Chop Wood, Carry Water 7/17

WE WILL WIN!

Jul 17, 2024

Hi, all, and happy Wednesday.

First, I know I have some new subscribers reading today; I want to welcome you. What we do here is simple: as the iconic activist Heather Booth puts it: “We don’t agonize. We organize.”

We do this because it eases our anxiety. We do it because it creates hope. And we do it because it works. It really, really does.

And this is important to remember, because there’s a massive sense of defeatism going around right now. We must break it! Fortunately, I know we can.

In reading the 1200 or so emails I got yesterday and this morning—they’re still coming in!—asking for a link to Heather Cox Richardson’s Project 2025 recording I saw certain themes recur. The top theme was fear. I heard from people with daughters in abortion ban states, folks with disabilities afraid of losing their benefits, queer people terrified of being forced into the closet, teachers scared of attacks on education, and OBGYNS in Texas who’ve stopped providing care because they’re too afraid of losing their licenses. I could go on. The emails have been heartbreaking.

But they’ve also been inspiring. Because in almost every one something else has recurred as well: absolute and unequivocal determination to fight back. Most of the people who wrote expressed some version of “I’m scared but I want to help.” Many asked how they could get more involved or how they could be invited to more events like the Red, Wine and Blue webinar. I invited those folks to, among other things, sign up for this newsletter.

Hundreds and hundreds of you did.

So I say to these new folks, and to those of you who’ve been subscribing for years:

WE CAN DO THIS.

WE WILL DO THIS.

WE ARE DOING THIS.

We are so, so much stronger, and bigger, and more organized that our opponents. All they have going for them is fear and anger. Those are inherently weak when put head to head with love. And love is something we have in endless amounts.

Republicans want us to believe that the outcome of this election is already determined. Why? Because they’ve got nothing to actually run on! Also, that’s what fascists do. It’s a giant shell game—a hat trick. A scam. They tell us we’ve already lost. We give up. Because of that they win.

Let’s not fall for it.

I leave you with this quote from Timothy Snyder, an expert on authoritarianism (thanks, by the way, to the subscriber who sent it):

American fascism is far from inevitable. It…is largely bluff, most of it digital. The internet is much more fascist than real life, which is discouraging. But we vote in the real world. The crucial thing is the individual decision to act, along with others, for four months, a little something each day, regardless of the atmospherics and the polls and the media and the moods.

Can we all please print out these sentences and tape them to our bathroom mirror so we see them multiple times each day?

The crucial thing is the individual decision to act. That’s what we do here. And when we act we find, over and over and over again, that we win, “regardless of the atmospherics and the polls and the media and the moods.”

WE. WIN.

It’s happened over and over. It happened in 2020. It happened, hugely, in 2022. It happened again in 2023. It’ll happen again in November, as long as we do the work.

So let’s get to that one more time.

P.S. —- Hope to see lots of you at the NOPE event with Heather Cox Richarsdon later today!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

I’m happy to hear President Biden hinting that he will come out in support of term limits for Supreme Court justices, as well as an enforceable code of ethics and even a constitutional amendment to reverse the effect of the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity. I strongly, strongly support all of this. I also support court expansion, and want the Senator to co-sponsor S. 1616 the Judiciary Act of 2023. Finally, I support AOC’s impeachment efforts against Alito and Thomas. Those two have shown corruption beyond description. They need to go. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I’m happy to hear President Biden hinting that he will come out in support of term limits for Supreme Court justices, as well as an enforceable code of ethics and even a constitutional amendment to reverse the effect of the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity. I strongly, strongly support all of this. I also support court expansion, and want the Congressmember to co-sponsor HR 3422 the Judiciary Act of 2023. Finally, I support AOC’s impeachment efforts against Alito and Thomas. Those two have shown corruption beyond description. They need to go. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

It’s long past time for a new Postmaster General at USPS, but to succeed, we need a flood of congressional leaders to echo our calls for DeJoy to be ousted.

Please use this tool to send a letter to your member of Congress telling them to publicly call for the postal board to fire Postmaster DeJoy.

Get Smart! 📚

If you don’t feel like going to the HCR event, tonight at 7:00 pm ET, BigTentUSA will host a conversation between Richard Haass and Katie Couric.

Haass will share his perspective on how the threat of domestic instability and political violence could impact the world order. Both will discuss key geopolitical events, including the Russia/Ukraine war, the war in the Middle East, concerns about the relationship between the United States and China, and of course, the U.S. election in November.

Please use this link to register!

Additionally, here’s a link to BigTent’s Project 2025 resource page, which they have worked on in collaboration with the League of Women Voters. It’s GREAT.

Spread the Word! 📣

Need a quick list of Biden Admin’s accomplishments? Use this!

Jobs Created: 15.5 million (more than the past two Republican Presidents)
Lowest Unemployment: Unemployment has been below 4 percent for the longest stretch in over 50 years
American Rescue Plan: Funded vaccination campaigns and reopened schools.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Rebuilt roads, bridges, and expanded high-speed internet.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson: Appointed first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: Significant gun violence prevention legislation.
CHIPS Act: Boosted American manufacturing and created jobs.
PACT Act: Expanded health care for veterans.
Respect for Marriage Act: Enshrined marriage equality.
Inflation Reduction Act: Lowered costs for families, promoted clean energy.
Marijuana Pardons: Removed barriers for simple possession offenses.
Fighting For Reproductive Rights: Has taken all possible actions to protect access to reproductive care. Committed to restoring Roe.
Climate Action: Rejoined Paris Climate Accords. Passed the Inflation Reduction Act—biggest climate bill in U.S. history.
Support for Ukraine: Rallied international support against Putin.
Affordable Care Act: Strengthened and expanded coverage.
Criminal Justice Reform: Promoted accountable policing.
Student Debt Relief: Approved billions in loan forgiveness.
Diversity: In White House staff, cabinet, administration, and appointments
NATO: Strengthened ties with Allies.
Plummeting crime rate.

Give 💰!

Want to turn your anxiety into action? Join Airlift Tuesday, July 23, 5:00 PM PT8:00 PM/ET for their Live From the Frontlines program: Michigan: Protecting the People's Vote.

Their special guest will be Jocelyn Benson, Michigan/ Secretary of State. Under her leadership, the 2020 and 2022 elections in Michigan not only drew record-breaking turnout, but were determined to be more secure than any prior election in state history, earning her the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award and the Presidential Citizens Medal.

Come learn about what is being done to protect voters and poll workers and counteract AI misinformation.

Jocelyn Benson will be joined by Art Reyes of We the People Action Fund, whose organizing has been absolutely crucial in flipping the state legislature and turning out the vote in hard-to-reach communities throughout Michigan. We the People was instrumental in fighting back against Michigan's GOP's attempts to disenfranchise Black and Brown voters and overturn the election results in 2020. In 2024, We the People has robust strategies to make sure everyone understands how much their vote matters and to count every vote.

Although this is a fundraiser for We the People - Michigan, you do not need to donate to participate. Register here for an inspiring hope-filled program.

Wednesday, July 24, 7:00-8:00pm ET

The link will be sent on the day of the event.

Win Races—Write Postcards! 🗳

WHOO! Blue Wave Postcards just launched their Michigan campaign!

Beginning in May 2023, Michigan voters can sign up for permanent absentee ballots, allowing them to vote from home in all future elections. BWP volunteers will be encouraging those who haven’t signed up to vote from home to do so.

You do have to buy these cards but they come with address labels and the script is only ONE SENTENCE! I just ordered 2,000 for my postcarding hub. Who else is in?

Order Michigan Postcards here.

Win Races—Write Letters! 📩

They’re joining with Vote Forward on The Big Send -- an effort to write 10 million letters to voters this year. Join for a quick training on how to craft effective, personal messages; then you’ll hop right to writing letters to voters in key House races across the country. Make an impact without leaving the comfort of your home.

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [composed by subscriber Bob Morgan—thanks!] [Text SIGN POORNF to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

Senator Robert Menendez was convicted on all counts in a Manhattan courtroom for bribery, extortion, acting as a foreign agent, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. His brazen corruption is a stain upon the Congress. He has had his due process, and a jury of his peers has spoken - Guilty!

There is no place in our government for someone who would so abuse the public trust for his own personal financial benefit. He certainly does not represent the best interests of his constituents. If he does not resign immediately, I call upon you to seek and unequivocally support his expulsion from the Senate. Thanks.

OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk tomorrow.

Jess

Chop Wood, Carry Water