Chop Wood, Carry Water 9/10

The sum > the parts

These billboards have been placed throughout Philly by the Harris campaign in the lead-up to tonight’s debate. 🔥🔥

Hi, all, and happy Tuesday!

It’s a busy day—the House is back in session, the debates are hours away, and the elections are in 56 days—although early voting starts much sooner. We are in full-on “GO” mode. I’m going to keep this intro short, as the body of the newsletter is long enough.

I did, though, want to take one moment to remind you, amidst the noise of so much else, that no matter what happens tonight:

You are strong; together we are unbeatable.

You are smart; together we are brilliant.

You are determined; together we are unstoppable.

We. Are. Greater. Than. The. Sum. Of. Our. Parts.

Never forget it.

I am cautiously optimistic that the debate will go well, but whether it does or not, our jobs remain the same: Chop wood. Carry water. Act, act, then act some more. Work to help Democrats win EVERYWHERE.

Fight for the future we want. The future our kids need. The future decency demands.

As Tim Walz says, we can rest when we’re dead. So let’s get to work one more time.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I am frustrated at Republicans’ efforts to pass a six-month Continuing Resolution that will push the spending fight into a new Presidential administration, gut military spending and hurt our veterans. I’m also angry at their attempts to sneak through the SAVE Act, which is a voter suppression bill and nothing more. Republicans have been resorting to underhanded tactics for too long. We are sick of it. If they can’t do their jobs and work on legislation that will actually help, not thwart, us—we will vote them all out. No SAVE Act, and no six-month CR, please. Congress should extend the deadline only into December to assure that all funding for Fiscal Year 2025 is in place before the end of the 118th Congress.

[If GOP add:] Do your jobs, please. Thank you.

Get Smart #1! 📚

Smart Grassroots Fundraising: Tapping Into Your Network to Win with Swing Left on Thursday, September 12 from 8 – 9pm EDT

Friends help friends donate strategically! You and your personal network—and thousands of people like you across the country—can make a real difference in the outcomes of these critical elections by donating strategically! Swing Left’s experts do the research to direct grassroots dollars to candidates that need it most, and their Personal Fundraising Page tool makes it easy for you to create your own fundraising page, then spread the word and invite people to give to these all-important races.

Join Swing Left for a deep dive on their strategic funds, how to increase your impact through Personal Fundraising Pages, and tips from fellow grassroots fundraisers on how to make your ask. 

Learn more and register here.

READ THIS! 📖

Want to learn how to be an effective canvasser?

The Joy of Talking Politics with Strangers is for you! It’s a comprehensive guidebook that helps volunteers connect one-on-one with voters – our most powerful tool for winning elections. I’ve read it—it’s delightful and EXACTLY the right read for this moment.

After 2016, volunteer Elizabeth Chur realized it’s up to ordinary citizens to protect our democracy, so she started phone banking and canvassing. By talking with over 1,000 people, she discovered how to forge meaningful connections with the hardest-to-reach voters, including young people, Latinos, and people who say “I don’t vote.” This inspiring book distills her most useful strategies and tips, and shows you how to engage more effectively with voters. Get your copy here or wherever you buy books! I HIGHLY recommend it.

Spread the Word! 📣

Tonight, we know Donald Trump will spout a series of constant lies – so the Harris-Walz team is setting the facts straight ahead of time. Please watch and share their videos on what to expect here and here. Additionally, this morning, they rolled out a new ad featuring President Barack Obama ridiculing Donald Trump’s insecurities about his small crowds. Watch and share here → “Crowd Size."

And do take advantage of the toolkits provided by the DNC, DemCast, and Harris for President to create and share your own posts throughout the night. The DemCast toolkit is already firing on all cylinders—you can start now!

America’s Voice also has a “Pre-Debate Cheat Sheet – When Trump and Republicans Say the Following on Immigration…” A really important read.

Lastly, please find a debate watch party near you here.

Give 💰!

I made this video for my friends at Oath.vote and I mean every word of it. If you find it useful please share. And you can check out Oath here. I swear, this is an AMAZING place to do your one-stop-shop donating to candidates. They really get the assignment, as it were. I am so glad this website exists!

Win Races-Talk to your Neighbors! 🗳

From Indivisible:

If you’re eligible, PLEASE sign up for Neighbor2Neighbor. Neighbor2Neighbor is the most effective form of voter contact that we’ve seen. Connect with your community while ensuring that your democracy-aligned neighbors get out to vote this year. It’s simple. It’s quick. And, it’s a fun way to get to meet some of your neighbors who you have something in common with -- a pro-democracy future. 

Win Races—Send Texts

Represent US has two textbanks this week to bolster democracy in Arizona. You’ll help get the word out by sending texts to voters in Arizona about Ranked Choice Voting. They'll kick off with training and have text team leaders standing by to support you while you text:

September 10 at 5 pm ET: Send Pro-Voter Texts in Arizona

September 12 at 5 pm ET: Send Pro-Voter Texts in Arizona

Win Races—Register Voters!

This week’s Indivisible / Women Wednesdays for Harris call will have special guests like Alfre Woodard, Sophia Bush, Jocelyn Benson, Michael Tubbs, Ashley Jackson, Jason Kander, and more, focusing on voter registration. It’s tomorrow at 8:30PM ET. Sign up here! These calls are supposed to be incredible!

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

I can’t recommend this interview highly enough. It gave me so much hope!

Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope: Interview with Kingsmill Bond, RMI Energy Analyst

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all three reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PKEPSJ to Resistbot at 50409 or via Apple Messages / WHATSAPP / MESSENGER]

Many people are facing food and housing insecurity, challenges with high child care costs, and dealing with other hardships that make it harder to make ends meet.

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in 2023, the Child Tax Credit (CTC) lifted 2.4 million people above the federal poverty line -- while important, falling far short of the 5.4 million lifted above the federal poverty line in 2021 by expanded monthly Child Tax Credit payments that included all children in low-income families. In 2021, child poverty decreased by 46% overall, with Black and Hispanic child poverty falling by 6.3 percentage points in each community, impacting 716,000 Black children and 1.2 million Hispanic children.

And then it was allowed to expire and child poverty skyrocketed back up. As you discuss tax priorities for large-scale tax legislation in 2025, I urge you to look at the latest data about poverty, hardship, and other measures for our country as a whole.

Expanding the Child Tax Credit fixes a major flaw in current law: over 18 million children and their families are excluded from the full credit because their parents' income is too low. Many parents who work at low wages cannot get the full CTC. A single parent earning $15,000 a year and who has two children will receive less than a family with a parent who has a higher paying job. This is a flaw that does nothing but exacerbate inequity and accelerate the racial wealth gap.

I know next year is an important year for tax policy, and you are in many conversations about your priorities already. I urge you to voice loud and clear that any tax legislation must prioritize investments in families and that includes expanding the Child Tax Credit for all children by making the credit fully refundable with no earnings requirement, and allowing it to provide meaningful support with regular monthly payments.

---

OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess