Chop Wood, Carry Water 7/29
Chipping away at the strongman image
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday.
We had a bit of good news yesterday. Per PBS:
A federal judge on Monday ruled Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding as the nation’s largest abortion provider fights President Donald Trump’s administration over efforts to defund the organization in his signature tax legislation.
This was a much-needed victory on a day that otherwise brought the usual torrent of difficult news. Why do I mention it? Because we have to celebrate every win. Every. One. The fact that they’re few and far between makes this more, not less true.
Another win? Trump tried to talk to reporters in Scotland and was drowned out by bagpipes.
Call me petty, but I love this for him. I only wish there could always be a bagpipe playing over his voice. We should be so lucky.
Something else I was delighted by yesterday? The newly-launched U.S. Senate campaign of Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) released an ad that misspelled Georgia. Literally.
Why do these things matter? First, because we must maintain our defiance, and ridicule helps fuel it. Second, because would-be dictators have fragile egos and they can’t stand to be mocked. Third, Trump’s base sees him as a dominator, so any time we can highlight moments of weakness for him we should.
So as much as I would normally eschew such behavior, let’s amplify every humiliation, every stumble, every flub of every MAGA, every time.
One more thing before I go. Most of you know that I’ve made an effort to keep Middle Eastern issues out of this newsletter. My goal has been to keep this community united at all costs; in an effort to do that I created an entirely different publication to post calls to action around Israel and Gaza. And I will keep posting them there as I have the bandwidth. But I hope we will all use the script below to demand US intervention in the famine in Gaza, which threatens the lives of a shocking number of human beings, many of them children. Trump—and the US government in general—has more influence with Bibi Netanyahu than anyone. Regardless of where we stand on Middle Eastern politics we can’t deny that fact.
I truly hope that saving babies—and millions of people in general—from starvation is something upon which we can all agree.
OK, all. Please be good to yourselves, take care of one another, and remember to stay in the day. One minute, one action, one heartbeat at a time we can and will get through this.
So let’s get to work, remembering Pablo Neruda’s words: “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
Call Your Senators (find yours here or use this list to find staffer contact info) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I understand that a new whistleblower has come forward to testify that Emil Bove lied during his confirmation hearings last month. This is the third such whistleblower. How many will be enough? This man is unfit and a danger to democracy. Don’t confirm him.
Also, I’m calling to express my horror about the man-made famine devastating the people of Gaza. I urge the Senator to pressure the Trump administration to intervene. The US has the power to influence Netanyahu and it must, immediately. What he’s doing is a war crime and should be treated as such. Thanks. [H/T and more script options here.]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here or use this list to find staffer contact info) 📲 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I’m calling to express my horror about the man-made famine devastating the people of Gaza. I urge the Congressmember to pressure the Trump administration to intervene. The US has the power to influence Netanyahu and it must, immediately. What he’s doing is a war crime and should be treated as such. Thanks. [H/T and more script options here.]
Second, Congress must do everything they can to release the Epstein files. If Donald Trump is covering for a pedophile we need to know it. If he was, himself, abusing underaged women we need to know that too. If Democrats are on the list we need to know that. We need transparency abut whomever is there. The victims deserve no less.
Extra Credit ✅
Fight back against ICE.
ICE continues to intimidate and harm. If you have a Democratic Attorney General, use Indivisible’s tool call or email to ask him or her to fight back against ICE’s aggressive campaign to target and deport hundreds of thousands of people—often without respecting their rights.
Get Smart! 📚
Sign up for Indivisible’s One Million Rising call this Wednesday, July 30, to learn strategic non-cooperation strategies. It’s falling on us to lead the fight against fascism and force vital institutions off the sidelines. In this week’s call, you’ll be trained to lead active non-cooperation in your community and pass those skills on to others.
Register Voters! 🗳️
Help Voters Get the ID They Need To Cast a Ballot That Counts
VoteRiders is seeking dedicated volunteers to provide free voter ID assistance — both virtually and in person — to eligible voters in key communities where VoteRiders has staff on the ground, including Atlanta and Columbus, GA, Madison and Milwaukee, WI, Orlando, FL, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, PA, and Houston, TX. This unique opportunity will make an immediate impact and directly help folks secure the ID they need to cast a ballot that counts.
If you’re detail-oriented, reliable, computer savvy and passionate about people, you can help! Attend one of their orientations and receive sign-up information for one buddy training session.
Tuesdays, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm PDT
[H/T Donna Jaffe]
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Fair Share America has released new state-specific impact graphics about Trump’s Big Brutal Bill for every state in the country. You can download them here to show your followers how many jobs in your state will be killed by Trump’s new bill, as well as how many people will lose healthcare, how much gas prices will go up, and more. Here’s a sample graphic for VA.
Give 💰!
A couple of weeks ago I did a webinar for Swing Left San Gabriel Valley about smart political giving. I’ve had a few requests to post the link to the recording, so here it is. The passcode is g31&+dJJ
My Strategic Giving doc, to which I refer in the webinar, is here. It has the links to most of the orgs I mention.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
The next nation wide protest is being organized by 50501. It’s on Saturday August 2 and it’s called RAGE against the REGIME. Find more info here.
Win Races! 🗳
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned Cartoons for Democracy - a new nonprofit that uses political cartoons to deliver messages directly to voters of all political stripes. Well, they just created a "Poke the QAnon Bear" campaign that lets YOU fan the flames of Trump's dumpster fire by sending postcards directly to QAnon supporters reminding them of the GOP's broken promises and asking THEM to demand Town Halls. The goal? More MAGA infighting! And hopefully fewer MAGA voters in November.
Cartoons for Democracy currently has several campaigns writing to the crucial swing district VA-02, which will impact both the upcoming gubernatorial election as well as prime the pump for a critical house race in 2026.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
Pine Forest Media, a production company dedicated to stories at the intersection of science, environment, and society, just launched a brand new podcast, Oceanography. The first episode is out today (July 29)!
Oceanography is a marine science podcast that is like your favorite 101 science class meets environmental journalism. Episodes feature marine biologists and climate specialists unpacking everything from deep-sea ecosystems to bio-illumenescent sharks, whale communication, and fishing gear to protect endangered species.
As Chop Wood, Carry Water readers know, the future of science is at risk. And, because science doesn’t exist in a vacuum, Oceanography makes space for the politics, policies, and activism shaping the future of our oceans - from global treaties to local grassroots action. Listen now on your favorite podcast app.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Coleman Rogers] [Text SIGN PBSZJB 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 decision to illegally impose a 15% tariff on goods imported from the European Union creates essentially a new 15% sales tax levied directly on American consumers. This illegal tariff deal masquerading as a trade agreement will drive up costs for everyday products, disproportionately burdening working families already struggling with rising prices.
Rather than proclaiming a "preliminary agreement," we should call this what it is: an unlawful additional financial burden placed squarely on the backs of American households. This tax hike will reverberate through our economy, impacting businesses and workers across various sectors that depend on imports of European goods and materials. Higher costs get passed on to consumers in the form of increased prices for clothing, vehicles, food products and countless other essential items.
American families have endured enough economic pain from years of inflation, supply chain disruptions and stagnant wages. They cannot afford another regressive tax that sacrifices their financial security for the illusion of protectionism. Previous tariffs imposed during this administration have already led major retailers like Walmart to raise prices on a wide range of consumer products. Extending this failed policy to our largest trading partner will only compound the harm.
We implore you to publicly denounce and reverse these illegal and misguided tariffs that act as de facto sales taxes punishing American consumers and companies rather than purported trade offenders. Your constituents deserve economic policies that improve their lives, not rob their paychecks under the guise of tough negotiating.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Please do not use the phrase "underage women" in your scripts. There is no such thing as an “underage woman.” Underage women are girls. Usage of this phrase puts the responsibility on the victim and works to decrease the responsibility of child rapists like Epstein.
This is the second day in a row that I have tried calling Senator McCormick, one of my senators from PA, about the confirmation of Emil Bove.The mailbox has been full for two days, at least. I wrote a disgruntled email to him yesterday, and about to do so again today, about the fact that his office does not answer the phone or apparently check messages, nor do they respond to emails about issues and he does not hold in person town halls. Obviously he doesn’t not want to deal with anyone who disagrees with MAGA. He is a disgrace.