Hi, all, and happy Monday!
Hope you had a restful and replenishing weekend.
Plenty of (figurative) ink has already been spilled over the debt ceiling crisis and where we are with it, so I won’t add more except to say that pretty much this entire edition of the newsletter is devoted to advocating for the remedies that are increasingly seeming like the only viable options. These are:
Getting 5-6 Republicans in the House to support Rep. DeSaulnier’s discharge petition, thereby circumventing Kevin McCarthy and passing a clean debt ceiling increase.
Persuading President Biden to use the 14th Amendment as justification for raising the debt ceiling, thereby circumventing the Republicans and meeting our obligations as required.
It seems more and more likely that in the end it will be one of the above options and not Republicans’ good-faith return to the bargaining table that will save the day. Our job? To let our lawmakers know that they should be done trying to reason with the chronically unreasonable, and that we support them in finding alternate routes to saving our economy.
Time is running out and the “fiscal cliff” is now visible in the distance. It’s racing towards us at an appalling speed. Yet while it is unnerving and deeply frustrating to be in this situation, I remain faithful that President Biden—and we—will win the day; Joe Biden is smarter, more capable, and infinitely more savvy than his Republican counterparts. I don’t fear going over the cliff and neither should you. The party we worked so hard to elect will, in the end, wrest control of the steering wheel and turn us away from catastrophe.
Let us never forget, however, that they shouldn’t have to. The Republicans, with this latest chicanery, have betrayed the country in an unspeakable fashion. Everyone you speak with should understand this. They are no longer a party desirous of or capable of governing. They are teenaged pranksters bent only on destruction, with no ability to comprehend the selfishness or harmfulness of their acts.
They must be managed, not negotiated with. Period.
And we will help make it happen. So let’s get to work doing that one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[If Democrat:]
I understand that Sens. Smith, Warren, Merkley, Markey and Sanders have been circulating a letter amongst their colleagues to collect support for Biden to lift the debt ceiling without any help from House Republicans. I want the Senator to sign on to this letter. It’s extremely clear that the 14th Amendment allows—and in fact requires—the President to raise the debt ceiling in order to meet our obligations. He should do so. The Republicans are negotiating in bad faith. They want to tank the economy. They need to be circumvented, not reasoned with. Thanks.
[If GOP]
I want the Senator to cross party lines and support President Biden in lifting the debt ceiling via the 14th Amendment. If the House GOP keeps on with their hostage-taking constituents like me are going to lose our social security checks, Medicaid, veterans benefits, SNAP payments, retirement accounts, stock portfolios…it goes on. Default cannot happen. Tell your House colleagues to stop this sabotage now or tell the President you support him in circumventing them. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
[If Democrat] I’m calling to say that I want President Biden and the Democrats to lift the debt ceiling without any help from House Republicans. This can be done either through the 14th Amendment or with Rep. DeSaulnier’s discharge petition. Either way, I want Democrats to stay strong and refuse to negotiate away our futures. The Republicans want to tank the economy and take regular Americans down with it. They are terrorists and should be treated as such. They need to be circumvented, not reasoned with. Thanks.
[If GOP] I’m calling to say that I’m furious that Republicans are dragging us towards a default with no regard to how that will affect Americans like me. If the GOP keeps on with it constituents like me will lose our social security checks, Medicaid, veterans benefits, SNAP payments, our retirement accounts, our stock portfolios…it goes on. Default cannot happen. Stop this sabotage now or we will vote you all out.
Extra Credit
[H/T Feathers of Hope]
Democrats are united in supporting the discharge petition to raise the debt ceiling, meaning only 5 or 6 Republican votes will be needed to bring a bill to the floor and pass it. So let’s call one or more of the following Republicans urging them to sign the petition when it comes up (more info on each rep here). I never recommend calling reps that aren’t ours, but this is a hail Mary situation, so why not? (Scroll down for script.)
John Curtis (UT-3) (202) 225-7751 D.C. (801) 922-5400 District
Ashley Hinson (IA-2), (202) 225-2911 D.C. (319) 364-2288 District
Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), (202) 225-7751 D.C. (215) 579-8102 District
David Joyce (OH 14), (202) 225-5731 D.C. (440) 352-3939 District
Victoria Spartz (IN-5), (202) 225-2276 D.C. (317) 848-0201 District
Don Bacon (NE-2), (202) 225-4155 D.C. (402) 938-0300 District
Mike Gallagher (WI-8), (202) 225-5665 D.C. (920) 301-4500 District
Andrew Garbarino (NY-2), (202) 225-7896 D.C. (631) 541-4225 District
Nancy Mace (SC-1), (202) 225-3176 D.C. (843) 521-2530 District
Dan Newhouse (WA-4), and (202) 225-5816 D.C. (509) 452-3243 District
David Valadao (CA-22) (202) 225-4695 D.C. (661) 864-7736 District
Say something like:
I’m calling as an American who will lose ______ [my social security check, Medicaid, veterans benefits, SNAP payments, retirement, stock portfolio, whatever] if Republicans force the U.S. to default on its debts. I’m asking the Congressmember to sign on to the discharge petition to raise the debt ceiling with no strings attached. This shouldn’t be about partisan politics. It should be about saving the American economy. Please ask them to work with Democrats to avoid catastrophe. Thanks.
Of course if you’re a constituent do say so. And if you know someone who lives in one of these districts please TEXT THEM the script and phone numbers to call. You’d be astonished how many people will make the call if you make it easy for them.
Extra Extra Credit ✅
Appalachian Voices has a really good letter for your reps—it’s focussed on the debt ceiling vs environmental protection battle. Please consider sending!
Get Smart! 📚
Disability and aging groups are hosting a Save Medicaid Online Rally on May 24th at 4:30pm ET, joined by Senator Bob Casey and other Congressmembers, care advocates, and grassroots activists from around the country.
Medicaid work requirements and program cuts would take care away from millions of people, including disabled people, veterans, and older adults. The Save Medicaid Online Rally is an opportunity for supporters to learn more about the fight over Medicaid – and to take action to protect it.
You can register to join the event here.
Spread the Word! 📣
The White House Infrastructure Implementation Team released new state-by-state fact sheets which outline the infrastructure-building progress in all 50 states, DC and the territories as of January 13, 2023. Remarkable! Please check it out and please share!
Give 💰!
Y’all, I’m more and more convinced that, along with the States Project and the Movement Voter Project, Run For Something is going to save the country. I mean it. They’ve started publishing a weekly Substack with good news about elections they’ve won and/or incredible stuff their alumni are doing. This edition has loads of both, and I’ll tell you, after reading it I am upping my monthly donation.
Run For Something is the only organization I know of focussed exclusively on recruiting young progressive candidates to run in municipal, school board, and state-level races. The work they’re doing is literally indispensable. Please consider supporting them if you are able.
Win Races! 🗳
Join me and the Environmental Voter Project later today, at 3PM PT / 6PM ET to turn out low propensity environmental voters in Denver, CO ahead of their June 6th municipal runoff election.
The EVP team will start with an overview of their phone banking program and the scripts you'll be using, then we'll get to work calling voters. These technically nonpartisan phonebanks are like taking a warm bubble bath—relaxing, delightful, and deeply happymaking.
Can’t make this one? No worries! Other upcoming EVP phonebanks are:
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to your HOUSE Rep] [H/T] [Quicks send: text SIGN PDPECY to 50409 or share.]
House Republicans are pushing us to a point where economists say we’re on the verge of economic catastrophe. This, just so extremist Republicans can push their policies of climate change denial, gutting government services for seniors and poor people, and tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.
But we’ve known for a long time that there are other ways to end the debt ceiling fight, and a discharge petition is one of those ways.
The United States has until June 1 to extend the debt limit. Then, the real threat of an economic crisis comes. This is why it’s so critical that the House pursues a discharge petition to end the debt ceiling fight. Because GOP extremists will be pushing to send us off the fiscal cliff.
The House needs to pass a debt ceiling discharge petition now. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Regarding calling Reps that aren’t yours, I’m often prompted to leave a message especially if after hours or on w-ends. I just state my name and the message.. Let them assume I’m a constituent when I “forget”to state where I live.
What does Clean Debt Ceiling mean to Trumpy Republicans? I just called our Congresswoman and the guy who answered kept putting words in my mouth, You support a Clean Debt Ceiling. I feel like I’ve been snookered which is why thus lifelong Republican has only Voted Blue since 2016.