Chop Wood, Carry Water 8/30
Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!
As always, there’s lots happening out there in “newsland”—the drama factor never seems to diminish in this hyperpartisan, fiercely divided country. The other side, in particular, grows louder and more heated by the moment. Which is why I loved seeing this Heather Cox Richardson quote in an invitation from Red, Wine, and Blue this morning:
You're only ineffectual and alone if you STAY ineffectual and alone. The reason the radical right is becoming so vicious, so outspoken, and so hysterical is that they know they do not have the numbers they need.
They don’t have the numbers they need. Exactly. But you know who does?
We do.
The majority.
We are a massive force. Overwhelming and oceanic in our power.
We are also highly seasoned. We’re smarter, more determined, more organized, and more creative. We have the best, the most talented, and the most ingenious folks. We have money. We have energy. We have the youth.
Most importantly, we have history leading us forward, whispering “Choose this road, not that one. You’ve done it before. Do it again. It’s worth it.”
And when history speaks, we listen.
We’ve done it before. We’re doing it again. There is no other choice. So stand tall in the knowledge that you’re on the winning team.
And then go make those wins happen one more time.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’d like the Senator to support S. 4787, the Afghan Adjustment Act. This Act allows certain Afghan evacuees to apply for permanent status after one year of being paroled into the country. [Optional add:] It relieves the immediate burden on the SIV process — which currently has over 18,000 cases in the backlog — and asylum process — which currently has over 1 million cases in the backlog — and prevents Afghans paroled in the U.S. from losing their jobs or being deported while their applications for these statuses are pending. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’d like the Congressmember to support H.R. 8685, the Afghan Adjustment Act. This Act allows certain Afghan evacuees to apply for permanent status after one year of being paroled into the country. [Optional add:] It relieves the immediate burden on the SIV process — which currently has over 18,000 cases in the backlog — and asylum process — which currently has over 1 million cases in the backlog — and prevents Afghans paroled in the U.S. from losing their jobs or being deported while their applications for these statuses are pending. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Friendly reminder to check out DemCast’s incredible social media toolkit and post something today on your favorite platform! There are so many great posts to choose from, and more being added every day! Today I chose this one:
Get Smart! 📚
Friendly reminder about this excellent-sounding event happening tonight:
The Insurrection will be Decentralized - Election Subversion: The Role of State Legislatures in the Fight for our Democracy.
Come hear Brian Beutler, Editor in Chief at Crooked Media, Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate, and Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta talk about how we can save our democracy through winning state legislatures. Moderated by Sister District’s co-founder, Gaby Goldstein, and Crooked Media's senior political director, Shaniqua McClendon.
Tonight at 5PM PT/8PM ET. RSVP here.
Give 💰!
Y’all, my friend, super activist Michelle Manire Fowle is more or less singlehandedly trying to rase $5000 to get a billboard up in CA-27 telling voters what a horrible person they have representing them in Congress (his name is Mike Garcia. He supports a national abortion ban). Garcia flipped this seat red in 2020 (it used to be Katie Hill’s 😰) by just over 300 votes, and since then the district lines have been redrawn to be more favorable to us. WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE IT BACK!
Michelle is halfway to her first goal of $5,000, and needs $2,005 more to secure the first digital billboard which will be on the 14 freeway in the Antelope Valley. Can anyone help her get there? I gave $25. I believe in this cause.
The road to holding the House runs straight through CA, y’all. Just saying.
Donation link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/exposemagamike
Win Races! 🗳
We are SEVENTY DAYS out from the most important election of our lifetimes, and fortunately the folks from Indivisible have made it easy to help us win big with their Give No Ground program.
Once you’ve filled out a simple form telling them where you live, what candidates you’re interested in helping, and which forms of activism you’d like to do, they’ll send you opportunities to phonebank, textbank, canvass, and/or postcard for the races you’ve chosen.
Click here to register for Give No Ground. (Click “volunteer” in the top right corner, then register as an individual.)
Thanks for joining the fight!
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to all 3 reps] [H/T] [quick send text SIGN PPAJCQ to 50409]
I’m writing to ask you to support HR 4006/S 3830, the Fair Repair Act. While the name may sound trivial, there are significant environmental reasons for passing such legislation.
When it comes to throwing away and replacing our electronic devices, Americans discard 416,000 cell phones a day. If we used our electronics for 50% longer, we could save a combined $40 billion each year and safeguard public health and the environment from the destructive impacts of e-waste -- the fastest growing waste stream in the country.
We shouldn't be throwing away usable technology. With the Fair Repair Act, independent repair shops and consumers alike would have access to diagnostic, maintenance and repair parts and information. I urge you to support this bill and stand up for our right to repair. Thanks!
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
Just thank you, as always! It only takes 5 minutes per day, but I am happy to make a difference!