Chop Wood, Carry Water 5/12

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Hi, all, and happy Friday!

I’m sick with a nasty cold again—my 13-year-old keeps bringing home bugs from school and I, alas, keep getting them. I was hoping to feel better today but I’m still in bed. I say this not to elicit sympathy but only to excuse the almost-certain typos or syntactical irregularities below.

I’m going to return to the covers now, but please know that I am so very proud of the work you’re all doing. It’s been awe-inspiring to read in the comments about the actions you’re taking, the postcards you’re writing, and the comments you’re sending in. What an impressive lot!

Know that your work is making a difference. It matters, hugely and unquestionably. As do you.

Now let’s get back to work!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling because our Supreme Court is broken and refusing to address it is no longer an option. Will the Senator co-sponsor S. 325 the Supreme Court Ethics Act as well as call for the Judiciary Act to be re-introduced? We need Supreme Court justices to abide by a code of ethics— as every other federal judge does—and we need to expand the court. Period.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

[If your representative is one of the 18 Republicans who ran in a district Biden won:]

I want the Representative to support Rep. DeSaulnier’s discharge petition to raise the debt ceiling. Default is not an option. Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump with zero debate. It’s not a negotiation. America pays its debts. Period.

[If your representative is any other Republican:]

I want the Representative to stop threatening to tank the economy and vote for a clean debt ceiling increase. Default is not an option. Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling three times under Donald Trump—this despite the fact that he raised the deficit more than any President in history. It’s not a negotiation. America pays its debts. Period.

[If your representative is a Democrat:]

I want Democrats to stay strong and not negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling. No matter what do NOT cut Medicaid, law enforcement, education, the IRS, or climate programs. These are things Americans want and count on. Do not negotiate with terrorists! Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

MoveOn is gathering videos from Americans saying why CNN and media outlets need to stop giving Trump free air time! If you have five minutes, please record and submit one, too—it's easy and there are prompts on the page that can help you gather your thoughts. 

Get Smart and/or Give 💰 !

Y’all, I’m very excited about this!!

BLUE TENNESSEE
Wednesday, May 17th at 7:30 p.m. EDT

Please help us turn the tide in deep-red Tennessee by supporting the launch of Blue Tennessee, the newest expansion state of Every State Blue. Blue Tennessee will fund candidates through a sustainable model that aggregates grassroots donations from supporters in Tennessee and nationwide. 

Special guests: David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio State Democratic Party, board member of Every State Blue, and author of Laboratories of Autocracy; Jess Piper, executive director of Blue Missouri; and Kate Craig, 2022 Democratic candidate for Tennessee State Senate and founder of Harvesting Democracy. Chop Wood, Carry Water's Jessica Craven will be our master of ceremonies for the evening.

RSVP HERE TO RECEIVE ZOOM LINK

Blue Tennessee would help put Democrats on the ballot by funding candidates in all offices at all levels from the bottom up. Down-ballot Democrats increase turnout, activate local Democrats, and significantly help the top of the ticket.

MAKE A PLEDGE TO BLUE TENNESSEE
(You do not have to make a pledge to attend.)

Spread the Word! 📣

Please post this (or something like it) on your social media or in an email.

If you're not clear on what Republicans want in exchange for not defaulting on America's debt here it is in all its ugly reality. You can even see exactly how their wishlist, with its draconian cuts on everything from Medicaid to public education to air traffic control, will affect your state.

Please read, and please share.

And remember, Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling three times under Trump. This is not supposed to be a negotiation. Let alone a hostage-taking situation. America pays its debts, period.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/02/state-fact-sheets-maga-house-republicans-default-on-america-act-would-have-devastating-impacts-across-america/

Win Races—Call!

Tonight, Thursday, May 11 from 6 – 8pm EDT the DNC is helping volunteers make calls into HD 163 with PA statehouse Speaker JoAnna McClinton! Sign up here!

And on Monday, May 15 from 6 – 8pm EDT please help get out the vote for the PA Special Election with special guest Gisele Fetterman! Sign up here.

Training will be provided on both calls. If you can’t make either of them there are lots more phonebanks to sign up for here or you can get trained with the DNC Call Crew team here and then make calls on your own time here.

Win Races—Canvass! 🗳

Travel with Common Power to Virginia!

A Common Power fieldwork trip is a political learning experience consisting of voter engagement, political education, and leadership development. That’s why their trips include not just canvassing but learning about local history from experts on the ground and building understanding across race and age differences.

To learn more about Common Power and how you can travel to Virginia with them, they invite you to join their online community.

To sign up for travel to Virginia go here.

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

[To all 3 Reps plus Biden] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PZDLQL to 50409 or share]:

Here’s a partial list of Supreme Court members’ ethical violations:

• Justice Clarence Thomas secretly accepted luxury trips and tuition for a family member from a major GOP donor who also bought property from Clarence Thomas that he did not disclose. The GOP donor, Harlow Crow, had business before the court–Thomas did not recuse himself.

• Thomas’ wife, Ginni accepted tens of thousands of dollars, secretly, from Leonard Leo, a legal activist who has helped shape the modern Supreme Court.

• Justice Brett Kavanaugh started off his SCOTUS run with 83 ethics complaints, not to mention sexual assault allegations.

• Justice Neil Gorsuch just happened to sell off property right after his SCOTUS confirmation to a law firm with business in front of the court–-Gorsuch did not recuse himself.

• Justice Amy Coney Barrett received millions of dollars in support of her SCOTUS confirmation from a dark money group with business before the court–Coney Barrett did not recuse herself.

• Chief Justice John Roberts, the leader of the pack, also has conflicts-of-interest stemming from his spouse, Jane, who earned millions of dollars recruiting lawyers for firms who have business before the Supreme Court–-Roberts did not recuse himself from those cases.

Public trust in the Supreme Court is at an all-time low. Corrupt actions by sitting justices only serve to further erode that trust, as well as the court’s integrity. Supreme Court Justices must be held to account for flouting the ethical rules that apply to every other judge in the country.

We must restore transparency and accountability in the U.S. Supreme Court. Congress needs to pass the Supreme Court Ethics Act now. Thanks.

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

Talk soon.

Jess