP redrew her district to lean (R) and many people in the new district do not even realize it. Her Dem. opponent, Nicole Sidman, is a fighter and the Mecklenburg County Dems consider this a grudge match!
This is an effort of our local Indivisible chapter (Indivisible CLT). They custom printed 7500 postcards cards with a group called Flip NC and word is that so many people signed up to write them that the volunteers are limited to one bundle of 50 postcards each. But the group is accepting donations to cover the postage. The link is here: https://donorbox.org/flip-iclt-letters.
And once I have written some of the postcards, I would be more than happy to email you a photo of some completed cards, if you would like to share it. We are also making a big thing of posting the cards as a group at the post office that covers much of Cotham's newly gerrymandered district. I expect those photos will show up in a newsletter if they don't get some press coverage...
I hope ACP funding renews fast, since my bill doubles on April 16, 2024. Not much time, but lots of people seem to be writing to ask that funding be extended. Thanks for the script!
Our Bluegrass Blue Wave (KY) giving circle decided on Tuesday to choose Arizona as the state legislature we are supporting this year! Early money on its way to flip the 2 seats needed in each chamber to gain a trifecta! https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/k9Wtb29/Bluegrass-Blue-Wave
Hope I remembered correctly that you recommended "Our Revolution" as a responsible progressive group. Their survey sounded so and I donated. They were looking for support for M4A and I recommended MCRA as a superior alternative on cost and fraud protection and "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" as a progressive playbook to sound governance. Election is one skill; governance is another. Love, Doc
M4A has the advantage of the bureaucracy already being set up and functioning, but we have also learned that it is subject to serious fraud and it has no protection from defensive medicine and only minimal restraint on corporate abuses and price inflation. It does provide 60 years of price guidance that MCRA can use as starting guidance. MCRA has built in protection from fraud and price abuse with an individual being responsible for charges and penalties being spelled out specifically. No Primary Care Physician would dare allow fraud under the terms of MCRA, and patients would provide direct restraint on costs and quality. Physician would be encouraged to return to direct patient care as professionals and escape being proletariat working for a corporate paycheck.
Regarding the comment on trepidation over calling representatives, please consider the option of sending an email. I'll argue this is just as effective as calling and speaking to an intern, and certainly as effective as leaving a voicemail. It is one more option to get engaged in this activism journey. Thanks!
For anyone who's worried about calling their (particularly Republican) reps - in all the times that I've called my Democrat Senator, my Republican Senator (gem of a human Ron Johnson) and my Democrat Congressman, the only ones who have EVER had real live people answer the phone (and rarely, at that) when I call are the Democrats. Regardless of the day or time, I ALWAYS have gotten the Republican's voicemail. How ***very*** interesting... ;)
Not that that will be true across the board, but I find it amusing and it has made me far less nervous to call!
Ron Johnson's is weird. The first voicemail voice is a random lady who gives you some options. If you choose comment on legislation, then you get a second voicemail voice which is Johnson's.
I am thrilled with the gun rule the President put in place. Would you please comment about how enforeceable this rule will actually be, and the delays all the legal challenges we can expect Reps/NRA crazies to mount might keep it from bring implemented.
I mean, they will try to stop it but it is implementation of a law they helped pass, so we'll see how successful they are. The Biden admin is essentially expanding the definition of who is a gun dealer. They'll have to prove in court that that's wrong. They'll try. No idea how it'll play out, but until we flip the House and keep the Senate and Biden and abolish the filibuster this is the only way we can do this.
I love the audio version of the newsletter! As with Robert Hubbell I feel you are speaking directly to me while I am doing my morning exercise routine. I really appreciated the encouragement for those of us who may be hesitant to call representatives in that we will most likely never speak with a rep but still have our opinion tabulated by a staffer. Calling will now become part of my daily routine.- like crunches and brushing teeth!Thank you !
GREAT news about closing the gun-show loophole!! Democrats continue to make dents with our small hammers. Wait until 2025 when we have sledge hammers!!!
Also, SUPER NEWS! My Rep. Dingell signed the discharge petition today to get money to Ukraine ASAP. YAY!! I was on the phone with one of her senior LA's (leg. aides) rather than an intern, and he was able to tell me WHY she was waiting to sign -- technical issues regarding the Gaza humanitarian aid delivery mechanism -- but then he told me she was a go!!! I yelled into the phone; poor guy probably has hearing loss ;-). Onward and more calls to come ... Thanks, Jess, for your amazing support and leadership.
That's so amazing, Sheila! Whatever was holding her up must have been holding up my rep also, because he just signed on yesterday. Progress!
Awesome!! We'll get there with Ukraine, despite Trump's worst efforts.
I write postcards with NEAZ Native Democrats and I really feel like I am making a difference for a group of people who are often marginalized.
That's awesome, Cheryl.
Agree with Cheryl! 💙 postcarding with NEAZ Native Dems. My current project along with VoteRider/Vote Forward letters for NC✍️ Love seeing that lead of Josh Stein over DeSantis-on-steroids.
Love seeing that lead of Josh Stein over DeSantis-on-steroids.
You and me both!
Our local Indivisible chapter is writing postcards to defeat Trish Cotham (aka the treason weasel who flipped parties (D) to (R) to give the GOP a veto-proof mirnority in the state legislature). The GOP redrew her district to lean (R) and many people in the new district do not even realize it. Her Dem. opponent, Nicole Sidman, is a fighter and the Mecklenburg County Dems consider this a grudge match!
Oooh how can I get in on that action? Who's writing the cards?
This is an effort of our local Indivisible chapter (Indivisible CLT). They custom printed 7500 postcards cards with a group called Flip NC and word is that so many people signed up to write them that the volunteers are limited to one bundle of 50 postcards each. But the group is accepting donations to cover the postage. The link is here: https://donorbox.org/flip-iclt-letters.
And once I have written some of the postcards, I would be more than happy to email you a photo of some completed cards, if you would like to share it. We are also making a big thing of posting the cards as a group at the post office that covers much of Cotham's newly gerrymandered district. I expect those photos will show up in a newsletter if they don't get some press coverage...
I hope ACP funding renews fast, since my bill doubles on April 16, 2024. Not much time, but lots of people seem to be writing to ask that funding be extended. Thanks for the script!
Sure! I am getting really close to making a TikTok about it. I've just been swamped.
You do an amazing amount of work.👍
Our Bluegrass Blue Wave (KY) giving circle decided on Tuesday to choose Arizona as the state legislature we are supporting this year! Early money on its way to flip the 2 seats needed in each chamber to gain a trifecta! https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/k9Wtb29/Bluegrass-Blue-Wave
So glad to hear this!
Hope I remembered correctly that you recommended "Our Revolution" as a responsible progressive group. Their survey sounded so and I donated. They were looking for support for M4A and I recommended MCRA as a superior alternative on cost and fraud protection and "The Price Of Eggs Is Down" as a progressive playbook to sound governance. Election is one skill; governance is another. Love, Doc
I have mixed feelings about Our Revolution, to be honest, but I do love how hard they're fighting for M4A.
M4A has the advantage of the bureaucracy already being set up and functioning, but we have also learned that it is subject to serious fraud and it has no protection from defensive medicine and only minimal restraint on corporate abuses and price inflation. It does provide 60 years of price guidance that MCRA can use as starting guidance. MCRA has built in protection from fraud and price abuse with an individual being responsible for charges and penalties being spelled out specifically. No Primary Care Physician would dare allow fraud under the terms of MCRA, and patients would provide direct restraint on costs and quality. Physician would be encouraged to return to direct patient care as professionals and escape being proletariat working for a corporate paycheck.
Regarding the comment on trepidation over calling representatives, please consider the option of sending an email. I'll argue this is just as effective as calling and speaking to an intern, and certainly as effective as leaving a voicemail. It is one more option to get engaged in this activism journey. Thanks!
For anyone who's worried about calling their (particularly Republican) reps - in all the times that I've called my Democrat Senator, my Republican Senator (gem of a human Ron Johnson) and my Democrat Congressman, the only ones who have EVER had real live people answer the phone (and rarely, at that) when I call are the Democrats. Regardless of the day or time, I ALWAYS have gotten the Republican's voicemail. How ***very*** interesting... ;)
Not that that will be true across the board, but I find it amusing and it has made me far less nervous to call!
Hey, at least your lawmakers have voicemails. Ted Cruz doesn't even have one from what I've heard.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 amazing
Ron Johnson's is weird. The first voicemail voice is a random lady who gives you some options. If you choose comment on legislation, then you get a second voicemail voice which is Johnson's.
I am thrilled with the gun rule the President put in place. Would you please comment about how enforeceable this rule will actually be, and the delays all the legal challenges we can expect Reps/NRA crazies to mount might keep it from bring implemented.
Thank you, Jess!
I mean, they will try to stop it but it is implementation of a law they helped pass, so we'll see how successful they are. The Biden admin is essentially expanding the definition of who is a gun dealer. They'll have to prove in court that that's wrong. They'll try. No idea how it'll play out, but until we flip the House and keep the Senate and Biden and abolish the filibuster this is the only way we can do this.
I love the audio version of the newsletter! As with Robert Hubbell I feel you are speaking directly to me while I am doing my morning exercise routine. I really appreciated the encouragement for those of us who may be hesitant to call representatives in that we will most likely never speak with a rep but still have our opinion tabulated by a staffer. Calling will now become part of my daily routine.- like crunches and brushing teeth!Thank you !
Delighted to hear this!