Ask yourself: “Can I give more?” The answer is usually: “Yes.”
— Paul Tergat, long-distance runner
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
Yesterday I went to the Environmental Voter Project phonebank I’d posted about here. I was a little late—I’d been at a doctor’s appointment, done a ton of work, and had a long walk with the foster dog. By the time I was able to log on I’ll admit it: I was tired, and didn’t want to go.
But I’d told y’all I’d be there, so I went.
It ended up, of course, being totally fantastic.
Why? Well, first of all, turnout was great. So exciting! There were twenty people there making calls, which—considering this was for a municipal election in Tuscon—is pretty heartening.
The calls, too, were just really fun and effective. In only 45 minutes I had several excellent conversations. Some of the folks I spoke to were wrong numbers; some had moved; a few weren’t home. But I also talked to quite a few voters who didn’t know about the election and were grateful for my call. Knowing, as I do, that local elections like these are often determined by a handful of votes—and that voters who turn out for such elections are more likely to vote in bigger ones—I really felt I’d made a difference. We all did.
It was another excellent reminder that I don’t have to “feel like” doing activism to make a difference. I just have to show up. Once I begin, I am quickly galvanized by the feeling of engagement and even excitement I get from talking to voters. I’m encouraged by meeting other volunteers working to save us. I feel less afraid—even hopeful!
Proving once again that—for me, at least—hope is an action.
So let’s go make some hope right now. Whether we feel like it or not. 😉
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I support the billionaires income tax proposed by President Biden in his new budget and also by Senator Ron Wyden. It’s a no-brainer. I want the Senator to support it and make passing it a top priority. [H/T]
Also, I’m alarmed that President Biden is allowing new oil and gas drilling on public lands. We’ll never reach our climate goals this way. The Senate needs to pass S. 1115, the Keep It in the Ground Act, which would prohibit new and renewed permits for drilling and infrastructure development for fossil energy projects on public lands. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling because I’m alarmed that President Biden is allowing new oil and gas drilling on public lands. We’ll never reach our climate goals this way. Congress needs to pass H.R.2519, the Keep It in the Ground Act, which would prohibit new and renewed permits for drilling and infrastructure development for fossil energy projects on public lands. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services have provisionally denied Medicare access to Aduhelm, the new FDA-approved Alzheimers drug, providing it only to people in clinical trials. This has a disproportionate effect on BIPOC people (read how here.)
The Alzheimers Association has a tweet-to-the-President campaign. Takes two seconds. Can you help? [Thanks to subscriber Debbie N. for the action!]
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Worried about messaging for the midterms?
Ready for a no-holds-barred campaign that names and shames anti-democracy forces—while proudly lifting up our progressive values?
Longing to join others in taking back our national story?
Join Grassroots Messaging Works on Wednesday, April 20, for a special activist preview of their ready-to-launch national campaign: The Choice in ’22: Team Coup vs. Team YOU.
Come hear the research, watch the 4-minute video, and see the concepts. Come away with specific actions that YOU can take from home, right in your own community, using simple social media tools to amplify GMW’s powerful message.
Wednesday April 20 at 7:00 pm ET / 4:00 pm PT. Pre-register here.
Win Races! 🗳
Friendly reminder that Vote Forward’s letter writing campaign is in full swing, and they need LOADS of writers! These letters are known to be effective at increasing voter turnout, and can be written while watching TV, listening to music, or riding the train! All completed letters will be held until October, when they’ll be mailed in one “Big Send” right before Election Day.
You can sign up for letters through the Vote Forward website, or, if you want to keep it even simpler, you can request bundles of 20 letters—or whatever number you want — by emailing Vanessa at info@bigtentusa.org. They will be emailed to you within 1-2 days, along with a document with handy tips/instructions including sample notes for some inspiration! Big Tent is doing Florida letters right now, but they will focus on a different state each month, so once you sign up with them you’ll be offered new states to write to all the time. Fun!
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send: text SIGN PLLWRV to 50409]
As workers across the country rise up, demanding fair pay with benefits, they’re being met with massive resistance from large, profitable corporations who seek to put the profits of their wealthy shareholders ahead of workers’ rights and wages.
In the last few months, there have been at least 63 different allegations made by employees of Starbucks and filed with the National Labor Relations Board which contend the company has engaged in illegal activity against them. Released evidence, documents, videos, and reports prove a company-wide pattern of union-busting that includes outright worker intimidation and threats of retaliation.
It’s not just Starbucks. The New York Times investigative report “How Amazon Crushes Unions” from October exposed Amazon’s multi-year anti-union tactics and illegal behavior. Amazon’s record is so bad that the National Labor Relations Board forced a new union election after ruling Amazon illegally interfered in last year’s vote.
What has become clear is that neither Starbucks nor Amazon have any plans to stop their tactics for the good of workers. It’s time for Congress to hold corporations breaking the law accountable and demand answers from their CEOs now.
I’m calling on you to stand with workers by bringing Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Executive Chairman of Amazon Jeff Bezos before Congress to testify under oath about their illegal union-busting and what they’ll do to stop it. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
I'm interested in your April 20 event, "Team Coup or Team You" or but will be on a flight at that time. Will it be recorded and saved?
Jessica, I almost always agree with you on everything, but your post on Aduhelm is really off base. This drug's efficacy has almost no scientific evidence behind it, will cost an absolute fortune and thus imperils Medicare. Beware of the AARP and other such organizations presenting the issue as if it is a political issue. It is not -- it's scientific. It needs far more clinical trials. Please don't ask people to promote its adoption.