Visibility Brigade Annapolis Maryland! for the win!! Thanks to Linda N. for sending! 👻
Hi, all, and happy Friday!
Also happy Halloween to all who celebrate it!
In lieu of an introduction today I thought I’d offer you a quick clip from terrific NJ Senator Andy Kim! It’s only a minute and a half, but please do watch it. I asked him whether our calls really make a difference, and I found his answer both endearing and affirming!
See that? THESE CALLS MATTER!
If you want to watch the full 15 minute interview, which is really quite lovely, it’s here. (I also got my Jeff Merkley interview posted— it’s here and also really good.) But even if you don’t watch the whole thing please internalize what Senator Kim just said: Your engagement is critical right now. WE—not Chuck Schumer, or Gavin Newsom, or some as-yet-unknown superhero—are the thing that will save us. Consistent, ongoing, unified mass peaceful action is how we get out of this mess. Calls are part of that.
So let’s listen to Senator Kim and get to them one more time.
P.S. — I included the wrong sign up link for the Yale Climate Messaging event yesterday—sorry about that! The correct link is here.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
[If GOP:]
I’m calling to demand that the Senator pressure the Trump Administration to immediately release the 5 billion dollars in contingency funds that are available to fund SNAP. These funds have been set aside EXACTLY for such a situation. The Department of Agriculture even published a memo a few weeks ago saying it would use these funds to ensure benefit payments went out if the shutdown persisted. Then they removed that language from their website when Republicans decided they wanted to weaponize this situation. The USDA needs to release these funds now. Taking food away from kids to try to force Democrats to give up on affordable healthcare is NOT a good look. Thanks.
[If Dem:]
I’m calling to encourage the Senator to keep holding out for affordable healthcare for his/her constituents. I know Republicans are holding SNAP hostage, but we know that there’s a contingency fund they could use and they’re simply trying to get Democrats to fold on the ACA. Don’t do it! I want the Senator to get even louder about what’s at stake and how the Republican party is lying to Americans. We’ve got your back. Thanks for all of your hard work.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
[If GOP:]
I’m calling to demand that the Congressmember get back to DC and pressure the Trump Administration to immediately release the 5 billion dollars in contingency funds that are available to fund SNAP. Taking food away from kids to try to force Democrats to give up on affordable healthcare is NOT a good look. In fact, Republicans need to sit down with Democrats and work out a deal to permanently extend the ACA premium tax credits and then re-open the government. Also? the DOJ MUST RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES! Thanks.
[If Dem:]
I’m calling to encourage the Congressmember to keep holding out for affordable healthcare for his/her constituents. I know Republicans are holding SNAP hostage, but we know that there’s a contingency fund they could use and they’re simply trying to get Democrats to fold on the ACA. Don’t do it! I want the Senator to get even louder about what’s at stake and how the Republican party is lying to Americans. We’ve got your back. Thanks for all of your hard work.
Extra Credit ✅
The Media and Democracy Project just shared their latest analysis and grading of #NoKings front page coverage for 60+ outlets. They also compared front pages on 10/18 and 6/14 for major outlets. Blog post w/all the front page images is here.
There were some surprises and disappointments. WaPo improved! Local outlet editors did better. Large city papers like LA Times, SF Chronicle and El Diario had “A” grades for both dates.
Continued editorial failures? AG Sulzbergerger’s NYT and Murdoch’s WSJ editors.
Let’s contact the New York Times here. I simply said:
I just read the Media and Democracy Project’s analysis of news coverage for the recent, massive No Kings protests. Guess which major news outlet got the lowest grades? The New York Times and the Wall St. Journal. Of course, this was news to none of us, as we all saw with our own eyes that the Times buried the No Kings story completely.
As one of the 7M people who participated in these protests I am writing to say that your lack of coverage was a disgrace! We’re fighting to save democracy AND A FREE PRESS! These protests, which continue to grow in size, are news–perhaps the most important news there is!
Do better–while the Times still has editorial choice at all, that is. Thanks.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Mike Johnson more or less admitted yesterday that SNAP Benefits are being used as political leverage to get Democrats to give up on the ACA fight. Here’s the DNC’s War Room post about it. Please try to share the info in it.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
Across the country, immigrant families are being detained, disappeared, and torn from their loved ones — part of a growing authoritarian campaign to erode rights and silence dissent.
Join the Disappeared in America Weekend of Action (11/1-11/2) — a national mobilization to protect immigrants, expose corporate complicity, and honor the lives lost in detention.
Learn more and find an event near you here.
Win Races! 🗳
There are a few places you can sign up for GOTV phonebanks this weekend, and I really hope everyone will!
Environmental Voter Project is doing GOTV phonebanking all day today, all weekend, and all of Monday and Tuesday. Please sign up for a shift!
Grassroots Democrats HQ has calling into VA all weekend as well! Sign up for a shift here!
DNC Call Crew will be making calls all weekend, too! They’re great! Great trainers, great dialer! Sign up for a shift here.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all three reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PCZTRE 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.)
As of tonight, 42 million Americans stand to lose access to food. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP — is about to run dry, not because the money is gone, but because Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson refuse to release it.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is currently sitting on $6 billion in reserves that Congress specifically appropriated to prevent exactly this kind of catastrophe during a government shutdown. Those funds could keep millions of children, seniors, veterans, and working families from going hungry — today. But the administration has made a deliberate choice to hold that money hostage, using hunger as leverage in its political games.
[Read the rest of the letter here.]
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
From Chop Wood, Carry Water via this RSS feed
You must log in or # to comment.