Hi, all, and happy Friday!
OK first of all I’ve started taking the NY Times weekly news quiz. I usually do pretty well but today my score was 8.34 out of 11. Want to see if you can do better?
Second, I just got an exciting “Breaking News” email from my friend Jim at All in For West Virginia. He says:
Manchin's wish list [i.e., the part of the FTPA he supports, which is most of it] is now a draft bill, circulating behind the scenes and to become public soon!
Also exciting: Mark Warner (VA) came out for Voting Rights carve out, and has been intimately involved in negotiations. AND Schumer plans to delay recess till 8/15-17 or even later.
Klobuchar says in press call that she, Manchin and Warnock met with Schumer this week and are "very close" on an agreement for the For The People Act.”
See ya’ll? I’m not crazy. Something is happening. And all we need to do now is keep. On. Calling. So I know it feels like we’re repeating ourselves, but think about how many times a hammer must repeat itself before a nail is solidly in place!
Let’s get this thing built. 🔨
P.S. If you’re a paid subscriber—THANK YOU!— you’ll get an extra email this evening with a way to get in on some of these insider meetings.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, the Senate needs to pass voting rights legislation immediately! With the Census Bureau planning to release their final data by August 16th, states will begin drawing new maps for state and federal districts right away. We need legislation that prevents overly partisan gerrymandering and removes barriers to voting, particularly for people of color, and it needs to happen NOW. [If Dem add:] Republicans only need to pick up five seats to regain control of the House in 2022, and a new analysis shows that they could net more than twice that many just by drawing themselves new maps in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas. THIS IS URGENT. Cancel break, reform the filibuster and get it done!
Also I want to repeat that we need strong climate provisions in the Infrastructure package. All we need to do is look at the news to see that the climate emergency has arrived. Go BIG on climate, please. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, we need to go big and include super strong climate provisions in the Infrastructure package. All we need to do is look at the news to see that the climate emergency has arrived. Please ask the Congressmember to fight for more funding for climate.
Second—and speaking of climate change—I want the Congressmember to ask President Biden to stop the Line 3 pipeline in Minnesota. It’s a climate and environmental disaster and a betrayal of agreements we’ve made with Indigenous people. Is American going to keep her word or not? Were supposed to be an honorable country; we need to act like one. Thanks.
Extra Credit
A wonderful suggestion from Robert Hubbell:
Let’s show gratitude to four brave officers who held the line for democracy on January 6th. It will be a blessing for them and for you.
The officers have been vilified for their honesty and service to America, so they deserve our support. Moreover, taking the time to write a note of thanks will serve as a moment of contemplation about the sacrifice others have made to protect our liberty.
For Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonnell write to them at United States Capitol Police, 119 D St NE, Washington, DC 20510
For Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges write to them at Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, 300 Indiana Ave NW. Washington, DC 20001
Get on the Keyboard! 💻
Afraid to phonebank but want to help? Here are two text trainings you can sign up for.
1) First, Movement Labs hosts live weekly trainings about how to start texting.
Movement labs has texting campaigns for all kinds of great stuff—from urging young folks to get vaccinated to helping Black Voters Matter get out the vote to Rapid Resist campaigns. They are also currently incubating Contest Every Race, which encourages activists to run for otherwise uncontested offices, as well as programs to help movement groups respond to COVID and de-radicalize the far right. Sign up for a training now!
2) And then there’s Fair Fight, Stacey Abrams’ voting rights org. They have a few text trainings coming up. No need to describe how important the work they’re doing is. Sign up for a training here.
Get on the Phones!
I’ve signed up to make calls with Nina Turner for US on Friday, Jul 30, 2021. There are also shifts all day and all weekend. Want to join me? Use this link to sign up.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
Send this to President Biden via resistbot or his online form. [H/T]
Sir, you claim you care about climate change. Please stop the Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
Your administration did the right thing by cancelling the permit for Keystone XL.
Like Keystone XL, the Line 3 tar sands pipeline is a threat to our climate and water and violates Native American treaty rights.
The permits for this massive expansion were issued without proper review by the Trump Administration. The Army Corps of Engineers refused to prepare a federal Environmental Impact Statement for Line 3, even though the project would cross hundreds of bodies of water including the Mississippi headwaters.
I urge you to revoke or amend Line 3’s presidential permit, as you did for Keystone XL, and direct the Army Corps of Engineers to immediately reevaluate and suspend or revoke the Line 3 project’s Clean Water Act Section 404 permit.
Please take action to both honor treaty rights and science by stopping the construction of this dangerous pipeline. Please create good jobs by investing in clean water and clean energy for all our communities. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess