Hi all, and happy Sunday!
Woof. What a week. It was mayhem, as always, but to me there’s a definite signal in the noise. Things are going badly for team Trump—and better for our side—every day. We should be encouraged by that!
But even if that weren’t the case I’d still have tons of good news for you. Because this list comes out every Sunday no matter how awful things are out there, and it’s always full of good things. The truth is, there are so, so many people working to save this country—and the world—and their successes are undeniable. We just seldom hear about them!
That’s why this edition of Chop Wood, Carry Water is likely the most important of the week. We can’t keep going in this fight if we don’t stop to acknowledge and celebrate our wins. And we can’t celebrate them if we don’t know about them!
So please share this post far and wide. It’s critical that folks know about the victories, and hopefully they’ll decide to sign up and help us create more!
After all, the more of us do this work the longer these lists will become.
Now let’s get to it!
Celebrate This! 🎉
A slate of governors moved to erect AI guardrails, including Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger, who signed an order to increase data center oversight, and California’s Gavin Newsom, who ordered the state to accelerate developer regulations.
The terrible crypto bill known as the Clarity Act was blocked in the Senate! We’ve been calling to tell our reps to oppose it for months! We did it, friends!
The man who sprayed U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar with vinegar in Minneapolis has been sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he is using $2.5 million in state funds to erase medical debt for tens of thousands of Kentuckians through a partnership with Undue Medical Debt.
The family of a woman who died after being denied an abortion is suing Ken Paxton.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a Milwaukee judge who helped a man evade ICE will keep her law license.
A federal judge blocked DHS from acting any further against a man who sent a harsh email to an ICE official after Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed.
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from continuing to ask applicants for civil service jobs throughout the government to respond to what unions described as a partisan “loyalty question.”
New York City announced it will partner with startup It’s Electric to build hundreds of curbside charging stations by 2030.
A new ReconMR/Siena poll shows Gina Hinojosa ahead of Greg Abbott by four points, surging with key demographics that she needs to win in November.
Kamala Harris will campaign with Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan next week as part of a midterms circuit tour to help Democrats win competitive seats in Congress.
A group called Rise and Resist showed up at a New York Young Republican’s event where Greg Bovino was the guest speaker. They yelled “murderer” when he arrived, then stood on the sidewalk and read the names of the 70+ folks who have been killed by ICE agents or who have died in ICE custody during Trump’s second term. Nice work, y’all!
Even in reliably red Kansas, strategists are saying Republican voter enthusiasm is terrible.
After repeated setbacks and twice being ordered by the Trump administration to halt development, Revolution Wind has completed construction of its 65-turbine wind farm off the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut.
A company called Credit Acceptance Corp agreed to a $710 million settlement with 40 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. to resolve charges it drove thousands of borrowers with low incomes and low credit scores into predatory auto loans it knew they could not afford.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a standalone postproduction tax incentive into law in a bid to lure Hollywood jobs back to California. This law came about because a few women—including one I know personally—made it their personal mission to get it passed! Amazing work!
Democrats are seeing an explosion in voter turnout.
Stowe, PA commissioners voted for a second time to overturn a taskforce agreement with ICE, following public opposition.
A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Military Academy at West Point cannot limit what its faculty say and write in public, a victory for a law professor who sued the academy over the restrictions, arguing they were unconstitutional.
Rep. Thomas Massie introduced articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth. Mike Johnson had to send the House on recess, he was so afraid it would pass!
The discharge petition to bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act II up for a vote reached 216 signatures, with the final two votes needed promised! It would have reached them if Johnson hadn’t adjourned the House.
Democrats now lead Republicans in the generic ballot by 9 points. Some polls say it’s higher.
District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked the Kennedy Center board from inscribing Trump's name on the Kennedy Center, ruling that such memorials require Congressional approval. Since then, thousands have turned out in spontaneous protests to protect the building from demolition!
The U.S. House approved another War Powers resolution.
In China, solar power just overtook coal as the largest source of installed power capacity.
Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2026 Emmy Awards for his work in Parkinson’s research. His foundation has supported over $3 billion in research.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts donated $600,000 to upgrade the HVAC system at a local high school. Northeast High School is just one of 52 district schools that have been operating without a working air conditioning system.
The Buffalo Bills asked the Canadian band Bare Naked Ladies to sing “Oh, Canada” at the beginning of their game against the Detroit Lions. They said it was to show solidarity with their Canadian fans. Nice work!
Kevin Warsh defied Trump and raised interest rates. While it’ll increase costs, lowering them would have made things even worse.
LA punk band Gottlieb has released a 10-hour spoken word demoralization
track to be played over loudspeakers at protests, outside detention
centers, and anywhere else agents of the government are in conflict with
the people.
Net favorability of AI has fallen 17 points from +8 in December to -9 today (42% favorable - 51% unfavorable). People especially hate data centers!
The House Oversight Committee voted unanimously to hold Leon Black in contempt of Congress.
Ms. Rachel announced she’d be matching Macklemore’s $1 million donation to support Palestinians, inviting “every wealthy white celebrity” to do the same.
A center-left bloc won a slim majority in Sweden’s elections.
Environmental concerns about AI and data centers are intensifying.
Californians just made it through the hottest August on record without having to endure any rolling power outages. Thanks, solar energy!
Scientists have identified 51 climate and environmental solutions capable of reaching “positive tipping points” when adoption becomes rapid and self-reinforcing. Among the most promising are solar and wind power, electric vehicles, heat pumps and cleaner household cooking.
A coalition of Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., are suing the Trump administration to block a rule that makes it harder for immigrants to obtain green cards or even enter the country if they rely on public benefits.
Oconee County Council in South Carolina has passed an ordinance banning the use of Flock cameras and similar surveillance systems countywide. They are the first county in the state to do so.
After sustained public backlash over a subsidiary's contract with ICE, a French company called Capgemini announced it's selling Capgemini Government Solutions entirely — walking away from its direct role in U.S. federal immigration-enforcement contracting.
A federal judge has ordered ICE to halt construction on a planned detention facility in Gilroy, CA after attorneys for the state and Santa Clara County sued to block it on environmental grounds.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to turn over thousands of internal USAID records sought by The Washington Sun.
A federal appeals court formally put back into effect a ruling allowing Mississippi to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day.
Republican Bo French’s racist social media posts targeting South Asian university students have resulted in a fundraising windfall for his Democratic opponent in Texas’ railroad commission race.
A second federal judge blocked the Trump administration from implementing a U.S. Postal Service rule that would tighten mail-in voting requirements.
After pivoting to planting crops under solar panels, farmer are seeing their plants “growing well for the first time.” Called agrivoltaics, the additional shade reduces evaporation and stress on the plants, all while generating clean electricity.
The World Meteorological Organization reported that the 2025 Antarctic ozone hole ranked among the smallest since 1992.
A federal judge ordered AG Blanche to provide handwritten FBI interview notes from the Epstein files involving Trump’s alleged attack on a 13-year-old girl.
A group of women are creating fake tradwife dating profiles to lure and “dox” FBI agents linked to ICE activities.
Former Bush adviser Karl Rove and former Republican Kansas Governor Bill Graves announced they are supporting Democratic candidates in their respective states. They add to a growing list of Republicans who are crossing party lines to support Dems.
Working Families Party had a HUGE night in the Delaware primaries this week. They endorsed 13 downballot candidates; 8 won.
NYC Mayor Mamdani announced the city has filled its 200,000th pothole. But there was so much more in the new Mayor’s Management Report. Tree planting went up 61%. Bus lane installations doubled. Murders hit a five-year low. Food distribution grew 32% . It goes on and on. “Pothole politics” is working!
Watch This! 👀
San Diego Mayor Gloria’s speech was drowned out by Flock protestors this week. Fantastic!
Thanks for including the clip with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. I live in San Diego, and I follow the news but had not seen this coverage of local anti-Flock crowds. At a town hall scheduled next weekend with my council representative Raul Campillo, I intend to ask him why the City pays Flock $2M yearly for their “service” yet routinely slashes library budgets because they say there’s no money.
Thanks Jess! I really appreciate the good news round up.