Chop Wood, Carry Water 5/11

art by Mary Purdie via Amplifier Art

Hi, all, and happy Wednesday.

A subscriber sent me another good quote yesterday. This one was excerpted from an excellent article in the Guardian by Rebecca Solnit (who’s always amazing.) She says, in part:

Despair is a delusion of confidence that asserts it knows what’s coming, perhaps a tool of those who like to feel in control, even if just of the facts, when in reality, we can frame approximate parameters, but the surprises keep coming. Anyone who makes a definitive declaration about what the future will bring is not dealing in facts. The world we live in today was utterly unforeseen and unimaginable on many counts, the world that is coming is something we can work toward but not something we can foresee. We need to have confidence that surprise and uncertainty are unshakable principles, if we want to have confidence in something. And recognize that in that uncertainty is room to act, to try to shape a future that will be determined by what we do in the present.

“In that uncertainty is the room to act.” Never forget it. Because once we decide we’re doomed there’s no option but to give up, and that’s EXACTLY what the opposition wants.

We have no idea—none—what will happen tomorrow, let alone next week, next month, or in the Midterms in November.

We can only control what we do today.

Solnit’s piece ends with this: “We see no farther than the little halo of our lanterns, but we can travel all night by that light.”

Let’s travel together today, doing the best we can to act with hope, or, at the very least, to act, and then derive hope from our actions.

Imagine, in so doing, the wide and brilliant light our combined lanterns will shed.

Call Your Senators (find yours here)

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

First, I want the Senator to vote yes on the Women’s Health Protection Act when it comes up for a vote today. This is a deal breaker for me, and the majority of Americans.

[The below call is especially important if your Senator is a moderate Democrat like Kelly, Manchin, Tester or the like.]

Second, I want the Senate to quickly confirm Gigi Sohn to the Federal Communications Commission. Net Neutrality is really important to me; Sohn is also an excellent, pro-consumer candidate. I’m frustrated that it’s taking so long to confirm her. Please get it done! Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here)

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

The LA Times is out with an article today saying that ICE is spying on the majority of Americans. Among other findings, the report documents that ICE has driver’s license data for 3 in 4 adults living in the U.S.; has scanned at least 1 in 3 of all adults’ driver’s licenses with face recognition technology, and can track the movement of vehicles in cities that are home to nearly 3 in 4 adults. They’ve purchased access to hundreds of millions of Americans’ utility records (provided by data brokers Thomson Reuters and Equifax) and can locate 3 in 4 adults through these records. This is complete insanity. ICE is a rogue agency who is consistently violating our Fourth Amendment rights. What is the Congressmember going to do about it? I’d like an answer in writing, please. Thanks.

[Because this is long I made it into a Resistbot, too, which will go to all 3 of your reps. You can send it by texting SIGN PVPTRW to 50409.]

Extra Credit ✅

The SEC is extending its comment period for feedback on a proposed rule requiring companies to disclose their climate emissions. Here’s a link to a NYT article about it. This rule would be an absolute game changer. It would allow the public to get access to the info we need to hold corporations accountable for their impact on the climate crisis.

The pro-oil and gas folks, of course, hate it. And they are out in full force on the public comments page—we need to counteract their voices.

Do so here.

My comment said (feel free to copy, but personalize a bit please):

I strongly support this rule. We are in a climate emergency. If we don't act now we will literally be looking at a planet that's uninhabitable for our children and grandchildren.

The transparency this rule requires will hold companies accountable for their role in climate change, and give investors more leverage in forcing changes to business practices that contribute to rising global temperatures.

It's simple fact that companies won't voluntarily disclose this information, and that we can't demand they do better if they don't.

It's also simple fact that without dramatic changes the human race will suffer incalculable harm from the results of the climate crisis.

Please pass and implement this rule. Thanks.

Give 💰!

Want to see us flip a Senate seat in North Carolina? Me toooo! But that’s going to require funds!

As such, Senate Circle invites you to join them on Monday, May 16, 2022 at 7pm ET/4pm PT for a virtual event about North Carolina. 

Among other things, Senate Circle is partnering with County-to-County NC to support their launch of a paid-canvass program. (C2C is an all-volunteer effort that has been very successful in NC.)

Please consider attending and/or giving generously to this effort. We hope to see you on Monday!

[If North Carolina is your jam don’t forget to sign up for the Chop Wood, Carry NC newsletter! You’ll get invitations like this once a week, plus a google doc packed with ways to help in the Tarheel State.]

Win Races! 🗳

I’ll be phonebanking for Jessica Cisneros today from 3-5 PDT because HENRY CISNEROS SUPPORTS FORCED BIRTH and I WANT TO SEE HIM GONE!

Sorry. Really feeling it today.

Join me. This is seriously the most delightful, satisfying, thrilling phonebank, y’all. You’ll LOVE it. Sign up here.

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

[to President Biden] [H/T] [Quick send: Text PLIRKJ to 50409]

President Biden, I support your efforts to aid the Ukrainian people in their defense against Russian aggression. I also support Speaker Pelosi's call to combine additional Ukraine aid with the Bipartisan COVID Supplemental Appropriations Act to continue funding our defense against the pandemic and to arm ourselves against the danger of new variants and new plagues forced into human environments by global warming.

Big defense industry donors to the Republican Party are eager for the additional sales that will be generated by more military aid to Ukraine. So Democrats must not repeat the mistake they made when they severed infrastructure projects in the BBB Act from investments in people and the environment. If ever there was a time to stand firm against Republican intransigence and bullying and to seek Republican votes to overcome a filibuster, it is on the issue of combined Ukraine and COVID-19 defense.

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

Talk tomorrow.

Jess