Hi, all, and happy Tuesday.
And it is happy, indeed, because President Biden and his administration continue to deliver!
The FTC announced just this morning that it’s launching an anti-trust lawsuit against Amazon. It’s another excellent reminder that elections matter, not just because of who we put in the oval office, but because of who that person puts in important positions of power.
President Biden nominated Lina Khan to be the chair of the FTC knowing that going after Amazon would be a priority for her—she wrote a famous paper about it when she was at Yale. Republicans, of course, staunchly opposed her confirmation, but because we held that one-seat Senate majority—and because people like you called relentlessly in support— we got her confirmed.
As a result, then, of our hard work electing Biden and supporting his nominees we can now celebrate anti-trust lawsuits against Google, Meta, and now—my favorite!— Amazon. Fantastic!
I say this not just because I loath Amazon—I’ve been boycotting them since 2017 or so—but because, as Robert Reich, Thom Hartmann, Mat Stoller and others regularly remind us, monopolies are harming us in innumerable ways. Until we deal with them we will continue to see prices climb, competition vanish, workers get underpaid, and the quality of goods and services plummeting.
Of course the fact that Amazon viciously union busts, abuses its employees, wrecks the environment, and destroys brick and mortar businesses certainly adds to my satisfaction at this turn of events. If any company deserves and needs to be broken up it is they. With this lawsuit we now stand a chance of it. Thanks, Joe Biden!
Speaking of which, President Biden is also, as we speak, making history by visiting the UAW picket line. When you talk to friends and family about this event make sure you remind them that the President’s visit marks the first time a sitting President has visited a picket line in modern times. Ever! Of course while a candidate for President, then former-Vice President Biden joined multiple picket lines, including a UAW picket in Kansas City in 2019. But today’s visit is HUGE. It’s history. It’s a game-changer.
Please make sure you amplify it.
Remember, your hard work helped contribute to these seismic events happening today. Let’s do a bit more now, so that the ground beneath us continues to shift…in the right direction.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
[I don’t normally do this, but I’m literally copying and pasting yesterday’s calls here again. They are so, so important. Even if you did them yesterday, please do them again today.]
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[If you have a Democratic Senator:]
I’m calling to ask the Senator to call on Bob Menendez to resign. Senator Menendez is deeply corrupt—he doesn’t belong in elected office at all, let alone in the U.S. Senate. Democrats have to show that we’re better than Republicans; they may tolerate and even embrace corruption, but we can’t. Every Democrat needs to be on record calling for Menendez to resign. I look forward to hearing that the Senator has done so. Thanks.
[If you have a Republican Senator:]
I’m calling to ask the Senator to push Tommy Tuberville to lift his blockade of military promotions. Senator Tuberville is weakening American military readiness and making us look inept on the world stage. He’s also making every Republican look soft on defense. Is that how the Senator wants to be seen? If not I suggest s/he put pressure on Tuberville to stop blocking military promotions now. Thanks.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I strongly oppose a government shutdown, and I strongly oppose Republican budget cuts. Congress needs to pass a budget at the levels Republicans agreed to during the debt ceiling negotiations. Americans are fed up with drama and dysfunction. We want a budget passed, we want our programs funded, we want support for Ukraine, we want hungry people fed, and we want climate funding to remain intact. Also? I want the representative to reject any budget that cuts Medicaid, and publicly oppose any plan to create a closed-door commission to cut Social Security and Medicare. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Let’s call Chuck Schumer about Bob Menendez. (212) 486-4430 or (518) 431-4070 or (202) 224-6542 or (914) 734-1532 or (631) 753-0978.
Say:
My name is ______ and I’m calling Senator Schumer in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader. I’m calling to ask him to publicly demand that Senator Menendez resign immediately. Democrats can’t entertain even the whiff of corruption when we are fighting the rot that is the current Republican party. Democratic leadership needs to take a strong stand and you need to do it now. Every day you dither more Americans will fall for the “both sides are corrupt” argument. That’s dangerous. Call for him to step down now. Thanks.
Of course if you live in NY state tell them you are a constituent.
Get Smart AND Spread the Word! 📣
Y'all, I am so incredibly excited that the New York Times highlighted the AMAZING work of The States Project yesterday! I've been partnering with TSP since 2017, and if you're a regular reader you know they're one of three organizations I beg people essentially to give all of their spare money to.
Please, please read this article and share it! We need everyone to know about the great work the States Project is doing! (Also, if you feel inspired to, please give to my States Project Virginia Giving Circle. Our push goal is 25K and we're almost there!)
THIS--on a statehouse level-- is where the winning is happening, and we have got to make sure people understand that and fund it accordingly.
If we want to defeat fascism we MUST start in the states. Tell a friend!
Win Races! 🗳
H/T subscriber (and super-activist) Steven Schear
Here are 5 ways to help us win in Virginia—WHICH WILL YOU DO??
Donate money to the 31st Street Swing Left’s slate of candidates here. (Or Jess’s VA Giving Circle here)
Write letters to Virginia voters with Working America here or with Vote Forward here. (Vote Forward has letter kits for people who can’t afford stamps! Apply here.)
Write postcards with Postcards4VA here.
Phone bank on Tuesdays with Silver Spring Progressive Action here, or Wednesdays and Saturdays with Sister District here.
For those of you in DC, VA or MD, you can door-knock with 31st Street on Saturdays here.
No Resistbot Letter Today. (:
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess