Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
Yesterday I got a New York Times notification saying that the E.P.A. will finally block the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food crops.
For those of you who were early subscribers to this newsletter, you’ll remember that I used to have a letter to then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in it EVERY DAY. Very often that letter was about chlorpyrifos. It’s been a bit of an obsession for me. Studies have linked this pesticide to brain damage in children, yet it’s been used on our food crops for years. It was about to be banned under Obama; when Trump took office he blocked the ban. Scott Pruitt, of course, was BFFs with the folks at Dow Chemicals (who make chlorpyrifos), so he, too, enthusiastically fought to keep it in use.
I say all of this to emphasize that grassroots activists like us NEVER gave up on this. We wrote letters, made calls, and ultimately worked to vote Trump out, all to get awful policies like this one reversed.
And in this case we finally have.
Elections matter. Your calls matter. Our work matters. It doesn’t always achieve its goals instantly, or even quickly…
But many drops of water, put all together, DO, eventually, carve stone.
So let’s be a drop one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling because our democracy is in crisis. It’s essential that both the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act become law before state legislatures and commissions formally approve new redistricting maps. We need urgent federal action to secure fair districts, protect voters from partisan gerrymandering, and ensure their voices are heard. I’m counting on the Senate to pass both bills as soon as they return to DC. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I want the Representative to vote yes on HR4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Second, the Senate just passed a bipartisan infrastructure deal that does not do nearly enough to fight climate change, fails to address human infrastructure needs, and refuses to make the rich and corporations pay their fair share. That's why the American Jobs and Families Plan should take priority, and be voted on first. Please tell the Representative to call for this. Thanks.
[A coalition of nine conservatives inside the House Democratic Caucus are threatening to derail the $3.5 Trillion spending package. They are: Josh Gottheimer of NJ, Carolyn Bourdeaux of GA, Filemon Vela of TX, Jared Golden of ME, Henry Cuellar of TX, Vicente Gonzalez of TX, Ed Case of Hawaii, Jim Costa of CA and Kurt Schrader of OR. If one of them is yours please add:]
I’m furious to hear that the Representative is threatening to derail the $3.5 Trillion spending package. We need everything that’s in there. If they don’t knock it off right away I will start volunteering for whoever primaries them. We’re in a climate emergency. They need to stop obstructing the solution. Thanks.
Write Letters to Protect Our Right to Vote!
Although the Senate adjourning for recess without passing S.1 was a real blow, hope still lives for amending the filibuster and passing the For the People Act! Everything I’m reading, though, is telling me that the person we need on board is President Biden. Until he comes out strongly in favor of filibuster reform, passing S1 will be truly difficult.
Fortunately, the Sierra Club has a wonderful campaign that makes it easy for any constituent to send a set of six Vote Forward-style letters to the White House—specifically to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Jen Psaki, Steve Ricchetti, Jen O’Malley-Dillon, and Ron Klain.
As of a week ago or so, only 500 people had sent letters. If we all broadcast this action, we can boost that number to a million. I’ve got mine printed!
We absolutely have the people power to get this done! I hope that you can take this letter-writing action, then share it!
Extra Credit
Please post this on your social media. And if you’re in Georgia please check your registration! 🍑
Hey #GEORGIA! 100K of you just got purged from the voter rolls.
Check your voter registration today at iwillvote.com
https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-voter-registration-cancellations-conclude-with-101k-removed/PDOJYZVHOVFUBFR3TVLTKWDUVA/
Send Some Postcards, Save CA! ☀️
We need folks to send postcards about the CA recall with Activate America! They have English language postcards nudging inconsistent Democratic voters. But they’ve also added to the mix FIVE new postcarding opportunities in languages other than English. Sign up for:
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here!)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T]
I’m a constituent who is deeply worried about the climate crisis. I also care deeply about climate justice and making a just transition to green jobs.
The American Jobs and Families Plan puts the U.S. on track to meet President Biden’s 80% electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon reductions, with new clean energy programs and tax incentive and grants; new polluters fees; coastal resiliency programs; investments in combating drought and wildfire; and incentives for residential weatherization and green electrification. We can't afford NOT to pass these measures. I am counting on you to support them all.
When it comes to climate, there are literally no measures too aggressive. We’re in an emergency. I wish we were spending MORE. But please at least get this done. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess