Chop Wood, Carry Water 4/5

Apr 05, 2023

Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!

I know I’m supposed to be on vacation this week, but I was up late last night, so...this just sort of happened.

Y’all, I’m jubilant. Jubilant over Janet Protasiewicz’s TEN POINT victory, jubilant over our win in Chicago, jubilant over the fact that while Republicans are mired in a toxic sludge of hubris, criminality and self-defeatism we are winning elections by wide margins and defeating dark money with people power! It’s just so great.

Of course there was grim news yesterday, too—lots of it. We lost a critical seat in North Carolina, lost a strategically-important State Senate seat in Wisconsin (more nuance on that here), and saw Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton move forward with his plans to bring expulsion to a vote there. It’s a lot, and it’s easy to feel like “we can’t have nice things.”

But y’all. Don’t let that diminish your joy.

Remember, for all intents and purposes we’re at war. Not with weapons, really—but in every other way possible. And in war the other side never goes down easily. In fact, the more they lose, the more vicious their tactics become. That’s the way it is, and expecting otherwise will just catch us flat-footed.

They’re going to fight dirty. We will have to fight smart. And persistently. And creatively. And together.

We know how to do all of that. And we just did it in Wisconsin, to resounding success. No single election will end MAGAism, but this one dealt it a crippling blow, and we should celebrate that. So please do.

I am deeply proud of what you just did. But that’s nothing compared to what you’ll do next.

P.S. — One more thing: notice what I’m not talking about? THAT’s important, too. He thrives on attention. Don’t give it to him.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I'm calling to urge the Senator to oppose HR 1, the so-called “Lower Energy Costs Act,” and to oppose any permitting bill that either prioritizes fossil fuel projects, weakens environmental protections, denies or restricts court review, or prevents communities from objecting to projects that impact their neighborhoods. Any permitting reform must prioritize sustainable energy projects and must have strict environmental protections built in. Thanks. [H/T 350.org]

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I understand that House Democrats just reintroduced the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would enshrine federal abortion rights into law. It also includes proposed protections for interstate travel for abortion care, as well as for people who assist others in accessing abortion care. Will the Congressmember be supporting it? [If yes thank. If no add:] I’m extremely disappointed to hear that. Americans overwhelmingly support abortion rights and so do I. Please ask him/her to change course or we will vote him/her out. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Copy, paste, edit and send this letter to President Biden via his web form or via Resistbot (text President to 50409) or, if you don/t feel the need to edit it, text SIGN PYIFUE to 50409 to send it as is. [H/T 350.org]

President Biden, I'm writing to urge you not just to oppose HR 1, but to oppose ANY permitting bill that prioritizes fossil fuel projects, weakens environmental protections, denies or restricts court review, or prevents communities from objecting to projects that impact their neighborhoods. Any permitting reform must prioritize sustainable energy projects and must have strict environmental protections built in. You've burned us badly on Willow. Please don't burn us again by supporting dirty energy permitting reform. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

Read and share Indivisible’s MAGA Default Crisis page.

This page is an incredible resource for everything concerning the MAGA effort to throw our nation into chaos by forcing our government to default on our debts in order to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Indivisible’s current focus is on getting Democratic members of the House of Representatives to sign on to the Boyle, Jayapal, Kuster letter opposing the MAGA Default Crisis and refusing to cut vital services.

Spread the Word! 📣

This is gross. Please amplify.

DeSantis Invites NRA to Closed Door Permitless Carry Signing:

Yesterday, behind closed doors and standing alongside the NRA, Ron DeSantis signed legislation that could make it easier for criminals to carry guns. This is just the latest reminder that DeSantis will do anything to boost his national ambitions – even ignoring the concerns of some law enforcement officials, and siding with the gun lobby over Florida families. Read the full statement from Chair Harrison.

Give 💰!

Want to support the young people protesting in Tennessee? Activists on the ground there are saying: “We need money for lawsuits, bail, organizing, digital to capture and mobilize the people waking up.”

Give to:

Win Races! 🗳

It's Earth Month! Join Environmental Voter Project to call low propensity environmental voters on Wednesday, April 5th at 3pm PT / 6pm ET (into Kansas); Monday, April 10th at 3pm PT / 6pm ET (into Kansas); Tuesday, April 11th at 9am PT / 12pm ET (into Massachusetts); or another time. These phonebanks are for climate-critical municipal elections that are flying under the radar. Your calls can really make a difference in them! Plus I’ve signed up for 3. Come hang with me!

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

[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send: text SIGN PXBUCG to 50409]

As your constituent, I write to you today asking you to sign onto the Congressional letter to suspend Willow Project development permits until well-founded litigation against the project is resolved and all stakeholders voices are properly considered.

The Biden Administration has the legal authority, and a moral responsibility, to pause operations and prevent irreversible ecological damage to the region before litigation is finalized. It is especially important that a pause be enacted before blasting of the tundra with explosives to mine gravel for drill pad foundations. This will only be the first of many permanent damages ConocoPhillips' project brings to the fragile north slope of Alaska.

The impacts of this industrial activity are more than ecological. As you can imagine, transporting groceries to the North Slope of Alaska is very expensive; so the people of the nearest town, Nuiqsut, rely heavily on hunting local game, like caribou, for food. While drilling does not hurt the caribou directly, the loud, aggravating industrial activity motivates them to move and live elsewhere. If they are not nearby to imprint on the area when they’re young, their populations may never return to the region. This is a huge food security issue for a town so tied to subsistence hunting. In fact, The Record of Decision for the Willow Project acknowledges that the development will drop the supply of local subsistence resources and increase Nuiqsut’s suicide rate.

Willow is also a carbon bomb. Willow is going to emit 280 million metric tons of carbon during its lifespan, the equivalent of two million new gasoline-powered cars per year for the next thirty years. Willow is an appalling betrayal by a President who campaigned on ending oil and gas projects on federal land.

But Willow isn't just bad for the climate and environment, it's bad politics too. Recent polling reveals that 78% of Republicans, 76% of Independents and 87% of Democrats want the current administration to take action against polluters who knowingly harm the environment or conceal information regarding health risks.

I urge you to listen to your constituents, and the nation at large in our opposition to ConocoPhillips’ fast-tracked construction efforts. Please protect the community of Nuiqsut from irreversible damage by signing onto Rep. Grijalva’s congressional letter urging the DOI to do so.

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

Talk soon.

Jess

Chop Wood, Carry Water