Rep. Schiff reintroduced The Protecting Our Democracy Act 2023-2024, HR 5048. I wonder if you would highlight it to get your members to urge its passage in the House, and then onto the Senate. I understand it has provisions that could limit or prevent abuses of executive power and corruption, et cetera. Thanks for your consideration.
Thanks for sharing the Connector article on voter registration. Like they say, you need to be in it, to win it. That can't be more true than this year.
Graphics and illustrations...these don't need to be identified as fake. In memes, altered photos are used all the time. But to be done right, there is always something alerting the viewer: In this case it would have been "I wish" or "I can't wait for the day" or some such. Or better yet, in my strong opinion, not used at all.
I am always watching out for "imitating our oppressors" or stooping to the level of those we oppose. Presenting falsehoods as truth, which photos do unless labeled as false, is going low. "When they go low, we go high."
My state, Colorado, just enacted into law the first AI regulation in the nation such that fakes like this photo have to be labeled. I don't yet know the details of the law. But I sure support it. In the meantime, it is up to all of us individually, at least those of us of conscience who are fighting for human rights and democracy, to cling to the truth. I doubt Dorothy Day or Gandhi or George Lakey or Starhawk or other nonviolent activists and leaders would agree with using falsified photos as part of Satyagraha.
Jess, I think you may be overestimating readers and viewers. You are an information professional in the political arena. You know what's what.. But I bet you would be shocked how many people thought that photo was real.
You have been instrumental in keeping the grassroots group I lead engaged and informed. Thank you!!
Friday Action began the week after the Women's March in 2017. We've grown from a small group of friends, meeting weekly in my living room, into a national political force of 2500. We focus collectively on one specific electoral project at a time and have written millions of postcards and letters and raised millions of dollars for Democratic candidates and progressive organizations. Our byline,"The best antidote to political despair and anxiety is effective community action." is something you say often. Your emails keep our hopes up and allow us to continue the day to day detailed work in these frightening times. (They also keep me engaged in my meditation practice.)
Here's our project for June. I wanted you to know about it and maybe share with your followers. ((Robert Hubbell just highlighted this in today's newsletter.)
It's time for us to be visible! The focus of Friday Action Group's June project is to counteract the negativity and fear of the MAGA mob by making a statement to our community and to each other that we, and tens of millions of other Americans, proudly support the Biden/Harris administration!
Trump's campaign strategy, like authoritarians and fascists everywhere, is to create the illusion of invincibility! The MAGA crowd flaunts their allegiance to Trump with their hats, t-shirts,flags, and other paraphernalia to scare us into silence, to make us think they are strong and we are weak, that they are powerful and unstoppable!!! It's a lie!!! Don't let them demoralize or frighten you into submission. Be vocal! Be visible!
Besides, don't you feel tons better when you see someone sporting a Biden T-shirt or displaying a Biden yard sign or bumper sticker? Enthusiasm is uplifting. Help yourself and each other feel better in these scary times! Join thousands of others in this summer's Visibility for Victory campaign!!!
Go to https://shop.joebiden.com/shop-all/ to buy your Biden/Harris gear, or if you don't see the thing you want there just google Biden and a description of the item (i.e. Biden bumper sticker 10 Pack).
Please let's work on our Protect Our Republic language. I know it sounds like Republican, but Orange baboon threatens our democracy by destroying our republic that requires the rule of law. Love, Doc
I donated to Democrat Michael Kripchak's campaign as well as writing postcards for him through Postcards to Voters. I got an email from him today, which said in part:
"Based on the early voting results, we are achieving what many considered impossible: We are in the lead! We have to secure it. We CAN and we MUST win! Because of all the hard work of people that believe in our movement, we have taken the GOP's gerrymandering and rushed Special Election scheme and turned their own tactics against them to our advantage. Through our grassroots efforts, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn the allegedly "red" 6th District and make it "blue" again. But we need to close out this race STRONG and get out the vote in order to seal victory.
Since I officially declared my candidacy on January 3rd, I've put over 11,000 miles on my car and gone through 3 pairs of shoes travelling all across our district, meeting you all, and learning what really matters to you and what I, as a potential Congressman, can do to make it happen.
My opponent has had everything in life handed to him, be it his family business or the state senate seat he currently occupies, and his sense of entitlement demonstrates this. He has never worked an honest day in his life and his campaign activity shows this to be true. He made a grave error thinking he would only have to compete during the primary and he didn't plan for a strong Democratic candidate.
As such, his campaign has no more money, my sources from inside his camp say his campaign is panicking and he is digging into his personal funds to finance this last push. We caught him flat-footed and with all GOP donations going towards Trump's legal defense fund, my opponent has run out of support. His only hope is to use his false bravado and bought-for media personalities to demotivate our voters. Do not let him fool you! He is done for and he knows it. Now we must prove it!"
Please share with anyone you may know in this district. If he wins tomorrow, it will give a huge boost to OH Dems not to mention throwing a spanner in the works for Mike Johnson who was counting on filling the seat with a Republican!
Activate America is holding phone banks to voters in AZ and OH to promote registering for Vote by Mail (VBM) and their respective Democratic candidates for Senate - Ruben Gallego and Sherrod Brown.
They are offering both Zoom-based sessions which include some training (and have people available throughout the session to answer questions) and do-it-on-your own links to the script for experienced phone bankers.
Read more about Ruben Gallego in long Atlantic article The Most American City about Phoenix and Arizona politics and water shortage. Recommend the article and support for Gallege. Love, Doc
There is a new Postcards to Voters (www.postcardstovoters.org) campaign in another upcoming special election for Congress - this time in CO-04. This vacancy occurred when GOP congressman Ken Buck abruptly decided to resign from Congress instead of waiting for his term to run out. (This is also the seat which Lauren Bobert will be running for in November should she win the GOP primary).
The special election coincides with the CO primary - both are on June 25. The winner of the special election will fill out the rest of Buck's term (or at least until after the Nov 5th election). The woman who was chosen by the state Democratic party to run in the special election is Trisha Calverese, who is also running in the primary to be the Democratic candidate for the general election. Interestingly, the GOP chose a candidate for the special election who doesn't seem to be running in the primary for a full term.
This is another "all hands on deck" PTV campaign, so please consider writing some postcards, if you have the capacity. Approved postcard writers can request addresses by email or Slack. Follow the instructions found here: https://postcardstovoters.org/addresses/.
Rep. Schiff reintroduced The Protecting Our Democracy Act 2023-2024, HR 5048. I wonder if you would highlight it to get your members to urge its passage in the House, and then onto the Senate. I understand it has provisions that could limit or prevent abuses of executive power and corruption, et cetera. Thanks for your consideration.
Sure!
Thanks for sharing the Connector article on voter registration. Like they say, you need to be in it, to win it. That can't be more true than this year.
As a loyal reader and supporter, I am alerting all of us that the Trump/police image is very likely a DeepFake.
I put the image into tineye.com and got a result of 99.9% likely to be AI-generated.
My method to fact check this image:
I screenshotted the image and cropped, so only the part I wanted to check.
I opened Tin Eye, the reverse image search and checker: https://tineye.com/search/53afbb8e6e121b114623af0b0d8545bfb0e7d545?sort=score&order=desc&page=1
Result: https://archive.org/details/5-31-24-hive-moderation-eval-of-trump-police-image
I'm no tech expert. But we all have to get better at telling what is real and what is not!
I didn't think it was real. Just a funny meme.
Photos are different. They present as true.
Graphics and illustrations...these don't need to be identified as fake. In memes, altered photos are used all the time. But to be done right, there is always something alerting the viewer: In this case it would have been "I wish" or "I can't wait for the day" or some such. Or better yet, in my strong opinion, not used at all.
I am always watching out for "imitating our oppressors" or stooping to the level of those we oppose. Presenting falsehoods as truth, which photos do unless labeled as false, is going low. "When they go low, we go high."
My state, Colorado, just enacted into law the first AI regulation in the nation such that fakes like this photo have to be labeled. I don't yet know the details of the law. But I sure support it. In the meantime, it is up to all of us individually, at least those of us of conscience who are fighting for human rights and democracy, to cling to the truth. I doubt Dorothy Day or Gandhi or George Lakey or Starhawk or other nonviolent activists and leaders would agree with using falsified photos as part of Satyagraha.
Jess, I think you may be overestimating readers and viewers. You are an information professional in the political arena. You know what's what.. But I bet you would be shocked how many people thought that photo was real.
I didn’t think it was real. It’s a meme. I wish it was real though 😜
You have been instrumental in keeping the grassroots group I lead engaged and informed. Thank you!!
Friday Action began the week after the Women's March in 2017. We've grown from a small group of friends, meeting weekly in my living room, into a national political force of 2500. We focus collectively on one specific electoral project at a time and have written millions of postcards and letters and raised millions of dollars for Democratic candidates and progressive organizations. Our byline,"The best antidote to political despair and anxiety is effective community action." is something you say often. Your emails keep our hopes up and allow us to continue the day to day detailed work in these frightening times. (They also keep me engaged in my meditation practice.)
Here's our project for June. I wanted you to know about it and maybe share with your followers. ((Robert Hubbell just highlighted this in today's newsletter.)
Thanks So Much
Paul Spector
Founder and Director
fridayaction.org
413-250-5226
Dear Friends,
It's time for us to be visible! The focus of Friday Action Group's June project is to counteract the negativity and fear of the MAGA mob by making a statement to our community and to each other that we, and tens of millions of other Americans, proudly support the Biden/Harris administration!
Trump's campaign strategy, like authoritarians and fascists everywhere, is to create the illusion of invincibility! The MAGA crowd flaunts their allegiance to Trump with their hats, t-shirts,flags, and other paraphernalia to scare us into silence, to make us think they are strong and we are weak, that they are powerful and unstoppable!!! It's a lie!!! Don't let them demoralize or frighten you into submission. Be vocal! Be visible!
Besides, don't you feel tons better when you see someone sporting a Biden T-shirt or displaying a Biden yard sign or bumper sticker? Enthusiasm is uplifting. Help yourself and each other feel better in these scary times! Join thousands of others in this summer's Visibility for Victory campaign!!!
Go to https://shop.joebiden.com/shop-all/ to buy your Biden/Harris gear, or if you don't see the thing you want there just google Biden and a description of the item (i.e. Biden bumper sticker 10 Pack).
Thanks!!!
Friday Action
https://www.fridayaction.org
Please let's work on our Protect Our Republic language. I know it sounds like Republican, but Orange baboon threatens our democracy by destroying our republic that requires the rule of law. Love, Doc
written by George Packer.
Reminder: if you (or anyone you know) live in US House district OH-06 (see map here: https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio%27s_6th_Congressional_District#District_map), tomorrow (June 11th) is the special election.
I donated to Democrat Michael Kripchak's campaign as well as writing postcards for him through Postcards to Voters. I got an email from him today, which said in part:
"Based on the early voting results, we are achieving what many considered impossible: We are in the lead! We have to secure it. We CAN and we MUST win! Because of all the hard work of people that believe in our movement, we have taken the GOP's gerrymandering and rushed Special Election scheme and turned their own tactics against them to our advantage. Through our grassroots efforts, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn the allegedly "red" 6th District and make it "blue" again. But we need to close out this race STRONG and get out the vote in order to seal victory.
Since I officially declared my candidacy on January 3rd, I've put over 11,000 miles on my car and gone through 3 pairs of shoes travelling all across our district, meeting you all, and learning what really matters to you and what I, as a potential Congressman, can do to make it happen.
My opponent has had everything in life handed to him, be it his family business or the state senate seat he currently occupies, and his sense of entitlement demonstrates this. He has never worked an honest day in his life and his campaign activity shows this to be true. He made a grave error thinking he would only have to compete during the primary and he didn't plan for a strong Democratic candidate.
As such, his campaign has no more money, my sources from inside his camp say his campaign is panicking and he is digging into his personal funds to finance this last push. We caught him flat-footed and with all GOP donations going towards Trump's legal defense fund, my opponent has run out of support. His only hope is to use his false bravado and bought-for media personalities to demotivate our voters. Do not let him fool you! He is done for and he knows it. Now we must prove it!"
Please share with anyone you may know in this district. If he wins tomorrow, it will give a huge boost to OH Dems not to mention throwing a spanner in the works for Mike Johnson who was counting on filling the seat with a Republican!
Sounds like a gem! I hope he wins tomorrow.
https://www.kripchak.com/about
I do too! He showed up at Zoom Postcard party I attended and talked about his campaign.
Sadly he didn't win, but he did garner 45% which was considerably more than expected. Hope he persists for the future.
Love this. Let the Fascists own the doom and gloom. Optimism wins the day and feels much better.
Activate America is holding phone banks to voters in AZ and OH to promote registering for Vote by Mail (VBM) and their respective Democratic candidates for Senate - Ruben Gallego and Sherrod Brown.
They are offering both Zoom-based sessions which include some training (and have people available throughout the session to answer questions) and do-it-on-your own links to the script for experienced phone bankers.
AZ Virtual phonebank: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/614748/
AZ (call on your own): https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/614749/
OH Virtual phonebank: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/628108/
OH (call on your own): https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/628137/
Read more about Ruben Gallego in long Atlantic article The Most American City about Phoenix and Arizona politics and water shortage. Recommend the article and support for Gallege. Love, Doc
written by George Packer.
There is a new Postcards to Voters (www.postcardstovoters.org) campaign in another upcoming special election for Congress - this time in CO-04. This vacancy occurred when GOP congressman Ken Buck abruptly decided to resign from Congress instead of waiting for his term to run out. (This is also the seat which Lauren Bobert will be running for in November should she win the GOP primary).
The special election coincides with the CO primary - both are on June 25. The winner of the special election will fill out the rest of Buck's term (or at least until after the Nov 5th election). The woman who was chosen by the state Democratic party to run in the special election is Trisha Calverese, who is also running in the primary to be the Democratic candidate for the general election. Interestingly, the GOP chose a candidate for the special election who doesn't seem to be running in the primary for a full term.
This is another "all hands on deck" PTV campaign, so please consider writing some postcards, if you have the capacity. Approved postcard writers can request addresses by email or Slack. Follow the instructions found here: https://postcardstovoters.org/addresses/.
If you wish to become a volunteer. follow the instructions found here: https://postcardstovoters.org/volunteer/