Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/16
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
Well, the family visit has taken a new turn—a stomach bug has hit, and my various relatives are dropping like flies. I don’t have it yet, nor does anyone in my immediate circle, but since we’ve all been together all week I expect we will soon. Thank God it’s Friday, literally!
Anyway, I’ve been on the Network Nova call all morning, so I’m a bit scattered. I’ll simply say this: it’s a really wild time. You’re not crazy. We are living through an absolutely chaotic, unstable, and unnerving era—one that will be looked back on with shock and amazement and covered exhaustively by history books. Entire academic sub-specialties will be devoted to the things we see breaking on cable news every day. It’s a lot. So don’t forget to breathe, take care of your mental and physical health, and check on someone you love.
Staying connected to our humanity, and each other’s, is how we can stay strong.
It’s also how we will stay grounded.
And believe it or not, it’s also how we’ll win.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I know the Senate is going to take a vote on S. 576, the Railway Safety Act of 2023, next week. I’m not thrilled with the ways it’s been watered down, but it’s still a good bill and I want the Senator to support it. Will s/he?
[If your Senator is either GOP or Mark Kelly, Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, or Jon Tester please add:]
Also, please ask the Senator to support Juli Su for Department of Labor chair. She is wildly qualified, hugely pro-worker, and a proven leader. If the Senator supports American workers they will vote to confirm her. Period. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling about a few bills today:
First, I’d like the Congressmember to support H. R. 3479, the RESTORE Act, to end the ban on SNAP benefits for people with drug convictions who have served their sentence.
Second, I’d like him/her to oppose H.R. 1399, the so-called Protect Children’s Innocence Act, which would deprive children of critical gender-affirming care.
Finally, I’d like him/her to support H.R. 1325, the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, to empower people seeking asylum to support their families and communities as soon as possible. Thanks!
[H/T Americans of Conscience]
Extra Credit ✅
Let’s contact the Center for Disease Control using their contact form and say:
I’m writing to ask that you stop validating so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” within the National Prevention Information Network database. These centers present those seeking pregnancy counseling with false or misleading information in order to discourage abortions. Please take immediate action to remove CPCs from the NPIN database to better support informed public health and reproductive rights. Thanks!
Please personalize slightly so they don’t discard your comment!
[H/T Rogan’s List]
Get Smart! 📚
Politics these days got you down? RepresentUs is here to provide you with a dose of optimism!
With state legislative sessions wrapping up, RepresentUs, America’s leading nonpartisan anti-corruption organization, is holding a webinar to showcase the remarkable strides made in this session with a spotlight on Minnesota's significant democracy gains with 'We Choose Us Coalition' Campaign Director Lilly Sasse.
You'll also hear from RepresentUs' Policy Analyst Anh-Linh Kearney who'll walk you through a legislative briefing on the Pro-Voter movement's crucial progress and RepresentUs' Policy Director Dave O'Brien, who will share the latest on Moore v. Harper and Allen v. Milligan, two of the most important Democracy cases before the United States Supreme Court right now.
Wednesday, June 21 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT. Register here.
Spread the Word! 📣
While President Biden Tackles Junk Fees, MAGA Republicans Want Higher Costs for Consumers:
As President Biden meets with ticket company executives emphasizing the administration’s commitment to eliminating unnecessary junk fees, here’s your reminder that MAGA Republicans would rather cozy up with and protect the corporations that are saddling families with higher costs than end this financial burden for hardworking Americans. In Congress, MAGA House Republicans refuse to even acknowledge the existence of junk fees — all while pocketing large contributions from the very companies that saddle working families with junk fees. Read more from the DNC War Room.
Win Races—Virginia! 🗳
Sister District has some great VA phonebanks coming up. We need volunteers!
And don't forget to join their NEW Wednesday night phonebanks, every Wed at 6-8pm ET!
SIGN UP FOR YOUR NEXT PHONEBANK!
Win Races—New York! 🗳
Join the Environmental Voter Project on Zoom to mobilize low propensity environmental voters to vote in the upcoming New York primary elections! They currently have phonebanks scheduled to mobilize Hudson Valley environmentalists on June 22nd at 7pm ET, June 26th at 7pm ET, and June 27th at 12pm ET. Training provided.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [text largely taken from this Democracy Docket article] [Quick send: text SIGN PSUHFE to 50409 or share here.]
I’m thrilled to hear that Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Pramila Jayapal have reintroduced S. 1908, the Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, legislation that aims to overhaul the nation’s judicial ethics laws.
The bill would increase transparency within federal courts by mandating the livestreaming of court proceedings, restricting the sealing of federal judges’ public health and safety records and more. The bill also imposes a code of conduct on the U.S. Supreme Court (the only federal court not currently subject to an ethics code), implements multiple new mechanisms to hold Supreme Court justices accountable and overhauls the judicial recusal process.
Federal judges would also be banned from owning individual stock and other assets that could result in conflicts of interest, and the bill would increase restrictions on judicial gifts and privately funded travel.
This bill is absolutely essential. I probably don’t need to tell you that public polling has shown declining approval of the Supreme Court since the start of the year amidst repeated controversies surrounding transparency and ethics. We MUST give Americans reason to trust in this court again. Our democracy depends on it. Please support this bill.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Sorry to hear about the bug, Jess. I hope you're spared!
Great message today, to which I would add:
"We stand a much better chance of achieving success if we remain optimistic than if we succumb to the naysayers and doomsayers. Take a break when you need to, but come on back when you're ready!"
We are fighting right now to ENSURE all this is covered extensively in the history texts!
Thanks for the heads up about CPCs. I honestly thought they were set up to help women who had to go out of state for reproductive health care. On it now!