Chop Wood, Carry Water 7/3
Hi, all, and happy Monday!
I wasn’t going to do a newsletter today, but I thought it would be a good Fourth of July present for our reps if they came back from recess to voicemail boxes full of demands for court reform. So below please find the requisite scripts. The rest of the newsletter just sort of filled up also, so do what you can. I know it’s a day off for many.
Oh, but do please consider signing up for the Ohio event on Wednesday. I feel strongly that absolutely destroying Republicans in elections—especially sneaky special elections like this one—is the best possible revenge for all of the harm they’re doing.
It’s also the best way out of this mess.
Happy Fourth of July in advance to the most patriotic people I know. Thanks for all you do. IT MATTERS. 🇺🇸
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling because I’m outraged and dismayed at the corruption on our Supreme Court. At least four of the justices have clearly been installed by billionaire backers to rule for the wealthy few. This is not the way it’s supposed to work. We, the voters, elected you to protect our freedoms, which those justices are taking away from us. I want the Senator to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring S. 1616 the Judiciary Act of 2023. I also want them to co-sponsor S. 359 the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act. We also need term limits for Supreme Court Justices. Finally, I want aggressive investigations into justices who have taken money and perks from people or groups with business before the court. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling because I’m outraged and dismayed at the corruption on our Supreme Court. At least four of the justices have clearly been installed by billionaire backers to rule for the wealthy few. This is not the way it’s supposed to work. We, the voters, elected you to protect our freedoms, which those justices are taking away from us. I want the Congressmember to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring HR 3422 the Judiciary Act of 2023. I also want them to support HR 926 the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act. We also need term limits. Please ask the Congressmember to advocate for all of this and to make court reform a top priority. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
The EPA is finally proposing a rule to ban most uses of methylene chloride. They are looking for comments from the public on its rule to ban this toxic chemical.
Lobbyists for chemical companies have already weakened the proposed rule and are trying to limit it further, so we need as many people as possible to speak out in favor.
Go here to get started. Don’t forget to personalize!
Get Smart (about the Ohio Special election)! 📚
🚨 Important! 🚨
We’re basically a month out from the August 8th special election in Ohio. With so much on the line, the Ohio Democrats invite you to hear Senator Sherrod Brown and Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters speak about the many ways you can get involved in their organizing efforts to ensure that every Democrat in Ohio gets out the "NO" vote.
We truly need all hands on deck to combat this existential threat to the progressive values we all hold dear.
Wednesday, July 5th from 5:30-6:30 ET. I’ll be there!
Spread the Word! 📣
Please amplify this David Brooks piece—Why Biden Isn’t Getting the Credit He Deserves.
Give 💰!
Hey y’all, remember the Force Multiplier John Tester fundraiser I posted about last week? The one on Monday, July 10, 7:00-8:00pm ET on Zoom? Well guess who’s joining Senator Tester at the event now? Reverend Raphael Warnock! Now I KNOW you want to go!
REGISTER + DONATE. Your donation will support the reelection campaign of Jon Tester.
Suggested donation $100. If you can give more, please do. If not, please give what you can and join them!
Win Races! 🗳
Here are a couple of upcoming Sister District Virginia phonebanks to sign up for:
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [Quick send: text SIGN PIHFVT to 50409]
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the funding and future of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
The WIC program has been a vital lifeline for millions of families with low incomes across the country for over four decades. It provides essential nutrition support and educational resources to those pregnant, new mothers, and young children. WIC plays a critical role in ensuring that these vulnerable families have access to nutritious food, leading to healthier outcomes and a better chance at a successful future.
The repercussions from the pandemic, including increased food prices, have resulted in increased demand for WIC services. Already, between January and March of 2023, WIC participation has exceeded USDA projections for all of FY2024.
It is imperative that Congress take immediate action to ensure continued access to essential nutrition aid to babies, toddlers, and pregnant and postpartum parents, and those who are nursing. This is especially important when these young children are at such critical stages in their cognitive development.
The funding level included in the House Committee on Appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture is inadequate. Its $800 million cut from current funding levels would be achieved by drastic reductions in the science-based fresh fruits and vegetables monthly allotments (from $25 to $11 for 1-4 year-olds and from $49 to $15 for breastfeeding mothers). The level is so low that in addition to taking nutritious food away from families, it would not provide enough to support the projected number of participants, leading to waiting lists.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations has proposed an increase of $615 million, intended to preserve current benefit levels and serve the projected number of participants. This level may not be adequate, based on current estimates. I urge you to ensure that the final funding for WIC keeps pace with growing needs and rejects any cuts in monthly fresh fruit and vegetable benefits.
Please communicate your support for WIC to congressional leadership in addition to the Appropriations Committees.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Jessica, Thank you for highlighting the Ohio special election on August 8. If you are in - or outside of - Ohio and want to get details on how to get involved in defeating this terrible constitutional amendment (called Issue One) put on the ballot by the gerrymandered Ohio Republican legislature, you can check out this Facebook page of Ohioans Against Issue One#Vote No in August https://www.facebook.com/groups/206047505560347/.
Hi Jess,
I'm not much for making phone calls, so I penned the following message to my Senators. I borrowed some phrases from your messages. My House rep is a member of the opposition, but I'll try to send him something too. Do you know if messages sent thru their Congressional websites carry as much weight as phone calls?
Thanks for all you do!
Bob
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The Supreme Court, which should exhibit the highest ethical and judicial standards, has been compromised by Republicans who've concertedly stacked the court with unethical and disingenuous ideologues. The ethical lapses of Thomas, Roberts and Alito are now well known, and the duplicity of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett with respect to stare decisis has been exposed. Chief Justice Roberts, who hid behind his robe when the court was more balanced, has now exposed himself to be as compromised and disgraceful as his “conservative” counterparts.
While I respect the need for independence between the three branches of our government and the system of checks and balances that was fundamental to its design, the Supreme Court is dangerously unchecked and unbalanced. I want the Senator to co-sponsor S. 359, the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, and vigorously pursue investigations into the unethical behavior of justices who have shamelessly accepted unreported gifts from “friends” who had business before the Court. I also want the Senator to support rebalancing the Court by co-sponsoring S. 1616, the Judiciary Act of 2023, and if possible, amend it to require ideological balancing in the future. Such an amendment would need to provide for a means to assure that future nominations are done in good faith, something we haven’t seen much of in a while.
Please help save our democracy by reforming the Supreme Court. It’s up to the rest of us to elect democracy proponents to replace those who are intent on destroying it.
Bob Morgan