Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/14

Just keep showing up!

Hi, all, and happy Monday.

I know it’s not easy out there right now. That’s why I’m so happy to see you here today! You’re tired, and overwhelmed, and likely dispirited, but you’re here anyway. This fact underscores once again the great importance, when fighting a long battle, of just taking the action no matter what. Of course we’re fatigued. Of course we’re distraught. But the difference between our winning or losing is in what we do with that—whether we let our feelings of overwhelm force us to the sidelines, or whether we stay in the fight despite our feelings.

You are doing the latter. That’s what makes you so amazing.

Never underestimate the power of just showing up, my friends. It’s vast. Remember, history won’t judge us by how we felt in this moment. It’ll judge us by what we did.

Let’s, too, remember what Franklin D. Roosevelt said:

Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.

Exactly! So let’s get to work one more time!

P.S. — Friendly reminder I’ll be doing a brief Substack Live at 4PM PT / 7PM ET. It’ll be part pep talk, part update on what’s coming up this week legislatively, and part Q and A.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, what is the Senator doing about Trump’s refusal to comply with the Supreme Court? This is a Constitutional crisis. The Senator has taken an oath to protect and uphold the Constitution; I want to know what s/he’ll do to push the president to comply.

Second, I want to make absolutely sure the Senator is going to vote no on the SAVE Act. Will s/he? This is a horrifying voter suppression bill—it cannot pass.

[If Democrat add:]

Finally, Chuck Schumer needs to step aside as leader. We are falling further into fascism—we need a leader who can fight. He’s not it.

[If Republican add:]

Finally, I know Republicans are trying to pass a reconciliation bill that doesn’t actually comply with the rules of reconciliation. Does this mean that they’ll be OK with Democrats doing the same when we take power back? Because we will. If Republicans don’t want that to happen they need to let the Parliamentarian—not Lindsey Graham—decide what budget baseline to use. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

First, what is the Congressmember doing about Trump’s refusal to comply with the Supreme Court? This is a Constitutional crisis. The Congressmember has taken an oath to protect and uphold the Constitution; I want to know what s/he’ll do to push the president to comply.

Next, I want the Congressmember to support The DC Local Funds Act. DC will be in big trouble if this bill isn’t passed—it’ll be especially awful for schools and the local police force. Please push to pass it quickly.

Finally, I want to express my strong opposition to H.R. 1702, the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act of 2025. If passed as currently written, Congress will hand President Trump 22 new lifetime judgeships and 1 temporary judgeship to fill before his term concludes. This is not the way things are supposed to work. Please vote no. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Contact your State Attorney General (find yours here) either by phone or using the “Contact Us” form on their official website and say (feel free to personalize):

I’m very alarmed about President Trump's social media posts encouraging stock purchases immediately before reversing his most extreme tariffs. It raises serious questions about potential insider trading and market manipulation.

I want your office to investigate potential insider trading, market manipulation, fraud, corruption, falsified records, and consumer protection violations that may have been committed by President Trump and his top allies in connection with recent tariff policy changes.

No one—including a president—is above the law. Any violations must be fully investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted by state laws. Thanks.

Extra Extra Credit ✅✅

The Brennan Center has a new tool for writing your senators to demand they vote NO on the SAVE Act. It’s quick and easy to use; you can do so here.

Get Smart! 📚

There are TWO events featuring Heather Cox Richardson this week!

1. Join Heather Cox Richardson in conversation with Congressmember Jasmine Crockett as they discuss how Project 2025 has found its way into the Trump Administration’s policies, and how you can spread the word about this extremist government plan. Monday, April 14 at 4:00 pm PT / 7PM ET. Hosted by Red, Wine and Blue. Sign up here.

2. Volunteer Blue is offering a webinar with Heather Cox Richardson, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell Wednesday, April 16^th at 4 PM Eastern Time. They will focus on strategies and pragmatic actions we can take to stop the destruction of our democracy. Sign up here.

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

CREW just launched a new tool tracking Trump's promotion of his own properties and other conflicts as president.

In this tracker, they'll be watching "visits to Trump properties by Trump, members of his cabinet, and state and foreign government officials; events held by foreign governments, special interests and political groups at Trump properties; and instances where Trump, cabinet members and other government offices use their platform to promote Trump businesses publicly."

Be sure to share widely!

Tax Strike! 🪧

Writing for the Guardian, Judith Levine encourages tax resistance this year saying, "Tax resistance is civil disobedience, a public, political act. The reason to withhold your taxes is not to cheat the government of much-needed funds. It is not even to cheat the crooks now running the country, satisfying as that may be. It is to expose the criminality of what is being done – and not done – with the money the state has a legal and moral obligation to collect and then to distribute, to serve all the people."

If you feel similarly, there are resources to consider a range of options at TaxStrike.info.

If you're still working through your tax forms, you might consider: Slowing down your tax payments by paying by mail or filing an extension and delaying payment until later. Or you could decide to pay a portion — 50% or subtract $17.76 from your tax payment in protest. (The IRS could charge you a penalty for late payment and interest on your overdue taxes.)

If you want further updates, you can join the email list.

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T the Immigration Hub] [Text SIGN PZPQZL to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

I’m writing to demand that Kilmar Abrego-Garcia be brought back to the U.S. immediately. What’s happened to him at our hands is sickening and deeply unjust. Congress must intervene.

The claim that the Trump administration lacks the power or authority to bring Abrego-Garcia back is simply false. Past administrations, including the Biden administration, have successfully facilitated the return of individuals who were wrongfully deported — including veterans deported during Trump's first administration. The precedent and legal authority exist. What’s missing is the will to act – and the courage to take responsibility for the chaos that Trump’s mass deportation agenda has caused.

The Supreme Court has spoken: Abrego-Garcia was wrongly deported and must be returned to the U.S and reunited with his wife and children. No president is above the law and no family should be torn apart because President Trump refuses to be held accountable. Bring Abrego-Garcia back NOW! And rein Trump in before he destroys our democracy. Thanks.

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OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess