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Hi, all, and happy Friday,

Hope you’re hanging in there after what’s been another insane and tumultuous week. We’ve notched a huge victory around the Epstein bill, but barely had a chance to enjoy it—and this was purposeful—before Trump’s incitement of violence against US lawmakers occurred. Meanwhile prices on everything are rising, there are massive, horrifying ICE raids still occurring in North Carolina, and Trump hosted a butcher at the White House. Oh, and I almost forgot that the Coast Guard just announced that Swastikas and nooses aren’t hate symbols anymore.

Sigh. It’s a lot, friends.

Listen. I know you may be thinking “can’t I just have one week to coast? To enjoy a victory without something else coming along immediately to spoil it?” And while I wish that was the world we lived in, we are dealing with a demented, and increasingly cornered, malignant narcissist. Someone like Trump responds to losses by doubling down and lashing out. Since we’re winning more and more, we will have to expect him to continue to act worse and worse.

Also, his administration knows it’s growing weaker, and is therefore running out of time, so they’re going to try to distract, overwhelm, and scare us into submission while simultaneously stuffing their pockets with as much loot as they can grab before the proverbial safe gets locked again.

In other words, they have power. They know they’re going to lose it soon. So they’re acting like the desperate, greedy, and vicious thugs that they are.

It’s ugly. That’s why it’s so important for us to exercise our moral strength right now. To remind ourselves daily that right matters. That the rule of law matters. That honesty, compassion, and integrity matter. That just because the body politic is riven with cancer, so to speak, it doesn’t mean that sickness is its normal state.

In fact, we must envision health for it every day, and insist on regaining it. We must model it, too, where we can.

Citizens in North Carolina are modeling “health” magnificently. Folks on overpasses waving patriotic signs are, too. Everyone heading to DC tomorrow is modeling it. Everyone making calls for Aftyn Behn is. Everyone calling the six targeted lawmakers to thank them for their courage (script and numbers below) is as well. Those lawmakers, who reminded servicemembers of their duty to the Constituion this week, are also modeling it.

All of you are, as well.

We get to remind Americans in this time of national crisis what health, morality, and patriotism look like. What an honor! It’s not always easy, and sometimes it can feel downright dangerous.

But it’s always the right thing to do.

We are going to get through this. WE ARE ALREADY GETTING THROUGH IT! We are winning. That is why Trump is freaking out. The angrier and more vicious he gets the more afraid he is. Good. Feed off of his fear rather than being bowed by his threats. See him as frail (he is.) See yourself as powerful (you are.) See us, united, as unbeatable (we are.)

We will win. He, and all of his ilk, will lose.

So let’s get to work one more time.

P.S. — I’m leaving for the UK today! I’ll be “on vacation” all week next week, which means technically no emails. Of course I may send a couple anyway, but I’m under strict orders from my family to try to take a break. If nothing else I’ll send you a Thanksgiving message. Because YOU are the thing for which I am most grateful. After all, you make hope possible!

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲 and Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

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

I’m calling to say that I’m disgusted that Trump called for members of Congress to be hung simply because they reminded members of the Armed Services that they don’t need to follow unlawful orders. That is not sedition. Trump needs to be impeached and removed—now. I am absolutely horrified at his incitement of political violence. Our country has huge problems, and instead of trying to address any of them Trump is busy threatening lawmakers, enriching himself, and avoiding accountability for his presence in a pedophilia ring.

[If GOP add:] Can you direct me to the Senator’s/Congressmemember’s statement denouncing this? [When they say they haven’t made one add:] The spinelessness is shocking. If you can’t criticize Trump when he’s actively calling for the death of your fellow lawmakers, then what are you willing to call him out for?

[To all:] One more thing. I’m hearing that a new U.S. Coast Guard policy will no longer classify imagery of swastikas or nooses as hate symbols. This is White supremacist ideology masquerading as policy. I want it reversed at once. Symbols of hate must be flagged as such, and there should be no place for White supremacy or antisemitism in the United States. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

From a scientist friend:

There is an effort underway to remove the universal Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine recommendation at the Dec 4-5 meeting of the ACIP at CDC. Public comment is OPEN until Nov 24 and only 88 comments are posted as of this morning. Your voice truly matters. How to submit written or oral comments? You can browse the comments and add your own! The Hepatitis B Foundation has an excellent guide with some text you can use in constructing your comment.

Then please go to this website and leave your comments.

Extra Extra Credit! ✅✅

Trump is using fake outrage at 6 lawmakers to distract from the Epstein files and his terrible numbers. It’s got to be hard to be on the receiving end of it. Let’s call one (or all) of the six lawmakers he’s targeting and tell them we have their backs. They are:

Senator Elissa Slotkin 202-224-4822 or 313-961-4330

Senator Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235 or (520) 475-5177

Representative Jason Crow (202) 225-7882 or (720) 748-7514

Representative Chris Deluzio (202) 225-2301 or (724) 206-4860

Representative Chrissy Houlahan (202) 225-4315 or (610) 883-5050

Representative Maggie Goodlander 202-225-5206 or (603) 444-7700

We can just say something like:

I’m calling to thank the Representative/Senator for standing up for our Constitution and calling out Trump’s lawless behavior. I know Trump is targeting him/her right now and s/he’s getting a lot of hate, so I want to make sure s/he’s also hearing from those of us who are grateful to him/her for what s/he said and for all s/he is doing to save democracy. Believe me, the majority of the country is with him/her. Thank you!

[Thanks to reader Wayne who suggested this]

Get Smart! 📚

Are you interested in the US affordable housing crisis?

On Monday, November 24 at 1:00 p.m. ET, The Capitol Forum will host Laurel Kilgour, Policy Director at the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), for a conversation with Executive Editor Teddy Downey.The conversation will center on Kilgour’s recent paper, Capital Crunch: How the Fall of Local Finance and the Rise of Shareholder Primacy Warped Single-Family Homebuilding in America — And What to Do About It. The paper examines the structural financing barriers that have led to a steep drop in single-family housing construction and offers policy proposals to help rebuild America’s homebuilding capacity.Join them to learn more about:- Why the U.S. is short nearly 4 million homes—and how we got here- How federal policy and capital markets squeezed out small homebuilders- The role of publicly traded builders in creating price floors and hoarding land- What federal, state, and local policymakers can do now to spur homebuilding- How Wall Street expectations and regulatory inaction have fueled the crisis

Sounds wonky but really interesting! Hope some of you can attend!

RSVP here

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

Charlotte has set a new standard for resisting ICE. This is what people-power looks like.

Demcast just released a social media toolkit for us to amplify how people there are fighting back. This is REALLY important—remember, courage begets courage.

Let’s amplify. 💙📣

Give 💰!

Again for anyone looking, the places most in need of donations in North Carolina right now—and who are best positioned to use them for good—are:

Carolina Migrant Network, which provides legal services (free and low cost) to individuals in removal proceedings.
El Centro Hispano is the largest Latino-led organization in North Carolina, dedicated to supporting all people across Durham, Wake, Orange, and surrounding counties in the Triangle and Piedmont regions. They do amazing work and are doing mutual aid right now
Siembra NC has been recommended to me repeatedly by people in North Caolina. From one reader: They are Latin-led and have been doing other amazing work for years before this crisis–responding to wage theft, exploitative landlords, etc who target immigrants.

Get in the Streets! 🪧

The big protest in DC is TOMORROW! Hope some of you can go!

Win Races! 🗳

Stand Up for Science has endorsed Aftyn Behn for Congress in Tennessee’s 7th District special election on December 2nd. She’s exactly who we need in Washington: fearless, pro-science, and already fighting for public health, reproductive rights, and evidence-based policy.

Stand Up for Science will be hosting health and science focused phone banking to Get Out the Vote starting 11/22 until 12/2 (except Thanksgiving Day) 12-2p et on weekends and 7-9p et on weekdays and in-person canvassing. These are easy, plug and play voter outreach sessions!

Weekend phonebanks.

Weekday phonebanks.

They also have a TN-07 voter education page for science focused issues.

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

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PZHAOX 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 write with deep respect for our military, our veterans, and the rule of law. What happened this week requires Congress to act.This morning, President Trump called a group of military veterans in Congress “traitors” and said they should be “ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL.” By mid-morning he escalated to: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”Their “crime,” in his eyes, was releasing a short video reminding active-duty military and intelligence personnel of their most basic legal duty: they must refuse illegal orders. This is settled law under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and established by precedent such as the Calley case. The Army Field Manual explicitly states that “superior orders” is not a defense for unlawful actions.The lawmakers Trump targeted are not fringe figures — they are veterans and intelligence officers. Senator Elissa Slotkin served with the CIA. Senator Mark Kelly served as a Navy captain. Representatives Deluzio, Goodlander, Houlahan, and Crow all served our country in uniform or intelligence roles. Their message was patriotic and rooted in military tradition, ending with the Navy’s famous line: “Don’t give up the ship.”

[The rest of the letter can be read here.]

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

Talk soon.

Jess

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Chop Wood, Carry Water 11/21