Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/12

Special elections boding well for us!

Cartoon by Nick Anderson

Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!

How are my favorite marathon runners today?

Because this is, indeed, a marathon, friends. I feel it, too. And it’s not a marathon on flat ground, either. It’s an endurance race over mountain roads in a hurricane. I know our feet hurt; I know we long for a rest, I know we’re hitting the “wall of pain.” But we have to keep going. Getting through this part is how we win.

Speaking of which, we got some good news yesterday! Not in the polls, or on social media, but in the real world, where actual election results are the only data that matters.

I’ll quote Punchbowl:

The race to succeed former Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) in a ruby-red House seat shocked many. Republican Michael Rulli won by less than 10 points, a huge underperformance in a seat that backed Trump in 2020 by roughly 30 points.

And AP:

Rulli’s victory by roughly 10 percentage points was much closer than earlier GOP performances in Ohio’s 6th District. Johnson won his last four elections by more than 30 percentage points. Trump also carried the district by around 30 percentage points in 2020. While this was a special election held in the summer, when turnout traditionally dips, the results could offer hope for Democrats looking to be competitive this fall in Ohio and neighboring Pennsylvania.

They “could,” huh? Pshaw. They do.

Read

Jay Kuo

’s latest post, “These Numbers Spell Trouble for the GOP,” to really get the enormity of this victory, and also see it contextualized with other recent special elections. The pattern is clear, and it should make everyone—or at least everyone who votes blue—feel really good.

I know some of you worked on this race, by the way. Bravo! You should be proud of your efforts, and I hope you are. Thank you for your service.

We are overperforming everywhere, folks. We will again in November, if we keep doing the work. The results will shock everyone, but we won’t be shocked at all, will we?

Because we’re the seasoned athletes who will have helped make it happen.

Now let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

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

I’ve had it with the corruption and extreme bias in the right-wing justices on the Supreme Court. I want the Senator to support and fight to pass S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. But I also want more vigorous oversight of these justices. The Senate Judiciary Committee is doing nothing but writing letters. It’s utterly insufficient. Please push Dick Durbin to do his job and launch investigations into the right-wing justices who are destroying the legitimacy of the highest court in the land. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

[If you have a GOP rep]

I’m calling to say I strongly oppose the contempt charge Republicans are considering for Merrick Garland. I want the Congressmember to vote against it. The attack on AG Garland is a shameful stunt and an egregious waste of taxpayer funds—Garland has provided Republicans with every document they’ve asked for, including the transcripts of Biden’s interview with Robert Hur. Biden, furthermore, was cleared of all wrongdoing in that case. Republicans need to move on. They are misusing their power to attack their political opponents instead of working to help the American people and I will remember it on election day.

[If you have a Dem rep]

I’ve had it with the corruption and extreme bias in the right-wing justices on the Supreme Court. I want the Congressmember to support and fight to pass HR 926, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act. But I also want more vigorous oversight of these justices. Please ask the Congressmember to push Dick Durbin to do his job and launch investigations into the right-wing justices who are destroying the legitimacy of the highest court in the land. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

Let’s call Dick Durbin again. ‭(202) 224-2152‬ or ‭(312) 353-4952‬ or ‭(618) 351-1122‬ or ‭(217) 492-4062‬ or ‭(309) 786-5173‬.

Say:

My name is _____ and I’m calling Senator Durbin in his capacity as Chair of the Judiciary Committee. I’m deeply worried about the corruption on the Supreme Court and want him to step up his oversight of it—a LOT. We are in a critical moment. His response so far has been tepid and ineffective. Writing letters is not enough. First, he needs to call for a floor vote on the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act—unanimous consent won’t allow us to see each Senators’ vote. He should also hold hearings—look at what the Republicans are doing in the House! Why are we not doing that for corrupt Supreme Court justices? We now know that Alito has lied about the timeline of events around his seditionist flag flying, for example. That means he made false statements to Congress. Why is there no follow through? We are in a house-on-fire emergency. Senator Durbin needs to act like it or allow someone else to do the job. Thanks.

Get Smart! 📚

YOU'RE INVITED: National Call on Reproductive Freedom with Vice President Harris and Special Guests.

Join Vice President Harris in conversation with actress Lisa Ann Walter for a National Call on Reproductive Freedom on Thursday, June 13 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT. They’ll also be joined by Biden-Harris Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Amanda and Josh Zurawksi – who have experienced the chaos and cruelty unleashed by Trump – and the Biden-Harris team.

On this national call ahead of the anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, you’ll hear from Vice President Harris and the Biden-Harris team on ways YOU can take action in the fight for reproductive freedom.

RSVP HERE!

Spread the Word! 📣

Please share this article (it’s a gift link): Surprising U.S. Economy is Powering Better Global Outlook. We must get the word out that Biden’s economy is the driver of not just an American, but a global recovery. It’s remarkable. But no one will celebrate it who doesn’t see the news. Let’s get it out there!

Give 💰!

Support getting out the youth vote in key states through #iVoted!

On Thursday, June 13 at 6pm ET in NYC come hear The Daily Show writer Matt Negrin interview activist & musical artist Lachi and the executive directors of #iVoted and Headcount as they share how they register and turn out young voters via concerts. 

Elections are often decided by the size of a concert venue, and young people are twice as likely to attend a concert than vote. MIT compared #iVoted's audience data to voting records, and estimated that they created a 7% turnout increase! Make a tax-deductible donation by clicking here. Their goal: to fund a #iVoted election night concert in Milwaukee with the number one trending artist in the city, Certified Trapper, and seven-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard and musician Dame D.O.L.L.A.!

Win Races! 🗳

Increasing Democratic vote-by-mail participation is one of Activate America’s central strategies, and they’re doing just that with phonebanks into Arizona and Ohio.

To join their vote-by-mail registration calling campaign in Arizona, you can sign up HERE for Zoom phonebanks with fellow activists or HERE for experienced phone bankers who want to call on their own time.

Likewise, to join this campaign in Ohio, sign up HERE to sign up for their Zoom phonebanks or HERE to call on your own time.

These states are home to two of the most important Senate races in the country and multiple competitive House races, and in the case of Arizona, it’s also a critical state in the presidential election. Finally, these calls will be so easy, because you’re not doing any persuasion—you’re simply getting Democrats to sign up for VBM! Please help!

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Americans For Tax Fairness] [Text SIGN PQPGFQ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

I’m writing to urge Congress to reject provisions in the House FY 2025 FSGG appropriations bill that would slash the IRS’s regular annual funding, reducing it to levels not seen since the early 2000s, as well as a policy rider that would prevent the IRS from implementing its Direct File program. Additionally, I urge you to reject additional rescission of the funding provided to the IRS by the Inflation Reduction Act.

House majority appropriators’ claims that their proposal would protect taxpayer services are highly misleading.  In fact, their proposal cuts $350 million from operations support which funds core services such as rent, security, and overhead that are critical to the agency’s ability to implement technological advancements and taxpayer services. It would cut $2 billion from enforcement, a move that would increase the deficit and reduce revenues multiple times over. 

The House proposal would also prevent the IRS from moving forward with full implementation of the highly successful Direct File program, which was rated “excellent” or “above average” by a total of 90 percent of users surveyed by the IRS. This past tax season with a limited launch, over 140,000 taxpayers used the tool across 12 pilot states, saving taxpayers more than $90 million in refunds and an estimated $5.6 million in tax preparation fees on their federal returns alone. At full capacity in a few years, Direct File could save taxpayers $11 billion a year between filing fees and time costs, while also helping taxpayers access $12 billion in tax credits for families that qualify but are currently missing out.

As the appropriations process continues Congress should reject the proposed cuts to the IRS funding and any potential amendments that would further cut agency funding, and work to find ways to increase funding for the IRS. Congress should also oppose any policy rider that blocks the successful and popular Direct File program.  Doing so would allow the IRS to continue improving customer service and ensure that the IRS is able to fulfill its mission and serve the American people. Thanks.

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

Talk soon.

Jess