Chop Wood, Carry Water 9/1
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
Hope you’ve got nice plans for the Labor Day weekend. Ours technically starts today, as my kid is out of school, but I’m sending this anyway because there’s a lot going on!
Y’all, I know there is so much pulling at our attention these days: climate change, GOP violence, increasing immigration woes, complaints about Joe Biden’s age, a corrupt Supreme Court…the list seems endless. It is at times of such chaos that I find it most useful to remember the simple slogan: “Work the program, nor the problem.”
What does this mean? Simply that instead of focussing on the many crises we face, I focus instead on a simple action or course of actions that’s known to be effective. I do my actions—or “work the program”—and trust that the problems will somehow get worked out. It’s not magical thinking—it’s more an understanding that focussing on such actions is something I can DO, whereas focussing on the problems leads me to paralysis and anxiety, solving nothing.
So lets work the program not the problem today, then take a weekend off to enjoy our lives.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling as yet another scandal breaks about Clarence Thomas. I am fed up with the Senate’s lack of action on this issue. Where are the investigations? Where are the calls for Thomas’s resignation? Where is the ethics reform? We have Supreme Court justices who are bought and paid for by special interests and it’s affecting their rulings. It’s wrong and it needs to be addressed. I want the Senator to call for Clarence Thomas to resign and for investigations into these billionaires’ undue influence over the court. I also want immediate passage of ethics legislation for the Supreme Court. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m a pro-choice voter, and I’m calling in support of three reproductive health bills:
H.R. 782 -- Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act
This bill affirms that everyone has the right to travel across state lines to seek abortion care.
H.R. 3420 -- My Body, My Data Act of 2023. This bill would create privacy standards so that our personal health data stays personal.
H.R. 4303 -- Abortion Justice Act—This bill would remove systemic barriers to care and address disparities and systemic racism in reproductive health care.
These bills. along with the Women’s Health Protection Act, would combine to enshrine the foundations of reproductive freedom and I want the Congressmember to support and co-sponsor all of them. Thanks. [H/T and more info]
Extra Credit ✅
This is an easy ask: Stop the Money Pipeline is calling on the Museum of Modern Art to cut ties with Henry Kravis. Kravis is the co-founder of KKR, a private equity firm that has invested nearly $15 billion in fossil fuel projects in just the last two years. MoMA has taken substantial donations from Kravis, named several galleries after him, and appointed his wife as their board chair.
There is no reason a respected institution like MoMA should be so deeply intertwined with one of the people fueling the climate crisis. By elevating Kravis's name, the MoMA is giving him a moral license he does not deserve. Kravis is funding the destruction of our ecosystem and he should be kicked off the board until KKR halts investments in fossil fuel projects.
If you agree, sign the petition here.
Get Smart! 📚
The States Project's Executive Director Daniel Squadron, who is AMAZING, joined The Great Battlefield podcast to break down how the state legislative majorities we fueled last November have improved lives — and what’s next in the fight to defend our democracy. He’s a totally inspiring person and this will be a great listen.
Check it out here: The Great Battlefield.
Spread the Word! 📣
I’ve been sharing the below image on social and it’s getting a LOT of engagement. I got it off of the DNC’s Greenfly account—it’s such a great resource, and anyone can download the app and use their graphics—just use the invite code DEMSTALKERS. If you don’t want to sign up for the app please consider screenshotting this image and posting it on your own social. It definitely strikes a nerve.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet! 🔥
If you care about your own health or the health of those you love I’d highly recommend reading and sharing this. Yikes.
Win Races—Write! 🗳
The Swing Blue Alliance has already sent out more than 41,000 postcards to VA and has just under 9,000 left in their E-Store. Can anyone buy and send a packet or two to support candidates Mary Person and Esther Nizer in Virginia?
The Virginia Postcard Campaign Details
Activity: Handwrite a short message and place an address label and stamp on the card. A packet of 25 should take ~30 minutes to complete.
Cost: $18 per packet of 25, including tax and postage.
Mail date:
Mary Person: October 2nd (postcards should be held and mailed on October 2nd).
Esther Nizer: September 25th (postcards must be shipped to Virginia for local postmark/mailing.)
Win Races—Call (with me!) ☎️
Starting on Tuesday I will be running a weekly phonebank into Virginia to help elect Danica Roem and two wonderful House of Delegates candidates, Josh Thomas and Travis Nembhard. I would really love if some of you joined me. Also, early voting starts in just over two weeks. We need you!
Tuesdays, 4pm-6pm PT / 7pm-9pm ET - RSVP
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[to your HOUSE rep] [H/T] [Quick send text SIGN PXYTBH to 50409]
I am a concerned constituent and I urge you to endorse and actively support the passage of the Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act (HR5085). This bill, recently reintroduced by Congressman McGovern (D-MA), would set in motion long overdue reforms of our national pesticide rules to better protect farmworkers, farmers, children, and the environment.
Our existing pesticide laws under FIFRA were originally created to protect people and the environment from unacceptable risks. Unfortunately, special interests have eroded this protection. Our current rules are antiquated and weak, catering to pesticide corporations rather than adequately protecting public health or the environment.
PACTPA addresses many of the most important shortcomings of current law. This bill imposes an outright ban on several pesticide active ingredients that have been shown to be extremely dangerous to human health. Further, this bill closes loopholes that have allowed the EPA to use emergency exemptions and conditional registrations to circumvent full safety reviews.
If you’ve already co-sponsored HR5085 or intend to support its progress, thank you — please encourage your colleagues to join you. I hope you will do all you can to support passage of this important bill. If you have not yet endorsed this legislation, I strongly urge you to do so today. Thank you!
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Great words today thank you
Thank u for all the great activities to get involved in:) I just forwarded your letter to a friend:)