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9/8/20

NATIONAL ISSUES


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TRUMP ILLEGALLY TARGETS “ANARCHIST” CITIES:  In his unrelenting (and frighteningly successful) effort to sow fear, last Wednesday, Trump issued a memo titled “Memorandum on Reviewing Funding to State and Local Government Recipients That Are Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction in American Cities”; in it he gives AG William Barr two weeks to produce a list of what Trump calls “anarchist jurisdictions,” including Portland, Seattle, NYC, and DC, whose federal funding should be cut.  While one would not want to bet on the courts right now, any effort to cut funds allocated by Congress is, on its face, unconstitutional; the memo makes no legal case to the contrary:  https://www.jurist.org/news/2020/09/president-trump-signs-memo-threatening-to-cut-federal-funding-to-lawless-cities/ or https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/09/trump-memo-justice-department-barr-democratic-cities-anarchist-jurisdictions-to-help-him-win-reelection.html and https://www.vox.com/2020/9/3/21419767/trump-anarchist-jurisdictions-authoritarian-illegal-unconstitutional-supreme-court  Let’s let our MoCs know they should make it clear to Barr that they will fight any effort of the DOJ to withhold federal funds from already starving cities—and they should vote for HR 6800, the HEROES Act, which was passed by the House in May but held up in the Senate ever since and includes funding to help struggling cities,

SAVE THE CENSUS:  In an attempt to avert the “irreparable harm” a failed census would inflict, a California federal judge has issued a restraining order that bars the federal government from shutting down the count while the federal courts are still considering requests for relief; "Because the decennial census is at issue here, an inaccurate count would not be remedied for another decade, which would affect the distribution of federal and state funding, the deployment of services, and the allocation of local resources for a decade," the judge wrote: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/05/909745230/census-work-was-winding-down-but-a-judge-says-it-needs-to-press-on-for-now  We MUST protect the accuracy of the Census first, by participating ourselves and making sure everyone we know has done likewise-- https://2020census.gov/en/ways-to-respond.html --but let’s also call our regional census bureaus and ask how we can help-- https://www.census.gov/about/regions.html   

TRUMP’S FALSE NARRATIVE EXPOSED: The Guardian, among others, reported on data from a joint project between ACLED and the Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) at Princeton University: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/05/nearly-all-black-lives-matter-protests-are-peaceful-despite-trump-narrative-report-finds  The evidence gathered suggests that the vast majority of the thousands of Black Lives Matter protests this summer have been peaceful, with more than 93% involving neither harm to people nor damage to property:  https://acleddata.com/2020/09/03/demonstrations-political-violence-in-america-new-data-for-summer-2020/  Despite this data, even the well-intentioned media highlight the “violence” of the BLM protests, witness NPR’s headline from 9/2, which reads “Kenosha Protests, Violence Expose Racial Disparities Among The Worst In The Country.”  It is incumbent on us—the viewers, readers—to make it clear to our newspapers and other news outlets that we want accurate reports of the BLM movement, not just the headline grabbers they choose.  Let’s call and write!

HELP HURRICANE LAURA VICTIMS: As if COVID weren't enough, Louisiana and Texas have been hit hard by Hurricane Laura. It may be out of the news cycle, but folks need help.  Here's where we can join a Mutual Aid Disaster Relief group looking for volunteers to assist:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbskg5Zf19EBzlrR6unxVYDs9MsGxIvrOAkft4qrtz0YwwyQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR3eGwdjzSYtQuBVcoJXCBEktRGnIJNtlZTfpg5TxyRz3eOFMehBu6iLuas

TRUMP ENDS RACIAL SENSITIVITY CLASSES: “The Trump administration has instructed federal agencies to end racial sensitivity trainings that address topics like white privilege and critical race theory, calling them "divisive, anti-American propaganda. All agencies are directed to begin to identify all contracts or other agency spending related to any training on 'critical race theory,' 'white privilege,' or any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil."  https://www.npr.org/2020/09/05/910053496/trump-tells-agencies-to-end-trainings-on-white-privilege-and-critical-race-theor Let’s ask our MOC’s to call Trump out on this and let’s ask Biden/Harris to call on trump to restore the program. 

STOP TRUMP TWEETS THROUGH MICRO-DONATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS WORKING FOR HIS DEFEAT: Defeat by Tweet is a campaign to stop Donald Trump from being reelected in 2020. People pledge to make micro-donations to Black-led political organizers in swing states every time he tweets (as small as a penny per tweet)— helping him defeat himself! Let’s check out Defeat by Tweet, sign up, and tell our friends.

ELECTION/VOTING

19 EASY THINGS WE CAN DO TO GET OUT THE VOTE: Political Charge, whose newsletter is always full of excellent information on how to resist, knows we're all tired and busy, so they've prepared a guide of 19 easy things we can do to get out the vote. We can get our guide here and share with othershttps://mailchi.mp/d00a9496a621/political-charge

BIDEN PLATFORM GRAPHICS TO SHARE:  Biden’s campaign is in full swing: https://joebiden.com/  and https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-2020-campaign-364-5-million-fundraising-committees-august/ Let’s use these Biden platform graphics however we can:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bSdEPqWeyL1wMNw2k56wRJ9l6UYlMUQ0UPU-pPPpFFE/edit?usp=sharing

CAMPAIGN JOB OPPORTUNITIES: Black Voters Matter is looking for managers, organizers, communication directors, and more. Let’s apply and share:  https://bvmcapacity.bamboohr.com/jobs/

NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY:  National Voter Registration Day is Tues., Sept. 22.  Registering new voters this year is vital, second only to get out the vote (GOTV) efforts.  Some ways to help:  Join Field Team 6 at https://www.fieldteam6.org/.  Contact your state Democratic Party to help with its voter registration efforts.  Help register new voters with Indivisible at https://act.indivisible.org/signup/voter-registration-calls-2020/.  Help register voters in Michigan with Rust Belt Rising’s 8 Million Voter Project  at  https://actionnetwork.org/forms/8-million-voters-vpb.  Help register young voters with Rock the Vote at https://www.rockthevote.org/get-involved/volunteer-with-rock-the-vote/.   Help  Swing Left register new voters at https://swingleft.org/p/vrbm.  If you’re in Colorado, help  New Era Colorado register young voters at https://neweracolorado.org/get-involved/ or the  Colorado Democratic Party at https://coloradodems.org/register-people-to-vote/.  (h/t CFAA)

POLL WORKERS NEEDED:  Sign up to be a poll worker.  There is a nationwide poll worker shortage this year, primarily attributable to the coronavirus pandemic.  Typically, older Americans are poll workers, and that’s dangerous this year for folks who are at a higher risk of serious complications from COVID-19.  Various states are reporting shortfalls of thousands of poll workers, which can lead to polling places being closed.  If you are younger and healthy, and don’t live with someone who’s not, please consider signing up to be a poll worker.  Four resources:  1) The Poll Hero Project is recruiting thousands of college and high school students to be paid poll workers to help ensure election security at in-person voting sites.  https://www.pollhero.org/.  2) Power to the Polls is aiming to recruit 250,000 people to work the polls.  Learn more at https://www.powerthepolls.org/about.  3) If you’re in Colorado, the Colorado Democratic Party is looking for poll watchers.  If you are younger and healthy, and don’t live with someone who’s not; are 18 years old or older; and a registered Democrat, please consider volunteering to be a poll watcher at  https://coloradodems.org/watchpolls/ to ensure that no voter intimidation is happening and that every eligible voter can vote.  4) A group of athletes led by LeBron James, together with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, plans to roll out a multimillion dollar program in the next few weeks to recruit poll workers in heavily Black electoral districts in a dozen states, including battleground states Georgia, Michigan, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Wisconsin.    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/nba-star-lebron-james-group-plans-effort-recruit-poll-workers-n1238014  (h/t CFAA)

BIDEN/HARRIS 2020 VICTORY TEXT TEAM TRAINING: Getting Democratic voters to the polls is how we win in November. Let’s contact voters by joining the Biden/Harris 2020 Victory Text Team. We can sign up for trainings here:  https://www.mobilize.us/2020victory/event/293967/

HOTLINE STAFFERS & ELECTION OBSERVERS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE VOTE: Trump has virtually guaranteed a chaotic election, but we can help to keep the voting process on course by signing up with the Biden Campaign to be a Voter Protection Volunteer, protecting voters’ rights at the polls, or assisting them on the voter hotline.
Lawyers and Law Students are especially welcome, but anyone who can confidently speak to local election laws under pressure should consider it as well. Let’s keep our elections fair and free! We can find out more about volunteering to help protect the election here: http://joebiden.com/voterprotection

FLIP THE SENATE BY PHONEBANKING FOR AL GROSS IN ALASKA RACE: Alaska has a Senate seat worth winning, with an unpopular incumbent Dan Sullivan facing a strong challenger, Democratic Nominee Dr. Al Gross. https://dralgrossak.com/  The closeness of the race, along with the limited number of voters means every voter contact could give us very strong results. We can read more about Al Gross and the Alaska race here: https://www.flipthewest.com/dr_al_gross  We can click here to sign up to join the weekly virtually phone bank for Al Gross, TODAY, Tuesday Sept 8 5:30-7:30 (Alaska Daylight Time): https://www.mobilize.us/dralgrossak/event/291731/

FLIP WISCONSIN BY WRITING GOTV LETTERS TO INFREQUENT DEM VOTERS: Trump won Wisconsin by .07%. We cannot let him take the state again. Vote Forward has a way to stop him, by increasing a Democratic turnout. We can join them in sending Get Out the Vote letters to Democratic-leaning Wisconsin voters who are unlikely to vote. By helping these voters get to the polls, we can help Democrats win up and down the ballot. We can sign up here to learn more and start writing letters to flip Wisconsin Blue! https://votefwd.org/district/WIGOTV2020B

FLIP KEY WINNABLE MONTANA SENATE SEAT: PHONE BANK FOR STEVE BULLOCK: The road to a Blue Senate runs through pivotal states like Montana, where the relatively small number of voters in a competitive race means we can get bigger results with each call. Popular Democratic Governor Steve Bullock is running for a winnable seat here that can help give us back the Senate majority and now we can join Flip the West and Montana Rural Voters get it done. This Thursday, September 9 from 6 - 8 pm Mountain Standard (5 - 7 pm Pacific), we can join  a “Virtual Phone Bank Center” on Zoom where we will either go to a break-out room for training, or start making calls. Technical support is always available. Throughout, we’re invited to meet fellow phone bankers, share success stories, and give feedback. We will need a PC or Mac, with the Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser to participate. If we can’t make it this Thursday, we can sign up for any of the following Thursdays we like. We can click here to find out more sign up to phone bank for Steve Bullock and Flip the Senate: https://www.flipthewest.com/events

STATE/LOCAL

MOST:  ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCESSING/COUNTING CHANGE NEEDED: Several states allow the processing of absentee ballots prior to the election date. “In many states, processing of absentee ballots can begin before they are actually counted. “Processing” means different things in different states, but typically the first step is comparing the affidavit signature on the outside of the return envelope against the voter’s signature on record to ensure a match, or otherwise verify the voter’s identity.” www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-16-when-absentee-mail-ballot-processing-and-counting-can-begin.aspx  Michigan had a trial run with increased absentee ballots during their state primary in early August and learned that some changes would be beneficial:  https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2020/09/06/michigan-needs-new-legislation-safeguard-elections/5721661002/  Other states are realizing this, too:  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mail-in-absentee-ballots-early-voting-battleground-states-election-day/  Let’s contact our state legislators and tell them that we are aware of these problems and urge them to address them in time for the 11/3 election. 

RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS

WINNING IS THE ONLY OPTION: Swing Left Greater Boston/Swing Blue Alliance is hosting a Virtual Activism Workshop on Thursday, September 10, 5PM Eastern. The workshop will teach us how we can help get out the Democratic vote between now and November 3rd. Can’t make it on the 10th? The workshop is also being offered on 9/20, 9/28, and 10/4. Let’s sign up: https://www.mobilize.us/swingleftboston/event/294960/

JOIN GOTV PHONE-BANK TO VOTERS OF COLOR IN VOTER SURPRESSION STATES: Reclaim Our Vote is phone banking to voters of color in voter suppression states, urging them to vote. Their data shows that 60-80% of those contacted, in person or by voicemails, will go on to vote. The calls are non-partisan, and our timing can be flexible, making as few or as many calls as we like between 9AM and 9PM in the states we call. We can click here to sign up for a one-hour training, offered every Monday at 7:30PM ET, then get ready to turn out the vote:

READING/WATCHING/LISTENING

Dueling versions of reality define 1st week of fall campaign - https://apnews.com/780b2edfd25af18c0107ee382356194f

Don’t Just Focus on Election Day. Treat All of October as Election Month - https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/08/election-month-2020-vote-early-plan.html

QAnon explained: the antisemitic conspiracy theory gaining traction around the world - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/25/qanon-conspiracy-theory-explained-trump-what-is


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We can stay up to date on Congress by checking out their schedules. a) The House publishes a weekly schedule at The Weekly Leader (published and dated Friday) as well as daily schedules at The Daily Leader. b) The Senate updates their schedule daily at the Senate Floor Schedule







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