Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/30
Tired, but relentless.
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday,
I’m running behind this morning (for a change), so I’ll keep this quick.
First, I hope to see some of you later today at the Airlift event I’m co-hosting. As I think I’ve mentioned I’m stepping in for Dan Pfeiffer last minute; I must confess to feeling slightly inadequate to the task. Still, I’ll do my best, and fortunately the folks from Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT), Airlift’s partner in Wisconsin, will be the main attraction; they’re awesome. They connect with—and activate— youth through high school, college, and post-education civic engagement and leadership programs, particularly in Black and Brown communities. Listening to them will make your anxiety decrease, I promise!
Remember, a great ground game in Wisconsin ended extreme gerrymandering there, and can again help win the state for Democrats up and down the ballot.
The event is called Winning The Youth Vote, and it’s at 5:00 PT/8:00 ET tonight. Although it’s technically a fundraiser for LIT, you do not need to donate to participate. Register here for what promises to be an inspiring program.
In other news, I’m sure you’ve heard that Trump has finally been held in contempt for violating his gag order in the NY election interference case. Bravo! While there will be those who argue that his penalty should have been more swift or severe, I think the judge is threading the needle by providing stern consequences that will build while not inflaming Trump’s unhinged followers. If Trump violates the orders again Justice Merchan will, I trust, deliver the more stringent penalties he’s promised. He’s given Trump enough proverbial rope to hang himself with. Trump, I’m sure, will do exactly as expected with it.
OK. I’m sending my love, support, cheers, and thanks. You’re truly awesome, and because of your tireless efforts I see great things for us this year. I know we’re exhausted, angry, and frightened. But the world sees only our actions.
And those are relentless.
Because of that we’ll win.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling because I know the U.S. House of Representatives passed a deal that includes expanding the Child Tax Credit, with overwhelming bipartisan support. I urge the Senator to support the expansion of the Child Tax Credit in the House-passed bipartisan tax legislation. Since the expiration of the last expansion, food insecurity has increased to the highest levels since 2014, with 1 in 5 children facing hunger in 2022. That’s unacceptable in a country as rich as ours. Please pass this bill. Thanks. [H/T Feeding America]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I know the House will be voting this week on bills to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act, reinstate oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Refuge, allow mining companies to exploit more land, and decrease conservation efforts on public lands. This is exactly contrary to what Congress should be doing. We are in a climate emergency. We should be working to transition more quickly to clean energy, conserving more land, protecting more species, and pushing to meet our climate goals faster. I will be examining the Congressmember’s environmental record closely when I vote in November, and I will not support lawmakers who aren’t working to preserve our planet for the next generation. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
We are continuing to push Congress to ban assault weapons. There are only 6 Democratic holdouts for HR698, the House version of the Assault Weapons Ban bill. HERE is the holdout list.
There are 4 Democrats and 2 Independents who have not yet cosponsored S25, the Senate version. HERE is the holdout list.
If you see your Representative or Senator on the holdout list, please call them to urge them to pass the assault weapons ban. Tell them children should not be hunted and killed by shooters with weapons of war in schools and we should be free to go to any public space without the threat of being killed in a mass casualty shooting incident.
Get Smart! 📚
This afternoon at 4pm PST (7pm EST) is a virtual event hosted by The Worker's Circle, a partner of Center for Common Ground/Reclaim Our Vote. You may have just heard Ari Berman on Fresh Air — he was apparently fantastic - making the argument for the work we do as it gets out the vote for STATE races. He also wrote an opinion piece in the NYT that the States Project is sending out widely—I can’t read it because I no longer subscribe, but if you still do it’s here.
Anyway, it’s going to be a good event. Register here.
Win Races—TEXT! 💻
Recent poll results indicate Florida’s electoral votes are up for grabs, with Trump leading by just two points among likely voters and 9% of his voters suggesting they’d be less likely to vote for him if he’s convicted of a crime before November. The Florida Democratic Party and Field Team Six are coming together for a textbank to reach and help register likely Dem voters in Florida on WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST from 1-3 PM ET.
Let’s sign up to join the texting here.
[H/T
]Win Races — CALL! 🗳
This Thursday is the anniversary of the Supreme Court leak of the Dobbs decision that would reverse 50 years of precedent and overturn Roe. Join us alongside activists across the country in calling into Arizona to remind them that abortion access is on the ballot this November, and electing Ruben Gallego is crucial to our ability to enshrine reproductive freedoms for all.
Sign up for the phonebank here.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
Climate Hawks Vote is looking for volunteers to specifically help elect climate champions. I always follow their endorsements, and try to volunteer for their phonebanks whenever I can. I know the woman who runs CHV pretty well and she’s smart, shrewd, and focussed. I’d follow her pretty much anywhere.
Anyway, they’re looking for volunteers to phonebank, text friends and family, and help them put together a climate-centered ballot guide. If you can help, please click the appropriate links below and fill out an interest form.
Yes! I can sign up to phone bank!
Yes! I can sign up to help produce a ballot voter guide!
Yes! I can sign up to text my own friends and family!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: your SENATORS] [H/T Media and Democracy Project] [Text SIGN PAIQYM to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]
I’m writing to ask the Senator to please co-sponsor and push to pass S. 2074, the PRESS (or the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying) Act. It has already passed in the House with wide bipartisan support.
The PRESS Act would accomplish two important things. First, it would make it illegal for the government to force journalists to reveal their sources, notes, or other materials related to their reporting. Second, it would bar the government from spying on reporters’ phone records or internet search histories if they refuse to comply with such requests.
Almost all states, and DC, have laws that shield journalists to some extent from being forced to hand over their files for use in criminal prosecutions or private lawsuits. But the PRESS Act, the strongest federal shield law ever proposed, would strengthen those protections and standardize them nationwide.
Stronger protection is needed because existing laws have failed to protect journalists against abuse from the three most recent past presidential administrations. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, “Federal law enforcement officials improperly acquired reporters’ phone records on numerous occasions since 2004, under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
At a time when the former president is calling for journalists to be jailed and referring to the press as the “enemy of the people,” it’s critical that we protect this pillar of our democracy. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Thanks so much for getting these out, day after day after day. We know you must be exhausted but we are all so grateful for you.
Thanks, Jess. About he who shall go unnamed ‘violating his gag order in the NY election interference case,’ I imagine I’m high on the list of ‘those who argue that his penalty should have been more swift or severe.’ On reading about it earlier, can’t say my perspective was near as insightful (and gracious) as yours. Ah me.
And as ever, ‘you’re truly awesome … because of your tireless efforts’ to support us, and ‘save democracy!’