Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/23
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
A couple of weeks ago, in the middle of the day, my husband sent me a text with a link to a breaking news alert. The alert announced that Cornell West would be running for president on a third party ticket.
My heart plummeted.
“This stresses me out more than I can say,” I wrote back.
Third party races, for obvious reasons, terrify me. Having watched Jill Stein help elect Trump in 2016—ironically, it is she who is running West’s campaign—and Ralph Nader do the same for George W. Bush in 2000, I’m scarred and scared by any announcement of a third party bid in a high-stakes election.
The 2024 election, of course, is as high-stakes as it gets. And while a straight Biden/Trump contest looks pretty good for us, it’s looking more and more likely that we won’t have one. Not only has West thrown his hat into the ring, but the No Labels party is looming as a threat as well. Their threat to run a ticket comprised of one Democrat (possibly Joe Manchin) and one Republican is alarming to nearly everyone who wants to prevent a Trump presidency. Dan Pfieffer wrote about it just this morning. The danger is very, very real.
What, then, can be done? I refuse to scare my followers without a corresponding call to action, so I’d encourage everyone first to get educated about what’s happening. Know and loudly repeat the fact that Cornell West’s run would likely elect Trump, and that the No Labels party is funded by right-wing billionaires like Harlan Crow, Republican megadonor Nelson Peltz, private equity investor Marc Rowan, Trump supporter John Catsimatidis, and private equity co-founder Carl Ferenbach. Because its additional funding is from dark money donors there is much more we don’t know about who’s funding No Labels; that, in and of itself, should garner suspicion.
Beyond that, all we can do is what we’re doing, while continuing to register all the voters we can, everywhere, all the time. Because if No Labels and/or West do get on the ballot we are going to have to educate and turn out voters in unprecedented volume and with unheard of energy in order to keep Trump out of office.
Can it be done? Definitely. Will it be hard? Very.
But for now let’s not let it drive us crazy. Much of how this will play out is out of our control. Much, too, will change between now and when voting starts. I am going to choose to believe that the same combination of tenacity, determination, and wit that’s gotten us this far will continue to carry us. You should, too.
I don’t have a religious bone in my body, but I nevertheless resort to the Serenity Prayer frequently. The original text written by Reinhold Niebuhr in 1932 was slightly different from the one most of us know, and I like it a bit more:
God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
courage to change the things that should be changed,
and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Niebuhr was also quoted as putting it this way:
“The victorious man in the day of crisis is the man who has the serenity to accept what he cannot help and the courage to change what must be altered.”
Whether we prefer the prayer or the prose version, let us remind ourselves daily that peace and success will come from letting go of what we cannot change and steadfastly tackling that which we can.
With that, let’s get to work.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’d like the Senator to support the SECURE Act - Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency Act (S.306). It would ensure the security and stability of hundreds of thousands of TPS holders. TPS holders are essential workers, they are parents with U.S. citizen children, they are small business owners, and most importantly, Americans with every right to this country. They deserve to stop living in limbo, in fear of having to return to a country that is unsafe. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling because over 7.5 million Americans are in default on their student loans. Since President Biden’s student debt forgiveness plan remains at the mercy of our lawless Supreme Court, I want Congress to prepare legislation to provide this relief in the event SCOTUS blocks it. If rich Americans—including many members of Congress—can receive giant PPP loans which are then forgiven, students simply trying to make a better life for themselves should be extended the same privilege. This is an investment in America’s future and I want the Congressmember to work to make it happen. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
PROTECT DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES FROM TOXIC CHEMICALS
Black, Latino, indigenous and economically disadvantaged communities are particularly at risk from dangerous cancer causing air pollutant, ethylene oxide. This chemical, derived from fossil fuels, has been used to make other chemicals and to sterilize some medical devices. Prolonged exposure to it, by living, working, or going to school near a facility that uses it, puts people at serious risk. While the EPA is designing regulations, there are still several loopholes that need to be tightened to help keep people safe. We can find out more about the damage ethylene oxide causes here and use the talking points to submit our comments here by Tuesday, June 27. Deadline is soon!
[H/T
]Get Smart! 📚
A number of you have written to me in the last weeks expressing interest in various aspects of food, farming, and nutritional policy. So I wanted to make you aware of a pretty incredible blog I just found—perhaps many of you know it, but I hadn’t heard of it. It’s called Food Politics and it’s written by Marion Nestle, who has a long and deeply impressive CV as a professor, author, and lecturer on the subject. I’m finding the blog endlessly fascinating and I think many of you will, too!
Spread the Word! 📣
This new Navigator polling on changing views on abortion in America is really encouraging and important. Please take a look and share. The TLDR? In the year since Roe was overturned, support for abortion rights remains strong while opposition to a nationwide ban has grown. GOOD.
Win Races! 🗳
Did you know we have another election coming up in Wisconsin?
Yes! We are officially less than one month away from Wisconsin's Special Election in Assembly District 24 on July 18th! We are looking at a tough race ahead of us, so we need all of the help we can get to turn out the vote for Bob Tatterson, the Democrat running to fill the State Assembly Seat! This Spring we achieved a massive victory with the election of Judge Janet Protasiewicz, and every call made contributed to her election and ultimately helped ensure a more fair and progressive Wisconsin. Now, we need your help to call and get out the vote for AD24's Special Election!
Please join WisDems’ upcoming phonebanks to talk to voters!
June Day of Action Phonebank (6/24) sign up here.
Thursday Special Election Phonebanks (Thursdays at 5pm CDT): sign up here.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PVCPLK to 50409]
Each day we see reports of train derailments across the country. This is a result of corporate greed, which is leading corporations to cut corners on safety and invest their profits instead in enriching wealthy shareholders.
The bipartisan Railway Safety Act, introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown and JD Vance, would implement long-overdue safety requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials, raise fines on companies when accidents happen, and require two-person crews on every train.
Over the last 4 years, the railway industry has spent $100 million lobbying Congress, opposing new railway safety measures. We need Congress to listen to the American people, not to high-priced lobbyists that only have corporate profits in mind.
I urge you to pass the Railway Safety Act immediately to protect workers and our communities from reckless railway greed.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
It’s not ironic that Jill Stein is running West’s campaign. Remember, she was also at that dinner in Russia with Michael Flynn. She’s either a useful idiot or a Russian asset. They are at it again. And yes, every time we see “no labels” described as “moderate” write a LTE or leave a comment.
Everyone said 2022 would be a bloodbath and we defied expectations. We'll find a way to do so again in 2024. The good news is (1) we're worrying about this now so have time to message against spoiler candidates, (2) we are WAY more organized than 2016 and (3) the Republicans are WAY more unpopular than they were in 2016. Spoiler candidate or not it's going to take everything we have to win again.