Chop Wood, Carry Water 8/18
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
It was nice to see some of you on the Markers For Democracy call with Zev Shapiro this morning. And what an inspiring call! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to hear about the work that Zev and his organization TurnUp are doing.
Among some of the most hopeful things Zev told us:
4 million young people turn 18 and thus become eligible to vote in the US every year.
Once a young person is registered they turn out at very high rates—about 75%! In 2020 it was higher—86% of young registered voters voted!
In 2024 Gen Z and Millenial voters will make up 44% of the voting population! FORTY-FOUR PERCENT!
TurnUp has already registered 16,000 new young voters in critical states and districts.
I could go on. The work TurnUp is doing registering and activating young voters should make all of us feel very, very hopeful. I’m too old to volunteer for them, but if you’re not please download their app now! Me, I will definitely be spreading the word and donating to them. They’re an exciting organization doing critical work—and doing it effectively. They deserve all of our support.
The youth are going to change this country, y’all. It’s going to be great to watch.
The rest of us, however, still play a vital role. Call us the “doulas of democracy,” if you will. It’s our job to help these kids strengthen their movement in every way we can. We must, furthermore, keep our noses to the grindstone and work to win elections, push our lawmakers and stop fascist attacks everywhere while our young friends continue to get up and running.
Once they do there will be no stopping them.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling to ask the Senator to co-sponsor and pass S. 2378 the FATCAT Act, which will increase the jet fuel tax from 22 cents per gallon to $1.95, and apply the new revenues toward air quality monitoring and the development of clean transit alternatives. Private jets are killing us! They emit 14 times the CO2 per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more than trains, yet they're taxed just 22 cents per gallon on jet fuel, far less than commercial flights. Not OK. Please tell the Senator I expect them to co-sponsor this bill. Thanks! [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to ask the Congressmember to co-sponsor and pass H.R. 4760 the FATCAT Act, which will increase the jet fuel tax from 22 cents per gallon to $1.95, and apply the new revenues toward air quality monitoring and the development of clean transit alternatives. Private jets are killing us! They emit 14 times the CO2 per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more than trains, yet they're taxed just 22 cents per gallon on jet fuel, far less than commercial flights. Not OK. Please tell the Congressmember I expect them to co-sponsor this bill. Thanks! [H/T]
Extra Credit ✅
Y’all, Every Library is supporting the freedom to read in Hamilton East Public Library in Indiana.
The HEPL Board of Trustees has written a new Collection Development Policy because some of the trustees and a handful of community members have deemed some books inappropriate for minors.
The policy will result in approximately half of the teen books (and a lesser number of juvenile books) being relocated and intermixed with books in the general collection. This includes books like "Sunshine" and "Hey Kiddo" by Jarret Krosoczka and "A Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. The latter is a book my kid loved.
SIGN THE PETITION telling them this is not OK.
Get Smart! 📚
Do you care about winning in North Carolina? I’ve got an event for you! (Actually, two! Read to the bottom!)
On Monday August 21st from 4-5PM ET please join All in For NC and other coalition members for a look at the political landscape of Mecklenburg County, home to the largest number of non-voting Democrats and supporting Unaffiliated voters in the state.
New county party chair Drew Kromer will moderate a panel of elected leaders and grassroots activists who are on the forefront of building Democratic power in the county.
📌 Also, this newsletter—and I—will be co-hosting a Zoom fundraiser for the NC Dem party and the Mecklenburg County Dems on December 6th. There are going to be some incredible speakers and co-hosts y’all know and love. This workshop is EXCELLENT preparation for that event. So please attend if you can. And please save the date for our fundraiser!
Spread the Word! 📣
Y’all, I hate to promote my own TikTok but this news is too good not to share. Also it sets up the next ask perfectly. (Oh, and find the Ohio doc here)
Give 💰!
Want to help win in Ohio? Flip the Vote is recommending contributing to three new Flip the Vote partner groups activating complementary and potentially game-changing demographics in Ohio:
Black communities organized by The Freedom BLOC
Rural voters organized by RuralOrganizing.org
Suburban women organized by Red Wine & Blue.
Donate here to help FTV reach their $500,000 goal for their new Ohio partner groups and register here to hear from these groups on September 13 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT.
Make Calls For Democracy! 🗳
Want to make calls but don’t want to talk to voters about elections?
Register for a shift with Common Cause to make calls and help strengthen our democracy. Join them to make calls on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 PM to 6 PM EDT. These shifts will ALWAYS include training for first-timers before you make calls, so if this is your first time, no worries!
This week they are calling New York voters to patch them through to Governor Hochul to urge her to sign the New York Early Mail Voter Act into law. The New York Early Voter Act passed the legislature in June, creating New York’s first universal Vote-By-Mail system. But the calls will shift from week to week as they focus on different voting rights initiatives.
Sign up for a voting rights phonebanking shift here!
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to all 3 reps] [H/T and more info Alan Unell] [quick send: text SIGN PSYEME to 50409]
I’m writing because I’m angry about Pharmacy Benefit Manager price gouging. Our drug prices are too high and this practice is part of the reason why!
Pharmacy Benefit Manager price gouging involves Pharmacy Benefit Managers using kickbacks and rebates to push certain drugs because they make more money from them. When oil companies did this we enacted antitrust legislation to protect the public. Until we enact Universal Healthcare—which we should—and please support S. 1655 / HR 3421—I’d like you to fight to pass S. 1339, the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act. Thank you.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
As a high school history teacher, I encouraged hundreds of students to vote. Most of them are doing it right today!
Thank you so much, Jessica. Have a great weekend.