Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/23
Down to the wire on the Big BS Bill.
Hi, all, and happy Monday.
I know it’s an insane time right now. I wish we were in a different reality. But we are where we are, and all we can do is tackle the problems we face as courageously as we can. We’ve got an illegal war—or something very close to it—brewing, a deadly bill that’s getting dangerously close to passing, and…(gestures vaguely) everything else. I don’t need to tell you that it’s bad.
What can we do? Simply keep doing what we’re doing. So much is out of our control, but our actions are not. We can call our reps. We can get friends to call. We can share information about what’s happening. We can attend a protest. We can write a letter. We can find out if our local Indivisible group is organizing an office visit.
We can just do something.
Then we can rest, recreate, and start again.
It’s a slog for sure, my friends. If this were a journey we’d be on the worst part of the road right now. In inclement weather. With inadequate walking shoes. But this is what troops do, right? We trudge on, no matter what the conditions. We put our heads down, we look to our fellow soldiers for support and camaraderie, and we keep. On. Going.
So let’s do that.
I’m on a call about the Big BS Bill right now, by the way, and it sounds like the Senate could vote on it as soon as Wednesday. Crazily, there’s a chance the House could vote immediately after that. Republicans are trying really hard to get this monstrosity passed quickly, before more Americans understand what’s in it.
So we know what our job is, and we’ve got to just keep on doing it. I know we’re tired, folks. But this is what it feels like to fight for our country, and for each other.
Hang in there. Take care of yourselves. Remember that hope isn’t always a feeling. Sometimes it’s just an action. Today we’ll act whether or not we feel hope. That, after all, is how we win against the odds.
One more thing: I’ll be doing a Substack Live today with Dr. Annie Andrews, the amazing candidate running to unseat Lindsey Graham in South Carolina. If you haven’t seen her launch video I highly recommend you watch it, and then come listen to our conversation today at 4PM PT / 7PM ET! As usual, you can just open up the Substack app at that time and it should pop up.
OK, folks. Let’s get to work!
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m furious that Donald Trump just launched America into a war with Iran without any authorization from Congress. This is illegal and unconstitutional. Congress needs to call an emergency session to force a vote to stop him. Also, Trump needs to be impeached. I want the Senator to call for the House to impeach him now! Thank you.
[If Republican add:] Also I expect the Senator to vote NO on the Big Bogus Bill, which will destroy the American economy, gut our healthcare system, increase prices on pretty much everything, and harm our environment, all to give tax breaks to rich people. I will literally make it my life’s purpose to vote out any Senator who supports it. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m furious that Donald Trump just launched America into a war with Iran without any authorization from Congress. This is illegal and unconstitutional. Congress needs to call an emergency session to force a vote to stop him. Also, Trump needs to be impeached. This is not his first impeachable offense—by a long shot—but it is the most egregious. The House must impeach now! Thank you.
Extra Credit ✅
Join a Georgia Inactives Phone Bank
Georgia is getting ready to purge its voter rolls of a total of 455,000 voters who are currently marked as Inactive. The Georgia Dems have asked for our help. Let’s keep the Dems registered by telling them how they can update their registrations and stay registered to vote in the upcoming election!
We need lots and lots of people on these phone banks to reach all these voters! So, sign up for as many shifts as you can. And, these phone banks are open to everyone, so please share this information and the registration link with friends and colleagues.
Every Tuesday, June 24 - July 22, 5:30pm - 7:30pm ET
Sign up at this Mobilize link. Training is provided as part of each 2-hour shift.
Get Smart! 📚
Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 24, from 10:30-11:30AM ET, please join the Center for American Progress for a virtual conversation on the far-reaching consequences of Congressional Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill on older adults, people living with disabilities, and other Medicare enrollees.
Congressional Republicans’ proposed legislation would raise health care costs for millions of Americans by enacting the largest cut to Medicaid in the program’s history. Notably, the bill would also make it more difficult for 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries to access programs that help them afford essential services, including prescription drugs.
This timely conversation will feature policy experts, health advocates, and storytellers discussing what’s at stake and how to fight back against these harmful provisions.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Messaging Guidance About Medicaid Cuts for the Republican Budget bill (From Protect Our Care)
Important: 45% of likely voters still don’t know that the bill would cut Medicaid. Nearly a quarter of voters don’t know anything at all about the bill. So we have to:
Keep educating friends and family about what’s in the bill, even if it seems like we’re repeating ourselves constantly.
Continue to describe the bill as the “budget bill,” and not use Republicans’ framing of the “big beautiful bill.”
Talk about the human impact - every time we talk about the hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, connect that to the coverage losses – gutting hundreds of billions from Medicaid means 16 million people lose their health insurance. 10 million people currently enrolled in Medicaid will become uninsured.
Continue to talk about the job loss penalty – when people lose their jobs, they will be ineligible to enroll in Medicaid and ineligible for the marketplace under this bill.
When Members say “we’re not making cuts that hurt people with disabilities,” turn to talking about optional services like home and community-based services and the unintended consequences – because the last time federal Medicaid funding was reduced, every single state cut home care in some way. And the cuts to Medicaid will destabilize the home care job market.
Give 💰!
On Jun 23 at 05:00 PM PT / 8PM ET the Markers For Democracy 2025 Giving Circle is co-hosting a powerhouse event featuring Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin and Daniel Squadron of The States Project. This is a rare chance to hear two dynamic leaders talk about the state of U.S. politics and why Virginia’s 2025 Statehouse and Governor’s races are the most important in the country right now.
With our institutions under threat and 2026 feeling far away, Virginia is where we can act now. Winning a decisive democratic majority in the VA Statehouse and winning a Democratic trifecta will send a clear message to Republicans: backing Trump comes with consequences. A big win in Virginia this fall builds momentum and puts them on notice for 2026.
Please join them on June 23 to learn more. This is a fundraiser, but no donation is necessary to attend.
Win Races—Postcard! 🗳
PA-10 Postcard Campaign Kickoff with Swing Blue Alliance on Tuesday, June 24th at 7 pm ET
Want to oust MAGA Scott Perry from the House of Representatives next year? This postcard campaign, in collaboration with Rural Freedom Network, lays the groundwork to do just that. We'll go over all the details, including how we'll measure the effectiveness of our messaging with Democratic and swing voters in Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, and how this campaign brings together Swing Blue Alliance’s Research, Phone Bank, and Mail teams for the first time.
Register for the PA Kickoff Call
Chop Wood, Save the Planet
The Environmental Voter Project’s upcoming postcard campaign will be targeting environmental voters in Virginia ahead of the November 4, 2025 Statewide Election. They hope to send postcards to over 100,000 registered to vote environmentalists across the state who are inconsistent voters.
All participating volunteers must be trained directly by EVP. Commitment sizes are 200, 300, 500, and 1,000 postcards per trained volunteer. EVP will mail packages of postcards directly to trained volunteers between July 14 and August 1. The completed postcard mailing date is Wednesday, September 17.
They have two postcard volunteer orientations planned for this campaign. Interested volunteers are welcome to join them on June 24th at 8pm ET / 5pm PT or June 27 at 11am ET / 8am PT for a comprehensive training. YOU CAN’T ORDER CARDS UNTIL YOU’VE BEEN TRAINED.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: your Senators] [H/T] [Text SIGN PZVFZP to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
I’m writing in strong opposition to the nomination of Emil Bove to be a federal appeals judge.
Bove targeted FBI agents and career DOJ prosecutors for holding January 6th rioters - who beat cops - accountable. An investigation into Bove by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York found he has a track record of angrily mistreating his colleagues, including law enforcement officers. Bove is also Trump’s former personal attorney. We know Trump is nominating him because he will be loyal to him, not the Constitution. It’s unacceptable.
A vote for Bove is a vote to let the most corrupt President in history continue to break the law, take Americans’ rights away, hurt the economy, and profit off the American people. I expect you to oppose his confirmation.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
So glad to see you shout out The Environmental Voter Project! I have written loads of postcards with them and done some phonebanking. If you're on the fence about volunteering, I can attest that writing the postcards is kind of therapeutic. I like to do them 10 at a time when I have a spare half-hour.
Hi Jess, my senator, Adam Schiff is suddenly introducing some kind of crypto coin bill according to a post from him yesterday. Considering that he voted for every iteration of the Genius Act, what is one to make of this? Is this CYA or is his bill credible? Would love to hear your take. Thanks.