Chop Wood, Carry Water 5/2
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
I’m behind as usual this morning, so will make it quick.
Thanks to the many of you who came out to the Big Tent event with Sylvester Johnson from VoteRiders. It was pretty fantastic. Hearing Johnson talk about the many ways VoteRiders is working to overcome voter suppression was fascinating and extremely heartening. One wishes their work weren’t necessary, but since it is it’s awfully good to know organizations like VoteRiders are on the job.
Johnson’s talk offered another excellent reminder that for every wrench Republicans throw in the works of democracy there are a hundred “mechanics” working to keep the gears turning smoothly. We can’t fix everything the GOP breaks, but so far we’ve been able to repair or maintain enough of it to keep on winning. And, contrary to what it may feel like, we are winning—elections, that is —over and over again.
Thus far, in other words, the GOP has been able to weaken but not kill democracy. This because of the quiet genius of a thousand organizations like VoteRiders, and the sheer determination and sweat equity put in by millions of democracy warriors like yourselves. Thanks for that.
Our foe is not to be taken lightly. But neither is our ability to vanquish it with intelligence, ingenuity, collective action, and persistence.
Bearing all of that in mind, let’s get to work one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
We all know that Republicans are trying to force Democrats to make cuts before they raise the debt ceiling, and we also know that one of the cuts they want most of all is a complete repeal of the climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. I want to make sure the Senator understands how strongly I oppose such cuts. These provisions are not only huge job creators, but they are addressing an existential threat. Americans want more action on the climate crisis, not less. Do not repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate provisions! Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
We all know that Republicans are trying to force Democrats to make cuts before they raise the debt ceiling, and we also know that one of the cuts they want most of all is a complete repeal of the climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. I want to make sure the Congressmember understands how strongly I oppose such cuts. These provisions are not only huge job creators, but they are addressing an existential threat. Americans want more action on the climate crisis, not less. Do not repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate provisions! Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Here are some new ways to support Zooey Zephyr from folks organizing on the ground in Montana.
❤ Support Community Care: The recent events are compounding the immense harm caused to transgender, non-binary, and Two Spirit Montanans during this session.
Make a direct investment in Queer Joy Missoula here
Make a direct investment to the Montana Human Rights Network Community Care Fund here
Stay up to date on direct requests from trans Montanans by following TransVisible Montana
✊ Show your Support for Rep. Zephyr: Rep. Zephyr's courage needs to be met with love, support, and celebration from the public. There are a couple of ways to show your support:
Sign and share the MFPE petition
Make a contribution directly to Rep. Zephyr's PAC
Get Smart! 📚
The House is about to go on recess and Indivisible has an excellent guide for bird-dogging your Republican reps about abortion rights. It’s a quick read and frankly makes me wish—almost—I had a GOP rep to pester. The questions they supply are great.
Spread the Word! 📣
MAGA House Republicans Support Hollowing Out VA to Cut Taxes for Wealthy:
Last week, nearly every single GOP House member voted for a far-right proposal to single-handedly trigger an economic meltdown unless they are allowed to hollow out the Department of Veterans Affairs – all in an effort to cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations. House Republicans voted for a bill that could cut 81,000 jobs from the VA, reducing outpatient visits by 30 million, and increasing the disability claims backlog by an estimated 134,000 – ignoring 24 top veterans organizations who implored congressional Republicans not to put these programs on the chopping block. Read more here.
I made a TikTok about this if you prefer to share video. It’s here. Or on IG here.
Give 💰!
Join the amazing folks at Force Multiplier on Wednesday, May 3, 7:00-8:00pm ET for a DSCC fundraiser with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN). You’ll hear from her and Jessica Knight Henry, Deputy Executive Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, about how we can maintain a Democratic majority that will appoint qualified judges, protect abortion rights, promote gun safety, protect our environment, build a stronger economy, and preserve democracy.
Suggested donation $100. If you can give more, please do. If not, please give what you can and join them. Your donation will benefit Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI), Sherrod Brown (OH), Jacky Rosen (NV), and Jon Tester (MT). Sen. Smith and Ms Henry will not be a recipient of any funds raised at this event.
Win Races! 🗳
If you were at the Big Tent presentation this morning you’ll know how amazing VoteRiders is. Join them for a virtual text bank on Thursday to Florida and Pennsylvania voters ahead of local elections in May! You can help ensure that voters in Pittsburgh and Jacksonville have the information and ID they need to cast a ballot that counts.
Every text delivers urgent voter ID information and assistance directly to voters who need it.
Thursday, May 4, from 7-8PM ET. RSVP here!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps and POTUS] [Quick send text SIGN PWHDBP to 50409]
New polling out this morning tells us what we already knew: Americans’ faith in the Supreme Court is plummeting. It seems impossible to believe that Americans once—and not too long ago, either—held the highest court in near-universal regard. Now the Supreme Court’s popularity is declining nearly as fast as the rate at which Americans are losing their freedoms. It’s a crisis, and it must be addressed.
The list of scandals plaguing the court and its conservative members is too long to be detailed here. That alone is alarming. Not a day goes by without a new one. Yet nothing is being done.
I want to be clear: if the U.S. congress doesn’t take action to repair the damaged standing of this Supreme Court—whether by forcing upon it a binding code of ethics, expanding it, impeaching Clarence Thomas, or all of the above—Americans will reach a point where we will simply refuse to abide by its rulings.
Congressional inaction on the court crisis is pushing us towards a Constitutional crisis. Do something. The Supreme Court is broken. Repair it, or our democracy will be the next thing to go. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Hi Marlene, Thanks so much. I agree with you. Feinstein has been a wonderful senator and I've written to her a lot over several years. But it is time to step down gracefully. Cheers. Susan
Thank you, Jessica. Living in CA and in the Bay Area (thank goodness!), our senators are Dems. My Congressman is Mark DeSaulnier who is challenging the debt ceiling debacle by forcing a “discharge petition”. So dang proud of him! He’s always been very studious in his research.