Chop Wood, Carry Water 7/18
The only way out is through.
Hi, all, and happy Friday.
Sorry this is so late. Now I’m on a plane flying to the Maritimes with Mj. It’s been a busy few days!
Anyway. I went offline for a day and returned to find out that 1) Trump has a vein disease, 2) the Wall St. Journal has an Epstein scoop, 3) Trump is now threatening to sue them, but 4) he also just told the Justice Department to seek the release of Epstein grand jury testimony— only a fraction of the evidence amassed by federal authorities, mind you—and 5) the CEO of Astronomer had a very bad night at a Coldplay concert.
On top of that, Republicans passed their vicious rescission bill as well as the GENIUS Act.
Oh, and CBS cancelled “Late Show” right after Stephen Colbert criticized them for giving in to Trump. Sigh.
What a time, folks. To say that the news is a firehose of toxic sludge is a sweeping understatement. Yet here we are, doing our best to take action on it where and when we can. We will continue to do so.
Speaking of which, how was your John Lewis day of action? I was driving back and forth between Boston and Maine yesterday, so I missed it completely. I hoped I might come across an event as I drove through Maine’s small towns, but I did not. Please help me share in the experience vicariously by telling me about it in the comments!
These are wild times, folks. But we’re up to the challenge. We’ve lost a lot of battles recently, from a legislative standpoint and otherwise, but we’ve put up a great fight every single time, and that matters. Trump will continue to lose support as his mistakes—and the Epstein scandals—pile up. Congressional Republicans will either grow more secure in flouting him—which would be good—or they’ll continue to stick with him despite his lawlessness and suffer a resounding defeat in the midterms as a result. That would be an even more excellent (and well deserved) result.
Either way our long term prospects are better than our current situation. We just have to remember that.
In the meantime, there’s no way out but through, so let’s wade through another day together. We have no choice but to keep taking action, and it is in taking such actions that we will create the circumstances from which MAGA’s defeat will eventually spring forth.
Onwards!
On the Practivist Pod This Week
This week on the Practivist Pod Steve and I talk about:
•The Epstein upset that’s dividing the right, but also bringing us together.
•The vicious rescissions package that just got passed and how it relates to disaster preparedness.
•Trump’s crumbling economy.
• And Steve does a great interview with Jackie Lopez of Elias Law Group about how to protect our vote!
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I’m calling to find out how the Senator voted on the rescissions package that just passed.
[If they voted yes]: I am appalled to hear that. Not only was that money already appropriated by Congress, but Americans supported those expenditures by wide margins. The Senator just threw their own voters under the bus once again because Donald Trump told them to. We won’t forget it.
[If they opposed:] Please thank the Senator for me. I am heartbroken that it passed but grateful that they voted the right way. Please ask them to keep fighting for us.
[If GOP continue:] Also I understand that yesterday Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee rammed through the nominations of Emil Bove and Jeanine Pirro — two nominees who have shown utter contempt for the rule of law. I can’t believe two such wildly unfit nominees have made it this far. I want the Senator to oppose them both in the floor vote.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to find out how the Congressmember voted on the GENIUS Act.
[If they opposed:] Please thank the Congressmember for me. I am heartbroken that it passed but grateful that they voted the right way. Please ask them to keep fighting to stop Trump’s corruption and to protect consumers.
[If they voted yes:] I’m incredibly disappointed to hear that. We needed a crypto bill, but not this one—it does nothing to protect consumers and will also allow Donald Trump and his family to continue to profit off of the presidency. I feel betrayed by the Congressmember’s vote. Please ask them to do better in the future. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Let’s contact CBS and Paramount Plus and tell them what we think of their firing Stephen Colbert. And if we have Paramount Plus let’s cancel it now.
Contact CBS here. (I chose “Popular” from the dropdown menu, then the Colbert show specifically in the next menu.)
I said:
I'm disgusted that you cancelled Stephen Colbert's show. To cave to Donald Trump right now is a betrayal of your country, your viewers, and every person in America. You have seriously misjudged the American people in this moment. We are furious, and we are also very clear that where we put our dollars—and our eyeballs—matters. I will make sure you get neither from me going forward. Shame on you.
But write what you want!
I couldn’t find a contact form for Paramount Plus on their website. But I did post a comment on their FB page—and I wasn’t the first to do so, either! I think they’re getting a lot of grief because you can’t even DM them there. So I scrolled down to find the first post that allows comments and pasted the above note there.
I also DM’ed them on Instagram! Let’s goooo!
Get Smart! 📚
Join the Progressive Caucus Action Fund, Indivisible, Popular Democracy in Action, People’s Action, and Social Security Works for Accountability August: Tell Congress What the Megabill Means at Home on Wednesday, July 23 at 1PM ET!
From them:
Congress will soon head home for August recess, just weeks after Republicans approved a megabill that takes health care and meals from millions to funnel tax giveaways to the ultra-wealthy. Recess gives us an opportunity to tell our elected representatives what this means for our communities and advocate for the policies we need to thrive. We’ll give you the tools to make the most of this opportunity.
Featuring:
Special Guest Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX)
Sulma Arias, Executive Director, People’s Action
Alex Lawson, Executive Director, Social Security Works
Trisha Maharaj, Associate Policy Director, Indivisible
And a grassroots leader from Popular Democracy
Whether you’re a seasoned activist or brand-new to federal advocacy, this Zoom briefing will help you get clear on the stakes and ready to take action. We hope to see you there!
Register here and share with a friend!
Give 💰!
There’s an exciting Force Multiplier Event on Thursday July 24th 7-8:00 pm ET: "Why Protest Matters Today" with Erica Chenoweth!
Chenoweth is the author of Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know. They’re also the political scientist whose research is behind the "3.5% Rule." It should be a great discussion!
The event will be a fundraiser for The Right to Protest Fund. While there are suggested donation amounts you can give any amount to attend.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps ] [H/T
] [Text SIGN PJSKDH 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.)
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program plays a crucial role in maintaining a stable supply of childhood vaccines in the United States. Threatening to overhaul or dismantle this program risks driving vaccine manufacturers out of the market, jeopardizing access to lifesaving immunizations that have prevented countless deaths and illnesses.
Some specific examples highlight the fragility of our vaccine system: in the 1980s, lawsuits over vaccine injuries led manufacturers to abandon the U.S. market one by one, resulting in severe shortages that put children at risk of preventable diseases like whooping cough. The compensation program was established with bipartisan support to address this crisis by providing a no-fault system for injury claims while maintaining legal protections for vaccine makers.
Recent actions by the new HHS Secretary raise grave concerns about undermining this critical program. Proposals to add unsubstantiated conditions like autism to the injury table, expand the statute of limitations, or make other radical changes could rapidly deplete the program's funding and open manufacturers to renewed litigation risks that previously caused them to exit the market. The public health consequences of such disruptions could be catastrophic.
Congress must act urgently to safeguard the integrity of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Hearings should be held to require the HHS Secretary to justify any proposed changes with robust scientific evidence and data analysis demonstrating the actions will not destabilize vaccine supply and put children's health at risk.
The stakes are too high to allow unilateral decisions that could cripple our nation's vaccination infrastructure based on debunked claims and ideological motivations. Preserving this vital program must be an utmost priority to protect current and future generations.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
I spent the day yesterday facilitating a group of Catholic youth visiting detained immigrants at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA. To say that is was an eye-opening experience for them is a vast understatement.
Felt good to write this on the CBS link you provided: I am not just disappointed but angry that you are cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. And that's on top of the settlement over the 60 minutes actions, That settlement was equally disappointing and angering. I do not believe this is a financial decision other than to keep your merger from being turned down. Allowing the federal government to extort your company is atrocious. Capitulation in this climate of creeping authoritarianism is unacceptable. You will be on the wrong side of history and people will remember it. Mergers and greed should not be more important than keeping our Democracy. Silencing dissent is compliance with the hostile takeover of our nation. I will no longer be watching CBS programming. There's more than enough out there to fill any void.