10/13/20
I am angry. We should all be angry.
Anger has a long history of bringing about positive change.
—Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie
NATIONAL ISSUES
COVID RELIEF BILL: As Kamala
Harris tweeted
yesterday, “To everyone who is barely hanging onto their homes, who has lost a
loved one to COVID-19, who has no way to pay the bills: know that instead of
voting to provide relief you desperately need, Senate Republicans today are
choosing to hold a hearing to confirm a judge.”
On a day that was a national holiday, while members of the Judiciary
Committee have COVID and were in attendance, the GOP is not thinking of the Americans
who are struggling, or the cities, town and states that need COVID-relief
help. Help is overdue. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-administration-s-latest-covid-relief-proposal-dems-gets-closer-n1242835 Let’s tell our MoCs that we want them to
get their priorities straight and get the COVID relief package done now.
CALL OUT THE WHITE
HOUSE FOR BLOCKING A CDC RULE REQUIRING MASKS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Last month the Trump administration put the lives
of thousands of transportation workers and passengers at risk by blocking a CDC
rule that would have mandated mask wearing. https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-nyt-masks-public-transportation-covid-19-20201010-psgptcoew5duxpgiq7psahgxim-story.html.
Now that decision is left up to states and municipalities, many of whom have
followed the president’s lead in refusing to abide by scientific findings that
show that masks and social distancing saves lives. Vice President Mike Pence,
the head of the coronavirus task force was instrumental in making sure the rule
was not enacted, even though it had the support of HHS secretary Alex Azar. Let’s tell the VP
and the White House that the health of our economy depends upon people’s
ability to feel safe when traveling and that we have a moral obligation to
protect the health of our workers. Let’s also make sure the general public
knows what happened by sharing this story widely, especially in response to
Pence’s false claims in the VP Debate that the administration cares about the
health and safety of all Americans.
URGE SENATE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE TO ALLOW FORMER MEMBER OF PEOPLE OF PRAISE TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS
FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICE NOMINEE: AMY CONEY BARRETT: A former member of the People of Praise
Community, Cora Anika Thiell, has asked to testify at the Judiciary Committee
hearings so that the American public might know the extent of sexism and abuse
that has taken place in the People of Praise (where Judge Coney Barrett has
been a member), a community in which women are subservient to their husbands in
every way. https://www.newsweek.com/people-praise-amy-barrett-1538134.
Let’s tell our Senators, as well as Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham
and ranking minority member Dianne Feinstein, that the American people deserve
to know how the patriarchal beliefs of this community might influence the ways
in which Judge Barrett will interpret women’s rights rulings.
ASK DEMOCRATS ON
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO PRESS JUSTICE CONEY BARRETT ON RECUSING HERSELF
FROM ANY RULINGS ON THE 2020 ELECTION: Trump has still not said that he will peacefully concede power if he
loses, and he has made little secret of trying to lean on the Supreme Court to
throw the election to him on baseless claims of mail-in voter fraud. https://www.axios.com/supreme-court-2020-president-eleciton-trump-biden-0e0a3dfd-67b5-4a27-8405-5f9235cf5a58.html.
Let’s ask all the Democratic members of the Judiciary Committee
to ask Coney Barrett many questions about her views on voting and election
integrity and also ask her if she would recuse herself from ruling on this
issue, since she was picked by Trump so close to the election.
AMY BARRETT’S MISSING
INFORMATION: “Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member
Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today [Oct. 12] led all 10 Judiciary Committee
Democrats in again calling
on the Justice Department to provide any additional missing materials
from Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Senate Judiciary Questionnaire (SJQ).” https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=F7EEBB34-54EB-47ED-B800-6942CAD5235A
and https://lawandcrime.com/supreme-court/senate-democrats-accuse-amy-coney-barrett-of-hiding-key-details-about-pro-life-views-hospital-bankruptcy-case/
Let’s contact the committee members and
thank Democrats and share our concerns with Republicans at the committee phone
(202) 224-5225 and acknowledge that all requested information should be made
available.
PEOPLE’S PANDEMIC
PREVENTION PLAN: The People’s Pandemic Prevention Plan, to stop COVID,
build back better, and prevent the pandemics of the future, is supported by
65,000 voters, and more than 250 organizations including NAACP, SEIU,
Greenpeace, The Religious Action Center, United We Dream, Families USA and
hundreds more. https://www.r2haction.org/peoples-pandemic-prevention-plan Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna have
written a letter
to their Congressional colleagues asking for them to sign on to a letter
supporting the Pandemic Prevention Plan.
Several have (find list here),
but more are needed. Let’s use this
to ask our MoCs to sign on: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/demand-the-peoples-pandemic-prevention-plan (h/t)
CUSTOMS AND BORDER
PATROL ARCHIVES: Customs and Border Patrol has asked the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) for the green light to erase its paper trail and
destroy internal documents, including records concerning alleged
misconduct. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chantaldasilva/2020/09/29/dhs-proposal-could-see-misconduct-allegation-records-destroyed-watchdog-groups-warn/#748808554e02
Let’s ask our MoCs to contact NARA and make sure such destruction of records
doesn't happen. CBP's abuse of detainees and blatant misuse of funds can't be
covered up.
FIGHTING
DISINFORMATION: As we get
closer to the election, the amount of disinformation that is propagated can
become overwhelming, making it difficult to determine what is fact and what is
false. ReFrame, an organization that works on movement building
through strategizing and communications, is working to fight against this
disinformation by educating the public. They have worked with a coalition of
organizations to create a Disinfo Defense Toolkit for Organizers and Advocates. Let's
set aside some time each day to work our way through this toolkit, then use
what we learn to fight back against disinformation. We can also share this excerpt on social media on How to Not
Amplify Disinfo.
LEGAL ADVICE FOR
MILITARY PERSONNEL FACED WITH QUESTIONABLE ORDERS: Legal scholar Eugene R. Fidell, law professor
Brenner M. Fissell, and military law practitioner Philip D. Cave have organized
The Orders Project. If the nation
faces civic unrest and military personnel are given legally questionable orders
and wish to consult a lawyer, they can do so through The Orders Project. Let’s
keep this in our back pocket if we’re in the military, and if we’re not, let’s
share it with those we know who are: https://www.ordersproject.org/
POSTCARDING
OPPORTUNITIES: From on of our own: Let’s gather some friends, virtually perhaps,
check this list, and get writing! Here’s
this week’s list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HU6DH8V6BzSywtT7dlTwPblRomt7B0DTL7b_WbsaYdU/edit
ELECTION/VOTING
ELECTION - GET OUT THE VOTE (GOTV)
TURN OUT HARD-TO-REACH VOTERS: DemCast is
sponsoring this Act Blue fund, which "sends your money directly to the
grassroots organizations working to turn out hard-to-reach voters - especially
voters of color." Those of us with some cash to spare can donate
here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/turnouteveryvoter
PHONEBANK WITH FIELD TEAM 6 TONIGHT: “Join Field
Team 6 in calling voters in our Battleground States! On your call, you'll
be reaching out to get people registered or signed up to vote from home (vote
by mail).” We can learn more and sign
up here: https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/292626/
LEARN HOW TO PHONEBANK: Spend fewer than
6 minutes learning how to phone bank from Mandy Patinkin and his wife Kathryn
Grody at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMxsI04UBT0.
GOTV TEXTING: GOTV texting to
young, Black, people of color, and Latinx voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and
Wisconsin with Open Progress. Learn more at: https://www.textout.app/Account/InviteJoin
TEXT WI AND MI DEM VOTERS: Train
with Indivisible Chicago to text Michigan or Wisconsin Democratic voters to
GOTV, and then sign up for a shift. We can find opportunities at: https://secure.everyaction.com/p/ergMegqhKUeDQtfPjbe_Sw2
MAINERS: Here's Suit Up Maine's new
GOTV guide. Features canvasses and phone and text banks hosted by a lot of
different groups, is organized by county and updated every Friday. Find a
GOTV action that works for you and sign up now: https://www.suitupmaine.org/maingegotv/
ELECTION – SUPPORT CANDIDATES
HELP DEFEND MUST-SAVE SENATE SEAT: Gary Peters (D-MI) has MUST save Senate seat and
his once strong lead has now tightened to a single point. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/10/12/todays-2020-election-polls-warning-signs-flash-for-peters-in-michigan-senate-race/#20f4309b4ab2 If
we lose this seat, we may lose our chance to flip the Senate blue. We can
click here to donate if we are able to, phone, textbank, or use the social
media toolkit to raise awareness: https://petersformichigan.com/get-involved/ Let’s
re-elect Gary and turn the Senate blue!
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: Ohio Democrats are two seats away from the
majority on the Ohio Supreme Court. Since the two Democratic candidates, John
O'Donnell and Jennifer Brunner, will appear on ballots without a "D"
next to their names, Democratic voters won't know which ones will serve on the
court fairly and remain independent of special interests. Sending them fun,
friendly postcards will give them something to nudge them in the right
direction when they vote. Let's request
addresses today from Postcards
to Voters for Campaign 216: Ohio Supreme Court.
FLIP A SENATE SEAT BLUE: Jaime Harrison
and Lindsey Graham are in a dead heat in their Senate race in South Carolina.
Jaime can WIN this race if we get out the vote! To write postcards for Jaime
click on the link to request our postcards now:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXqg69lWi0vnQG1_EzzG9C0Im1bAMOp-6uyy_qJXOOMYUrDA/viewform
If we can, let’s donate to his campaign: https://jaimeharrison.com/
ELECTION - REGISTERING VOTERS
REGISTER DEMOCRATS IN SWING STATES: Student voters and purged voters are KEY to
taking back our democracy in November. Field
Team 6 needs our help to register them as Democrats to vote by mail! All
training provided. Let’s click here
for more info and to sign up: https://www.fieldteam6.org/volunteer-ops
ELECTION - OTHER
PROTECT OUR VOTES: The Election
Protection hotline is a coalition of volunteers, including attorneys,
providing guidance, information, and help to American voters. With Trump and
the Republican party planning to dispatch potentially intimidating “poll
watchers” where we vote, let’s be sure to have the hotline phone number
listed in our mobile phone contacts so we can get help if we need it. English:
866-687-8683. Spanish: 888-839-8682. Asian languages: 888-274-8683. Arabic:
844-925-5287.
RANDY RAINBOW FUNDRAISER: Spend 4
minutes watching Randy Rainbow’s latest (with Patti LuPone!) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AoY6RRfMZM and then donate
to the ACLU (on the right side of your screen)
USE INTERACTIVE WEB BASED MAP TO TRACK, REPORT VOTING PROBLEMS: Democracy Labs, partnered with a
grassroots nonpartisan coalition of voting rights supports, is launching “See
Something Say Something 2020” an interactive web based map where we can report
and track voting problems, including long lines, machine problems, voter
suppression, intimidation or harassment in less than one minute from any
browser. Reports are screened, then shared with media, partners, influencer and
law enforcement when appropriate. We can find out more about SeeSay2020
when we click here: ttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1E5JEzS2HwtveSjYE4Oj6lEuhjKyHvJs9/view?usp=drivesdk We can submit information about voting
problems here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/6a2e4700a39d408d94f4d7bbb8e6a05a
TRAIN TO BE AN ELECTION DEFENDER: People are voting, and voter suppression is in
full swing, with chaos at the polls virtually guaranteed as Trump inflames his base. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/08/trump-election-poll-watching-427008 We
can help fight back as Election Defenders, making sure that people have the
resources needed to vote safely. The
Frontline — a new group sponsored by the Working Families
Organization, the Working Families Party, and the Movement for Black Lives
Electoral Justice Project, is organizing Election Defenders to “provide safe
supports for voting (such as PPE and water), and election and voter defense,
de-escalating right-wing intimidation tactics and signaling to a network of
groups and lawyers if and where trouble breaks out.” We can learn more
and sign up here for virtual, hour-and-a-half Election Defender trainings on
October 13 and October 20: https://www.mobilize.us/thefrontline/event/321224/ We can also text FRONTLINE to 30403 for
updates on other actions ahead of the election.
FLIP PA STATEHOUSE TO PROTECT BIDEN ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES: Pennsylvania’s 20
Electoral College votes may play a key role in deciding the election, with the
GOP threatening to appoint Pro Trump electors despite a Biden victory.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/ While
it is debatable whether these strongarm tactics would succeed, flipping the PA
Statehouse would prevent them entirely. Final decisions on electors take
place after the new session begins on Dec 1, and with a Democratic majority in
place, the will of the voters will be accurately reflected. We click here
to join in a Turn PA Blue phone bank,
with several days and times that can suit our needs. Let’s flip PA and our
country Blue!
STATE/LOCAL
ISSUES
ALL - TRUMP’S ELECTION TAMPERING: In what DOJ officials claim was routine
and did not involve political appointees, an email was sent last Friday by the
Public Integrity Section of the DOJ to dozens of prosecutors known as district
election officers; the email lifted a prohibition, in place since 1980, on
making any announcement about ongoing investigations close to an election as
well as from taking public steps—such as an arrest or a raid—before a vote is
finalized. Now, if a U.S. attorney’s office so much as suspects election
fraud involving postal workers, military employees, or any other federal agent,
investigators will be allowed to take public investigative steps before the
polls close, even if those actions might affect the outcome of the election: https://www.propublica.org/article/doj-frees-federal-prosecutors-to-take-steps-that-could-interfere-with-elections-weakening-long-standing-policy
Let’s object by contacting Corey R. Amundson, Chief, Public Integrity
Section at the Public Integrity Section Direct Line (202) 514-1412. And
let‘s locate our “district election officers” (https://www.usa.gov/election-office)
and make sure they know we want no election tampering, of this or any kind.
CA: PHONEY BALLOT DROP BOXES: It seems that the CA GOP is setting up ballot
drop boxes which are not legal. https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-fresno-elections-california-santa-ana-be803bfe99f5eb35e17a6ee56315deb0 If we are going to drop off a ballot in
CA, let’s make sure it is a valid ballot drop box by using this: https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/
RALLIES/GATHERINGS/TRAININGS/GROUP
ACTIONS/TWEETSTORMS
ACTIVISM 101
WEBINAR: Jess Craven, of Chop
Wood Carry Water, is continuing her Activism 101 sessions! Activism 101 is
a free, one-hour (ish) webinar for folks who have very little to no experience
with activism and/or political action. It’s a survey course with one goal: to
give those who are furious and sickened by the state of our, bite-sized actions
they can take to help vote Trump out, flip the Senate, win a bunch of
down-ballot races, and basically make good things happen in November and
beyond. Workshop will be led by Jessica Craven who is a mom, veteran activist,
elected member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee,
legislative chair of her Moms Demand Action chapter, and the author of daily
actions email “Chop Wood, Carry Water.” Let’s grab a few friends
and inquire about times: cwcwdailyactions@gmail.com
READING/WATCHING/LISTENING
Sen. Amy
Klobuchar’s full opening statement in Barrett Supreme Court confirmation
hearing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_NXdV0ZJ0Q&feature=share
The German model
for America - https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/21405900/germany-holocaust-atonement-america-slavery-reparations
Yes, Mike Lee,
America Is a Democracy - https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-10-08/yes-mike-lee-america-is-a-democracy
Coronavirus cases
in Arizona dropped 75% after mask orders began, CDC reports - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/10/10/arizona-coronavirus-cases-dropped-mask-mandate/5952950002/
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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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