Chop Wood, Carry Water 5/13
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
I sometimes find myself, upon sitting to write this intro, at a momentary loss for words. How many times have I opened this newsletter with some version of “It’s been a tough week?” Or marveled at the madness of the times we’re in? Or reminded you to take deep breaths?
I’ve been publishing this newsletter for five days a week since late 2016, with maybe three weeks off a year.
That’s a lot of days to try to find new ways of saying essentially the same thing:
This is hard.
I am so glad you’re here with me.
We can get through this.
Our actions matter.
I continue to try to form new versions of this message, but sometimes I’m just out of ideas. And maybe it’s not important. Perhaps the fact that I’ve said some variation on these words over and over—so many times, now!—matters no more than my singing the same song to my kid every night mattered when they were small. Perhaps it’s more what’s behind the words that matters—the fact of the singing. And the predictability of that act.
So here are the words again:
This is hard.
I am so glad you’re here with me.
We will get through this.
Your actions matter.
Sometimes the best songs are the ones we’ve heard a million times. I’ll sing this one for you as often as you need me to. 💙
P.S. I’ll be at tomorrow’s Bans Off Our Bodies rally in Downtown LA. If you haven't yet looked up your nearest event, click here to search the national map via Mobilize.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
The White House COVID-19 coordinator just issued a strong warning that the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t quickly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments. He says the 22.5 billion President Biden is requesting is “the bare minimum that we need to get through this fall and winter without large loss of life.” I want the Senator to fight to get this funding approved now. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
The White House COVID-19 coordinator just issued a strong warning that the U.S. will be increasingly vulnerable to the coronavirus this fall and winter if Congress doesn’t quickly approve new funding for more vaccines and treatments. He says the 22.5 billion President Biden is requesting is “the bare minimum that we need to get through this fall and winter without large loss of life.” I want the Congressmember to fight to get this funding approved now.
Also, please ask them to cosponsor the PFAS Definition Improvement Act (H.R. 5987), which would broaden and improve the definition of PFAS for reporting. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Please post this on social and SIGN! [H/T and more info in this thread]
Amazon wants to keep hiding its profit shifting and global tax avoidance. At its May 25 shareholder meeting, disclosure is on the ballot.
Amazon shareholders are on standby to deliver YOUR signature supporting the resolution. Sign now! ✍️ #YesOnProp12
https://bit.ly/Yes_On_Prop_12
Get Smart! 📚
On Monday, May 16th, at 7pm ET, Big Tent will be hosting Ambassador Norm Eisen in conversation with Joyce White Vance, MSNBC and NBC News legal analyst, law professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. They will discuss Norm’s new book, Overcoming Trumpery: How to Restore Ethics, the Rule of Law, and Democracy, and the January 6th committee hearings.
Those hearings will begin in June. These two distinguished attorneys and analysts of Trump's wrongdoing will discuss what to expect, as well as other ways Trump may be held accountable, including pending criminal investigations.
Win Races! 🗳
Look at the below graphic, y’all! Center For Common ground is out with new data on the efficacy of their phone banks! WOW! These calls, to Black voters in Southern states helping them navigate voter suppression laws, are EFFECTIVE! And so easy, since you’re mostly leaving voicemails!
Please consider signing up for a North Carolina phonebank with CCG now! They happen every Tuesday and Thursday. Early voting began on April 28th for the May 17th primary!
You can join a guided phone bank by signing up here.
Veteran phone banker? Make calls on your own time by reading their guidelines, watching the training video, and clicking on the direct phone bank link here.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to your Senators] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PUASOZ to 50409]
I’m writing to urge the Senator to maintain vital funding for food and humanitarian assistance, refugee resettlement, and oversight in the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 7691). Without these measures, this bill will be just another handout to weapons makers and fail to comprehensively address the human suffering that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused.
Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk Monday.
Jess