Chop Wood, Carry Water 6/6
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
Lots going on, as always—some of it good, and much of it stress-inducing. Many of us, furthermore, are still recovering from the effortful tension of the last few weeks. So I’ll merely remind you to breathe, urge you to take mental health breaks, and then leave you with this simple thought from Samuel Johnson:
If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.
Let’s remember it, keeping our “determination fixed” and persevering with our simple actions. It’s not ours to say what the future will bring. It’s ours to do what the day asks of us.
And so we will. Let’s get to work.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
A new article from the Lever, out today, proves there is a strong connection between Harlan Crowe’s business interests and Clarence Thomas’s recent vote to gut the Clean Water Act. It’s yet more proof that special interests have corrupted our highest court and are influencing its jurists—and their decisions—in ways that are dangerous for regular Americans. I’m angry about it and I want Congress to act. I want the Senator to co-sponsor S 1616, the Judiciary Act of 2023, the bill to expand the Supreme Court by four seats. I also want him/her to call for Clarence Thomas to resign. I have lost confidence that the Supreme Court is a fair arbiter of justice in this country that will uphold my constitutional rights. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
A new article from the Lever, out today, proves there is a strong connection between Harlan Crowe’s business interests and Clarence Thomas’s recent vote to gut the Clean Water Act. It’s yet more proof that special interests have corrupted our highest court and are influencing its jurists—and their decisions—in ways that are dangerous for regular Americans. I’m angry about it and I want Congress to act. I want the Senator to co-sponsor HR 3422, the Judiciary Act of 2023, the bill to expand the Supreme Court by four seats. I also want him/her to call for Clarence Thomas to resign. I have lost confidence that the Supreme Court is a fair arbiter of justice in this country that will uphold my constitutional rights. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
[H/T
]Hundreds of journalists working at Gannett newspapers are participating in walkouts this week in protest of the company’s leadership and cost-cutting strategies. It’s the biggest labor action in its history. They are calling for a shareholder vote of no-confidence against CEO Mike Reed, saying his policies have hollowed out newsrooms and weakened local news coverage while he’s taken excessive compensation for himself. Let’s sign on to this message to Gannett leadership or this one to Mike Reed in support of the journalists’ demands. We can also consider a donation to one of the local Gannett union strike funds if we are able.
Get Smart! 📚
You may be feeling a little out of the loop right now when it comes to understanding today’s kids and their relationship with their gender.
Cis, het, trans, agender – the vocabulary is totally new. When it comes to getting gender right (or getting it at all!), the kids are lightyears ahead of us – and they know it. So Red Wine & Blue is hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with “our favorite nonbinary Gen-Xer, Jess McIntosh.”
Jess will lead everyone in a conversation about how we can understand and support our kids and what gender means (and doesn’t mean) in these times. No judgment, no shame, just community and questions.
Thursday, June 8, from 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM ET. Register here!
Spread the Word! 📣
Today, the White House launched Invest.gov, a new website highlighting the historic economic recovery President Biden has overseen and how his Investing in America agenda is bringing economic opportunity, jobs, and investments to states and territories across America.
Please help us share this great resource widely.
Stop Voter Suppression! 🗳
From the wonderful volunteer-run pro-democracy organization NOPE:
The North Carolina State Board of Elections recently completed a voter purge and removed over a quarter of a million voters from the voter registration lists, including 7,000 people from seven key counties. These voters are often unaware that this has happened until they go to vote on election day and get turned away. Sign up HERE to make calls with the New Rural Project every Thursday in June to help voters get re-registered.
P. S. If you’d like to join NOPE’s voter protection squad and do more work like this please consider joining NOPE’s new voter protection Slack channel!
If you're unfamiliar with Slack or want a refresher, Sign up HERE. Someone from NOPE will be in touch with the dates of the online training sessions. You'll learn the basics of using Slack and will leave the training signed up for NOPE's Voter Protection Slack channel.
If you're already a Slack pro, sign up HERE. Got Questions? Email nopeprotectvote@gmail.com
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps][H/T] [Quick send: text SIGN PCDCIM to 50409 or share here.]
Did you know that the food we waste in the U.S. could end hunger?
It’s true! Here in the United States, roughly 35% of our total food supply goes to waste every year. And food waste doesn't just waste food -- it's also a waste of precious natural resources and of the opportunity to feed those who don't have enough to eat.
With Congress looking to pass a new five-year Farm Bill this year, we have an opportunity to enact strong food waste reduction measures at the federal level. We should take it.
I urge you to support including language to clarify and standardize date labels (helping divert some 800,000 tons of perfectly good food that gets thrown out every year) and giving grants for schools and nonprofit organizations to research and implement food waste best practices as part of the 2023 Farm Bill.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
TY Jessica for your time and efforts for democracy!