Responding to Trump’s dangerous rhetoric, postcards to voters in Alabama, deep canvassing, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
- By phone: (202) 224-3121
- By email: democracy.io
- By US mail: Representatives / Senators
- By fax: Representatives / Senators
- By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
- TRUMP SAYS SOME UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AREN’T PEOPLE, PROMISES BLOODBATH
Donald Trump followed his clinching the Republican nomination with multiple statements this weekend that were, even by his standards, extreme and deeply frightening. He promised a “bloodbath” if he is not elected in November and doubled down on his claims that undocumented immigrants are “poisoning the bloodstream of our country,” describing some as “not people.” (Trump also said those in prison for their part in January 6th are “hostages” and indicated he’d free them, and insisted Liz Cheney and other members of the January 6th Committee should be jailed.) Such dehumanizing rhetoric has already led to violence and cannot be treated as anything less than a promise of more by state agents if Trump wins. We need to take this as a call to put in the work to prevent him from ever taking power again. Let’s each commit ourselves to more shifts helping Field Team Six and Black Voters Matter register and turn out the voters we will need to stop Trump in November. - STAND WITH A JUDICIAL NOMINEE BOMBARDED WITH ISLAMOPHOBIA
In November, President Biden nominated New York trial lawyer Adeel Mangi to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Mangi would be the first American of Muslim faith to serve as a judge on any federal appeals court – and that’s led to outrageous (and roundly debunked) Islamophobic attacks on him by folks like Ted Cruz. Infuriatingly, it seems these tactics have had an impact: CNN has reported Democratic senators have warned the White House they do not believe they have the votes from the caucus to confirm Mangi. Mangi is a highly qualified nominee who has won praise from progressive judicial advocacy groups and the National Women’s Law Center, and we can’t let him be quietly run off. Let’s reach out to our senators, either directly or with this tool from Emgage Action, and tell them we want them to vote to confirm Adeel Mangi – and we want an open floor vote even if they do not believe they can get the job done so we can hold accountable those who are kowtowing to the hatemongers.
- POSTCARDS TO VOTERS FOR ALABAMA SPECIAL ELECTION Right now, Postcards to Voters volunteers are writing for Marilyn Lands for a March 26th special election to fill a rare competitive legislative seat in Alabama. Marilyn has the support of Planned Parenthood, Doug Jones, and Everytown for Gun Safety – and she can have our support too! Special elections turn heavily on getting out the vote and we can give her a boost. Becoming a Postcards To Voters volunteer involves sending a sample postcard to prove we’re not bots and then we can begin requesting addresses (each volunteer supplies the postcards and stamps). If we are already a registered volunteer, we can email or Slack (texting is down right now) for addresses and instructions. Let’s get to writing at www.postcardstovoters.org. (We can also find opportunities to phonebank for Marilyn here.)
- THE US MUST STOP ITS RELIANCE ON ELON MUSK
One of the richest human beings in history, Elon Musk has used his immense power to aggressively and increasingly propagate antisemitism, white supremacy, transphobia, and other hateful lies and conspiracies. Yet at this moment, his companies remain massive U.S. government contractors. Our nation is in fact uniquely and increasingly reliant on Musk-controlled corporations for our national security, space program and infrastructure, in spite of Musk’s record of intensifying bigotry, labor law violations, unsafe working conditions, racial and sexual harassment, and perhaps most terrifyingly purposely sabotaging the military operations of a U.S. ally. We have seen examples of all of this in recent weeks with his open promotion of the Great Replacement and white genocide theories and his insistence that Russia cannot lose in Ukraine even as news came out that Russian troops are using Starlink terminals in their war. The reaction of the federal government to his actions has been alarmingly limited – indeed, Reuters reported over the weekend that the National Reconnaissance Office is contracting with SpaceX to build a new network of spy satellites. The process of decoupling from Musk will be incredibly difficult, but it will only become moreso if we do not begin ASAP. Let’s take this moment to reach out to our members of Congress and the White House and ask: a) what are they doing to ensure that Musk’s companies are fulfilling the responsibilities of any government contractor with regards to equal opportunity, labor law and worker treatment? b) what are they doing to hold him accountable for his efforts to undermine U.S. foreign policy and to ensure that such events are not repeated? and c) what are they doing to develop public capacity and decrease our reliance on resources a single billionaire directly controls? We can do so via ResistBot by texting SIGN PKVISI to 50409 or hitting the sign petition button here.
- INTRO TO DEEP CANVASSING – 6 PM TOMORROWSwing Blue Alliance and the Deep Canvassing Institute have teamed up to offer a one-hour virtual information session to introduce us to deep canvassing—the practice of speaking and listening in ways that promote constructive conversations and even change hearts and minds. Introduction to Deep Canvassing takes place TOMORROW, March 19 from 6-7 PM EDT. Let’s sign up. If, after attending, we’re intrigued, we can also sign up for the no-cost, three-session “Deep Canvass Institute 101: How to Have a Deep Canvass Conversation” this April.
INTRO TO DEEP CANVASSING – 6 PM TOMORROWSwing Blue Alliance and the Deep Canvassing Institute have teamed up to offer a one-hour virtual information session to introduce us to deep canvassing—the practice of speaking and listening in ways that promote constructive conversations and even change hearts and minds. Introduction to Deep Canvassing takes place TOMORROW, March 19 from 6-7 PM EDT. Let’s sign up. If, after attending, we’re intrigued, we can also sign up for the no-cost, three-session “Deep Canvass Institute 101: How to Have a Deep Canvass Conversation” this April.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
- VA/MANY – BAN GUNS NEAR POLLING PLACES
New Mexico recently became the 12th state to ban open carry of firearms in or near polling places or drop boxes. Virginia could become the 13th, as both legislative houses have now passed HB 939 to bar firearm possession within 100 feet of polling places and other buildings hosting voting- and election-related activities. The bill has been sent to the desk of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. If we’re in Virginia, let’s contact Governor Youngkin and tell him to do what’s right and sign HB 939 into law. If we’re in one of the other 37 states that has not taken this basic step against intimidation and violence at the polls, let’s reach out to our legislators and governors and ask them to take action before Election Day.
AND FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS
- LAST WEEK’S WINSIt may not always feel like it, but our work is making a difference every day. Our friend Jessica Craven at Chop Wood, Carry Water outlines a few ways how in her run-down of last week’s victories, including the SEC approving a new rule requiring some public companies to disclose their climate impact, Cleveland using American Rescue Plan funds for affordable housing, and a pair of anti-LGBT school board members losing their seats in Orange, California.