Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/29

Dragging our country towards justice.

Hi, all, and happy Monday!

Hope you had a great and restful weekend.

I spent a lot of mine devouring the first book in Robert Caro’s series about Lyndon B. Johnson. Good grief! It’s fascinating! I never thought I’d call a Presidential biography a page-turner, but it really is. I’m hooked.

I spent some time, too, this weekend watching “Manhunt” on Apple TV—it’s a fictionalized account of the extended search for John Wilkes Booth after Lincoln was assassinated. It weaves back and forth between the days after the killing and the weeks and months before, going into depth about the political context at the time. It’s a good, if a bit painful, watch.

There is, in short, a lot of American history roiling around in my head. And I’m struck, as always, by how often the same themes repeat. The divisions wrought by slavery and white supremacy manifest themselves again and again. So do the battles between states’ rights and federalism. So does the exploitation of workers by industry. Corrupt, power-hungry politicians, awful Supreme Court justices, and Machiavellian advisors pop up over and over. Our country, like a bird with an injured wing, seems to circle the same territory over and over again.

Yet “seems” is the operative word. Because if one steps back and views the picture from a greater distance, of course, we see that there has, in fact, been progress. Some of it has been incremental, some staggering. Workers’ movements, in particular, have succeeded in establishing protections that would have been unthinkable even in Lyndon Johnson’s childhood. We have a social safety net—if imperfect. Slavery is (basically) gone. Women are (basically) equal citizens. Queer people can (basically) come out and be safe. I could go on.

We have so much more to do, of course, to establish true racial justice, women’s equality, LGBTQ rights, worker protections, and more. But when we remember just how grim things used to be we must concede, I think, that things are far better now than they were, and that we’re generally—with some notable, wrenching exceptions—going in a positive direction. And under Biden, how swiftly we’re moving now!

There will always be people bent on grabbing power and hoarding it for no other reason than to help themselves. Every era has provided its share. Every era will continue to do so.

But there will always, too, be those who stand on principle, who think in terms of “us,” and not “me,” who insist on using what power they gain to bring others up with them. There will always be citizens who perform quiet heroics to help advance what is right. There will always be dedicated public servants, ethical lawmakers, citizen leaders, tireless volunteers. Every era will deliver its share not just of villains, in short, but of heroes.

You, of course, fall into the latter category. You are acting on history. You are changing it. You are improving the story it will tell. YOU will be an inspiration not just to future history readers, but the next generation of freedom fighters, too.

It’s an honor to be in your company, my friends. Dragging this unwieldy but precious democracy towards justice is hard work. There’s no one I’d rather do it with than you.

P.S. — On a more quotidian note: Resistbot has a new function, and they’d love you to try it. You can now text REVIEW to 50409 (or wherever you reach the bot) to review your elected officials. These reviews are public, and folks who have verified their voter registration get the added benefit of proof that these reviews are from an active voter. Give it a try!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling to ask the Senator to prioritize passing S 3565, the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, right away. I’m sure s/he is aware that 23 million Americans rely on this program for connectivity, including tens or even hundreds of thousands in this state. So I have two questions: first, is the Senator co-sponsoring the bill? And second, will s/he call on Speaker Johnson to bring it for a vote in the House immediately? The program will end tomorrow without an extension. This is a way Congress can meaningfully help Americans. Please do so. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling to ask the Congressmember to prioritize passing HR 6929, the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. I know it has 225 co-sponsors, which means that, if the Speaker held a vote, it would pass. I also know 23 million Americans rely on this program for connectivity, including many thousands in this district. So I have two questions: first, is the Congressmember co-sponsoring the bill? And second, will s/he push Speaker Johnson to bring it for a vote immediately? The program will end tomorrow without an extension. This is a way Congress can meaningfully help Americans. Please do so. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

As Judd Legum reports in today’s edition of Popular Information, Mike Johnson may be refusing to bring the Affordable Connectivity Program up for a vote because the Republican Study Committee, of which he is a member, opposes it as a "government handout that disincentivize[s] prosperity." Ugh. Let’s call Johnson and see if we can’t change his mind.

I just used ‭(202) 225-4000‬ and got through to a very nice staffer who promised to pass my message along.

Script:

I’m calling Speaker Johnson to ask him to please bring the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act up for a vote immediately. It has more than enough co-sponsors to pass. Not only is this program needed and valued by 23 million Americans, but over 90,000 people in his own district use it. That’s one out of every three households in Louisiana’s 4th! Please, please ask him to bring this bill up for a vote immediately. Thanks.

[Optional add:] The benefits of this program are far greater than the costs. A study published in February 2024 found that "for every dollar spent on it, the nation’s GDP increases by $3.89."

Get Smart! 📚

BigTentUSA will be hosting a conversation with former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) on Wednesday, May 1st at 7:00 PM ET.

This virtual event will be moderated by MSNBC contributor Charlie Sykes. The conversation will explore a range of topics including the future of democracy, insights from Cheney’s book Oath and Honor, the dynamics within the Republican Party, perspectives on Trump and the Capitol assault, and previously undisclosed stories from Congress. Additionally, they will delve into ways we can safeguard American democracy.

Sign up here.

Spread the Word! 📣

The Biden Harris campaign has just launched a Reproductive Freedom Week of Action. They’d love your help amplifying the differences between Biden and Trump on abortion, and they’re also looking for folks to make videos talking about where they were when the Dobbs decision was leaked. You can find resources for all of this and more in this toolkit.

(Friendly reminder, while WE know that Trump is responsible for Dobbs, a shocking number of Americans don’t. Many don’t even know which party supports abortion rights and which opposes. Never forget how low-information the average American voter is!)

Give 💰!

Run For Something has announced 70 new candidate endorsements — they are so exciting. Please read the below, and then consider donating to my RFS matching fund campaign. A generous subscriber has put up 10K and we are SO CLOSE to making the match. As I’ve said over and over again, Run For Something is one of the organizations I recommend giving to over all others. It’s one of the most valuable organizations we have. Please give if you can.

RFS feel-good update (4/29): 70 new endorsements!

Win Races! 🗳

I wanted to flag Activate America’s three newest postcarding campaigns, because they’re all really important:

• In OHIO, they are reaching out to Democrats to encourage them to register to vote by mail. When they do so, they will have more time to vote and are less likely to miss an election due to weather, or work or family emergencies. Ohio voters have to re-register for an absentee ballot for each election, so these sign-ups are for the November general election. This work will help re-elect Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and three incumbent House Democrats in swing districts.

• In MONTANA, they’ve launched their new postcard campaign to re-elect Democratic Senator Jon Tester. This is a must-win campaign to hold the U.S. Senate.

• In CA-45, they’re writing postcards on behalf of Orange County Democrat Derek Tran, running against anti-abortion extremist Rep. Michelle Steel. Tran was the Democratic victor in a crowded and competitive field, and he needs our help boosting his name recognition and uniting the Democratic vote for victory in November.

They also still have Arizona and Nevada campaigns. Sign up for any of them here.

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text text SIGN PIRLGL to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I am writing as one of the over 80 million Americans that depend on AM radio stations for dependable news, traffic, sports, weather and vital emergency updates.

Unlike satellite radio or streaming, local broadcast radio is always available with no cellular data, subscription or signal required.

Despite this, some auto manufacturers have recently removed AM radio from their electric vehicle models.

Numerous lawmakers, regulators and former FEMA administrators agree that AM radio is critical to ensuring information can reach the public during times of crisis. Taking AM radio out of cars will put Americans at risk.

Because of the critical service AM radio provides, I am asking that you urge automakers to keep AM in all cars.

Please support local radio stations and listeners like me by cosponsoring the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act ( S 1669 / HR 3413 )to preserve AM radio in all vehicles. Thanks!

---

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

Talk soon.

Jess