Hi, all, and happy Wednesday!
Some of you know that I love the study of history. When I remember to send out a paid subscriber chat—which isn’t as often as it should be—I often mention whatever book I’m currently reading. Of late it’s been works about Dutch Manhattan, the Seven Years War, and, most recently, in fiction form, the African Schutztruppe, who fought under the Germans in the early twentieth century.
I love historical podcasts, too, and right now I’m listening to an excellent one. It’s called Fall of Civilizations, and while it’s not, for obvious reasons, a light listen, it’s deeply researched, fascinating and, at least to me, utterly enthralling. (My thirteen-year-old feels differently, calling it the “boring British guy talking about boring British things” podcast. An inaccurate description on all counts; we have agreed to disagree.)
The newest episode of this podcast is about Carthage, a North African kingdom founded by the Phoenicians; it dominated the Mediterranean for 700 years in the first millenium BCE. I’ve long been obsessed with Carthage; it astounds me that an empire as powerful, advanced, and wealthy as it should not only have been conquered, but, once vanquished, should disappear almost completely into the mists of time. If you can spare the three hours, this episode is really worth the listen. The ending is devastating, but you’ll marvel at what you learn in the process.
Why does studying history matter for those of us who care about politics? For many reasons, but I suppose the most important one to me relates to context.
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment we’re in, to feel that MAGA is the worst crisis a country could face, that our current upheaval is unprecedented, that we are living in uniquely tumultuous times. History, of course, teaches us differently; it reminds us that, when it comes to human civilizations, tumult is more the norm than the exception. It also shows us how many exceptional, vast, and massively powerful empires have risen and fallen before ours. Each felt invincible; none were.
Should this depress us? Not at all. It is simply the course of things. I, for one, am soothed by the reminder that our struggles don’t stand alone, but appear as part of a vast pattern, one we can, at best, dimly understand. Remembering this lends me humility, which in turn helps with steadiness, perspective, and even gratitude. We live in tumultuous times, yes. But many have done so before—often in far worse conditions—and lived to tell the tale.
Here’s the important thing: regardless of the era, it’s often—and perhaps mostly—individuals who’ve changed the arc of history with their actions. Sometimes this has been in small ways, other times large. But every single actor added lines to the story. Those lines changed what came after, and so on. All the way down to us.
The question, then, perhaps shouldn’t be “why us?” Or “why now?” But rather “Of course, us. Of course now. What shall we—and I—do about it?”
We know what we’re called to do today. We know how to do it, and we know that we must. This much is abundantly clear. So let’s get to work, knowing that, when our history is written, we’ll absolutely be on the right side of it.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
Pro Publica is out with new reporting revealing that Justice Samuel Alito took a luxury fishing vacation with a Republican billionaire who later had cases before the Court. Alito did not recuse himself from these cases. It’s outrageous. Americans are tired of reading headlines about corruption in the Supreme Court. When will the Senate do something about it? Will the Senator call for investigations into this latest revelation? Has the Senator co-sponsored S.1616 the Judiciary Act or S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act? In short, what is the Senator doing to restore our faith in this broken court? I’ll take my answer in writing. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
[to Republican reps]
I know the House is voting today on another Resolution to censure Adam Schiff. I vehemently oppose it and want the Congressmember to as well. Schiff is an American hero and should be treated as such.
I also understand that Lauren Boebert has introduced a privileged resolution to impeach President Biden, citing a ‘dereliction of duty’ and ‘abuse of power’ over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. This is utterly absurd; it’s a waste of Congressional resources and taxpayer money. Why isn’t the Republican House using their time to craft bipartisan immigration legislation that can pass instead?
We see what the Republicans are doing and we don’t like it. Please change course or we will vote you all out. Thanks.
[to Democratic reps]
I’m calling to say that I know the Republicans in the House majority will soon be voting on a tax cut bill, and I want to make sure the Democrats don’t support any provisions in it. We don’t want any more corporate tax cuts, no matter what Republicans offer in return. We have got to stop giveaways to giant corporations. Please make the rich and big businesses pay their fair share. Period. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
The Juliana v. United States climate youth have won again! The U.S. District Court has just put the young plaintiffs’ case back on a path to trial and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will soon respond.
For seven years, these young people have waited for their day in court, delayed again and again by tactics employed by the DOJ to impede or dismiss their case. They need your help today to urge the DOJ under President Biden to end its opposition to this case proceeding to trial.
Please use this tool to email the Attorney General and ask him to NOT file a record seventh Petition for Writ of Mandamus - an extreme legal tool championed by the Trump Administration’s DOJ - in this youth-led case. Tell him to end Department of Justice opposition to Juliana v. U.S. proceeding to trial so that the evidence of these 21 young Americans on the unconstitutionality of the U.S. fossil fuel energy system can finally be heard in open court.
PLEASE personalize the letter so it’s not discarded.
Get Smart—TODAY! 📚
Tonight Every State Blue is having a special event with Wendy Davis—you should go if you can! It was 10 years ago that Wendy stood for 13 long hours in the Texas Senate to successfully filibuster an ominous abortion bill. She didn’t rest then. She’s not resting now.
Since then she’s used her platform to boost Democrats across Texas – supporting candidates, championing causes, and lifting up the work of others. In this joint Blue Texas and Blue Horizon event she’ll be talking about how we can work to empower Texans and fight in every corner of the state.
June 21 (Wednesday) at 7pm central. Register HERE.
Get Smart—TOMORROW! 📚
Yesterday was primary election day in Virginia! We had some BIG WINS!
They will breakdown:
Voter turnout across the state and in key districts
How many voters they contacted, and how that impacted voter turnout
Virginia is a crucial election that set the stage for what will happen in 2024. They will also go over CFCG’s strategy to mobilize BIPOC voters to the polls in the fall and how you can help us get out the vote in this historic election.
Win Races! 🗳
Yay! We can now write Vote Forward letters to voters in Ohio about the anti-democratic special election happening on August 8th! Vote Forward has an easy template that you just add a few sentences to. These letters WORK! Help increase turnout with this effective tactic. Send as you write—at latest by August 1st. Sign up here.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [H/T HRC] [Quick send: text SIGN PVSOOI to 50409 or share here.]
As your constituent I am writing to request your support for the Equality Act and the crucial protections it would provide members of the LGBTQ+ community nationwide.
Our country cannot continue to tolerate discrimination – in employment, housing, public places, education or anywhere – on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Now more than ever, we need to pass the Equality Act and its consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections.
By explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity in our nation’s civil rights laws, LGBTQ+ people will finally be afforded the exact same protections as other covered characteristics under federal law. Placing your name on the Equality Act would show you understand how important this is.
Please consider supporting the Equality Act today. For the LGBTQ+ community, and for the betterment of our country. Thank you.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Arkansas court just struck down a law banning gender affirming care!
I’m a history scholar and a history teacher. The first thing I tell my classes every year is George Santayana’s prophetic phrase, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The conservative Right (or whatever!) doesn’t remember Germany, 1939.
My picks got elected yesterday. My recipient of postcard writing also got elected. Read in VPAP newsletter about other candidates I was interested in who also got elected. All going to the general election in November. Oh, Happy Day!