Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
This morning I led my weekly half hour “Resistance session” for the Jane Club. I give the attendees 3-4 actions, explain why they matter, then we all do them together on zoom.
At the end of the session one of the participants asked if there was time for a question. She said that she was anxious—she’d read Heather Cox Richardson’s post from last night about Moore v Harper and the Independent State Legislatures Theory. It was deeply concerning.
“What,” she asked, “can we do? What’s the action here? Is there one?”
I told her the same thing I’m going to tell you:
There is action to take, but it’s not just one; neither is it quick or easy:
It’s to work relentlessly to win in November up and down the ballot. Work like our life depends on it; (it may.) Work like the life of our democracy depends on it; (it definitely does.)
We need, in particular, to win in state legislatures. For if we win the majority in key battleground states—and in some cases this is VERY possible—it won’t matter what the Supreme Court decides. Republicans will be blocked from pursuing their nefarious and anti-democratic ends. With majorities in both Congressional chambers, furthermore—assuming we pick up two more Senate seats and hold the ones we have now—we can pass the Freedom to Vote Act and begin to undo the voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering that’s harmed us so badly.
It’s not a quick fix, I know. This “action” is not the one most want. Many of us are busy, and exhausted from 5 years of constant struggle. It seems unfair and outrageous that a small subset of monied and unprincipled people are forcing the rest of us to work so hard to save our country from collapse.
Yet ruing our fates is pointless. We’ve been dealt this hand; we can either play it or lose the game to disastrous effect.
I choose the former. I trust and hope that you will, too.
The next six weeks must involve an unprecedented explosion of effort from our side. We are battling a formidable foe, armed with dirty weapons and underhanded tactics. The only thing that can beat it—and it can, I assure you—is pure, old fashioned people power.
It is a power I believe in with my full heart and soul.
As I heard someone say recently: They’ve got the money. We have the many.
Many trumps money every time, provided that the many flexes its power.
So let’s do that one more time.
P.S.— if you haven’t yet adopted a battleground state and gotten to work helping us win there, now would be a good time to do so.
Call Your Senators (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
I’m calling for two reasons:
First, I know Senator Schumer plans to bring S 4556, the Respect For Marriage Act up for a vote any day now. I want the Senator to vote yes.
Second, I'm really alarmed at the news that keeps breaking about Ginni Thomas—most recently that she pressed lawmakers not just in Arizona but in Wisconsin to overturn the 2020 election. The fact that Justice Thomas didn’t recuse himself from a court case about that same election is alarming. I want the Senate to launch a full investigation into his actions and to pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act (S.4188), which would introduce a long overdue code of ethics for the Supreme Court. Thanks. [H/T]
Call Your House Rep (find yours here)
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I understand that House Natural Resources Chairman Raul Grijalva is looking for signatures for a letter—one that’s already been signed by 50 House Democrats—that urges Speaker Pelosi to omit permitting legislation from a must-pass spending bill to be taken up this month.
The permitting legislation in question would limit agency reviews and environmental litigation challenging energy projects, designate some projects for fast-track reviews and require completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. I agree with Rep. Grijalva— those provisions would be disastrous for endangered species and for our climate. I want the Congressmember to sign on to his letter. Will s/he, or has s/he already?
Extra Credit ✅
Today let’s call Chuck Schumer at (212) 486-4430 or (518) 431-4070 and say:
My name is _______ and I’m calling from [city, state].
I’m calling Senator Schumer in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader.
I was alarmed to learn that the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act was accompanied by a second "side deal" with Joe Manchin that would radically weaken environmental safeguards that protect wildlife and human communities from the impacts of energy development. It will also fast track oil and gas drilling.
I am calling to ask that he do everything in his power to ensure that this second "side deal" bill doesn’t come to the floor.
We are in the midst of a global extinction crisis and a climate crisis. Please do not allow this bill to receive a vote. We are watching and we will be furious if it does. Thanks.
Get Smart! 📚
Y’all, John Fetterman and a bunch of other great PA speakers will be at the NOPE meeting tonight. I know I’ve invited you to a lot of great stuff during this time slot already—EVERYTHING happens on Thursday nights!—but this is another one worth attending!
Hear John Fetterman and a bunch of the best grassroots leaders in PA talk about how they’re going to win. It’ll be great.
7-8 PM ET tonight. Register here.
Win Races! 🗳
As usual, I’ll be doing my Arizona phonebank today. We really need more callers, so if you have the time please come by. These voters are so responsive when we talk to them, but if we don’t reach them they likely won’t vote. Please sign up if you can!
3-5 PM PT / 6-8 PM ET. Register here.
P.S. If you want to help us win in AZ but can’t make this phonebank remember I have one on Saturday AM, too—it’s from 10AM-12PM PT / 1PM-3PM ET. It’s for a State Senate candidate. REMEMBER WHAT I WROTE IN THE INTRO!! This race is critical! Register here.
Protect Choice! 🙋🏽♀️
The bad news? Kentucky has a ballot measure on the November ballot that will set the stage for a total abortion ban in the state.
The good news? This is a moment of huge opportunity for us—we can do in KY what we did in KS! Especially since SURJ, one of my favorite racial justice groups, has decided to prioritize this election.
Please consider signing up for their Saturday, 1PM-4:30PM ET phonebank to let Kentucky voters know about the ballot measure. They provide excellent training and support.
Resistbot Text (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.)
[to your Senators] [H/T] [quick send text SIGN PGAYYK to 50409]
In the last year, at least 108,000 people died from preventable overdoses - the worst year in recorded history.
No matter what we look like or where we come from, the overdose crisis reminds us that at our core we are all human. Our ability to get and stay well depends on everyone having what we need to prevent, treat, and recover from illness. So I am calling on you to ensure that every person in the U.S. has access to prevent, treat, and the ability to thrive.
We need your leadership to pass the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act of 2021 (S. 445). With the MAT Act passing with bipartisan support through the House in H.R. 7666 on June 22, I ask that you now co-sponsor it and help pass it.
Now is the time to invest in proven solutions - like lifesaving treatment - to stop preventable overdose deaths. To effectively respond to the urgency of the overdose epidemic, we need to eliminate barriers that prevent healthcare practitioners from providing evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders and fund SAMHSA.
We need your leadership to end the overdose crisis. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You helped save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk tomorrow.
Jess
Jessica I was one of three phone bankers this evening for sister district Wisconsin. I told both of the other phone bankers about your newsletter. They both were very excited and were going to look you up. One of my fellow callers, basically stated your exact philosophy, that he couldn’t just sit around in a funk he had to take action to do something! 
Thank you for this -- I really, seriously needed it after reading Heather Cox Richardson's post this morning. I'm a postcarder anyway (just resupplied postage stamps, anticipating lots of postcard opportunities). Continuing the work, undeterred, because this is what's in front of us and the alternative is worse than awful. Good. Onward. Thanks again.