Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
I’ve got to make this quick as, believe it or not, I’m off to perform with my family at 11AM EST (yes, this is a side of me many of you don’t know.) I’ll sing my heart out, and then go back to writing emails and making TikToks encouraging others to call their reps and sing their hearts out. 💙
Because that’s what we’re doing here—using our voices, right?
There are many ways to do it. But if you don’t feel like getting on stage, the calls below are particularly important today.
Have I mentioned lately that I’m proud of you? I am.
And so, so grateful to be in this fight with you.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I want the Senate to pass a bill to protect our elections and my right to vote and get rid of partisan gerrymandering and dark money in elections. I prefer the For the People Act, but any bill with those provisions in it is fine.
[If Dem add:] Democrats must do anything and everything necessary to pass this bill. Including voting to abolish or reform the filibuster.
Second, I’m glad to hear that a bipartisan group of Senators has come up with a proposal for an infrastructure bill. But any bill the Senate passes has to have a very large climate change component. We are on the precipice of climate catastrophe. Anything less is not an option. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I would like to ask the Congressmember to support 3 bills that should really pass during Pride month. They are:
The LGBTQ Essential Data Act, which would fully fund the CDCs National Violent Death Reporting System and direct them to improve the collection of data on the sexual orientation and gender identity of deceased victims, H.R. 3488, the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act; and H.R. 3672, to expand protections for transgender dependents of members of the Armed Forces. Thanks!
Extra Credit
I’m calling the DOJ and leaving a message for Merrick Garland today—join me if you like. (My script is taken almost entirely from R. Hubbell’s newlsetter.) Department Comment Line: 202-353-1555 or you can leave a written comment here.
I’m saying:
My name is ____. I live in {city, state].
I know the Attorney General has said he will not investigate abuses by the DOJ during the Trump era. Instead, he will leave the review up to the Inspector General. He has said this is because he “doesn’t want to prejudge anything.”
This decision is wildly disappointing. Having the Inspector General conduct a review is good. But it’s not enough. The IG doesn’t have the authority to compel testimony from prior DOJ employees—like Barr, Sessions, and Rosenstein. He can’t issue subpoenas. And he can’t file criminal charges.
No one is asking you to “prejudge” anything, nor is anyone asking you to apply “a political lens” to your investigation. Your comments prioritize the feelings and professional reputations of “career people” over the search for justice.
I think you’re the wrong AG for this moment in time. I am asking you to resign. Let someone take the job who is willing to take the investigation anywhere it leads. Otherwise we risk seeing more egregious abuses in the future; our democracy simply can’t withstand them.
Get Educated!
Today Public Citizen is hosting a series of emergency town halls about the filibuster and where we go from here. They have great speakers and honestly I’d go to all 3 if I could.
Here’s the schedule:
2 PM ET: Environmentalists vs. the Filibuster
3 PM ET: So You Want to Make D.C. the 51st State?
4 PM ET: The Filibuster and Civil Rights: What to do about this Jim Crow Era relic
Please attend one or more if you can. An educated citizen is democracy’s best advocate.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T]
I’m writing to ask for a full investment in child care as infrastructure, including $700 billion over 10 years for high-quality child care. For every $1 invested in early childhood education, there is a $4 to $9 return to society over a child’s lifetime.
Almost two-thirds of parents facing child care struggles report leaving work early, and more than half report being distracted at or missing full days of work. An overwhelming 86 percent of primary caregivers said problems with child care hurt their efforts or time commitment at work.
The predictable impact: One-in-five say they’ve been reprimanded, 8 percent have been fired, and just over one-in-ten have been demoted, transferred or fired. Meanwhile, productivity problems cause employers to lose $12.7 billion annually due to child care challenges faced by their workforce. Taxpayers also suffer, with lower tax revenues.
The U.S. talks a good game on ‘family values,’ but just does not deliver. It’s time to change course. Investing in child care could increase our GDP by $274 billion per year, and the price of not making this investment is too great.
Please include the maximum amount for childcare in the American Families Plan. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess