Lost in Lualand

Posted by Jess Craven

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-210-211

Hi, all, and happy late-Tuesday into Wednesday!

I’m so sorry I never sent an email today—I hit the ground running this morning here in DC and never came up for air. I thought I’d have some time to sit in a coffee shop and get the newsletter out this afternoon but it wasn’t meant to be; I’m here with a bunch of political content creators and there were too many things going on!

Tomorrow will be even crazier, as we’ll spend the whole day on the Hill—first at a press conference for the Epstein victims and then at the Senate, where we’ll meet with various senators, as well as Don Lemon and the CEO of Democracy Forward. Whoo! I’ll let you know how everything goes, but suffice it to say I won’t be getting you a newsletter tomorrow either.

This, then, is my late-night “makeup” edition.

Because it’s been a long day I’m going to quote a passage from Indivisible’s email from yesterday to catch you up on where we are with the DHS funding fight. It’s important, and I’m too tired to write it out myself.

They say:

Department of Homeland Security funding runs out on Friday.

Democrats have pledged to withhold their votes from any funding bill that fails to include significant restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol. Despite Americans being killed in the streets, Republican leaders don’t seem ready to pass anything to address ICE and CBP terror.

Four things could happen this week:

1. Dems cave fully and pass a bill that doesn’t do much to rein in ICE and CBP;

2. Dems cave partially and agree to another temporary funding bill;

3. Republicans cave and we win;

4. There’s no agreement, and there’s a partial government shutdown.

Despite Republican posturing, the politics are on our side. The vast majority of Americans think ICE’s actions have gone way too far. Republicans are obviously feeling the heat -- that’s why they’re willing to negotiate at all.

Our job: Keep up the pressure on both parties. Republicans need to agree to rein in ICE. Dems must not agree to anything that falls short -- including another continuing resolution that would kick the funding battle down the road and continue the untenable status quo of deadly ICE/CBP violence.

So that’s where we are as we move towards Friday’s deadline. We need calls from everyone, especially those with Republican reps. And not just about ICE, of course, but also on the voter suppression bills Republicans are still keen to pass. And on tariff resolutions coming up for a vote as soon as today!

It’s a lot, but we’re up to it!

Sending so much love from the beautiful city of DC. I’ll be back on Thursday with a normal newsletter. Thanks for your forbearance as I try to juggle too many things at once.

Let’s go to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

[If Democrat or Independent:] I’m calling to ask Democrats to please stand strong. Do not fold or pass another Continuing Resolution if Republicans keep refusing to give in to our very reasonable and necessary demands on ICE. If the government has to partially shut down then it has to. There can be no more negotiating with people acting in bad faith. We will never get this leverage again, and lives are at stake. Hold strong and stand by our demands. ICE must be reined in. Thank you.

[If GOP] I’m calling to demand that Republicans give Democrats what they’re asking for in these DHS funding negotiations. This can’t be about party, and it can’t be about who “wins” or “loses.” This is about human lives. ICE agents have been given free rein to terrorize all of us and it won’t stop until Republicans make it stop. If they refuse they will be voted out of office in historic numbers, and no amount of voter suppression will stop it. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

First, I know that Rep. Meeks has two measures up for a vote this week—one to overturn tariffs on Canada and the other to overturn tariffs on Mexico. I want the Congressmember to support them both. Trump’s tariffs are a disaster. Groceries and goods are unaffordable, the economy is crashing, and job numbers are disastrous. Tariffs are to blame for much of it; I want them repealed.

Also, I strongly oppose the SAVE Act, the MEGA Act, and the SAVE America Act. Any of these bills would cost a fortune to enact, disenfranchise millions of people, and throw our elections into chaos. They’re a so-called “solution” to a problem that simply does not exist. I want the Congressmember to vote no.

[If GOP add:] I will work to vote out any lawmaker who works to suppress my vote. Thanks.

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

If you read nothing else on messaging this week PLEASE read Josh Marshall’s “Trump’s Big Loser Energy and Other Tales From the Annals of Political Messaging.” It encapsulates everything I believe about this moment and rebukes the general “Trump is going to steal the elections and there’s nothing we can dooooo!” message in a way I could never have articulated. Please read. Please internalize. And never forget that “contempt, scorn and, yes, laughter are the only proper responses to Trump’s claims and demands.”

Give 💰 — SENATE!

Force Multiplier presents Mary Peltola, candidate for Senate from Alaska, with special Guest U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth! Thursday, February 12, 7–8 pm ET on Zoom

Democrats need to win only four Senate races to re-gain the majority and retake power. Mary Peltola’s entrance into this race is giving us a path to do that. Together we can win. Come hear Peltola and Duckworth tell us why it matters and how we’ll pull this off.

SIGN UP/DONATE

Suggested donation $100. If you can give more, please do. If not, please give what you can and join us.

Grab your Wallet! 💳

Americans For Tax Fairness has just launched ICE’s Corporate Collaborators: Exposed, a project revealing huge tax savings for giant corporations aiding mass deportations.

The first reports profile Amazon, Microsoft, AT&T, Home Depot, and Palantir. Their CEOs collectively received an estimated $124 million in personal tax giveaways, while these corporations received roughly $19 billion in tax cuts annually from Trump’s tax laws. This project will be updated with new reports on other major corporations collaborating with the administration’s cruel tactics—providing citizens with the tools they need to hold these corporations accountable. Please share!

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PUDLBB to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)

I am a concerned constituent writing to express my opposition to the SAVE America Act and the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act.

Most Americans believe our democracy is stronger when eligible voters have equal access to the ballot box and when the voices of everyday Americans can be heard. These bills move us in the wrong direction by making it harder for eligible citizens to register and vote.

Non-citizen voting is already illegal, and election officials already have systems in place to verify voter eligibility. These bills would not improve election security. Instead, they would restrict widely used voting methods and increase the risk that eligible voters are wrongly removed from voter rolls.

The bills would also take election authority away from the states and give the executive branch vast new powers to interfere with elections, actually making our elections less safe, less free, and less fair.

I urge you to oppose the SAVE America Act and the MEGA Act and to focus on protecting the freedom to vote and ensuring that every eligible voter’s voice can be heard.

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-210-211