January 3, 2025

Embracing opposition, building the environmental vote, contesting every race, and more!

Contact all members of Congress:

• By phone: (202) 224-3121

• By email: Congress.gov

• By US mail: Representatives / Senators

• By fax: Representatives / Senators

• By Resistbot: Resist.bot

Contact White House or other federal agencies:

• usa.gov/federal-agencies

• REJECTING “STRATEGIC SILENCE” AND ACQUIESENCE

  The debate is continuing within the Democratic Party about the best way to handle the Trump Administration, and a small number of our elected leaders are signaling they may acquiesce. Multiple Democrats have joined a caucus aimed at supporting Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s effort to gut the federal government, key senators have expressed an openness to backing some of Trump’s worst nominees, and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) has published an op-ed urging Democrats to find common ground and compromise. Moreover, commentators have noted what Brian Beutler has referred to as a “strategic silence” from Democrats about scandalous appointments and maneuverings from Trump and Musk, with a top pollster having advised Democratic Party officials to focus less on every outrage and more on how Trump is hurting Americans’ pocketbooks. Recent polling, however, has suggested there are clear political gains in fiercely opposing some of Trump’s worst campaign pledges: 54% opposition to using the military to carry out mass deportations, 60% to Justice Department investigation of Trump’s political rivals, 66% to pardons of the January 6th insurrectionists. Only 41% of Americans are confident he won’t try to rule as a dictator, and 71% say our standard constitutional guardrails including congressional checks and balances will hold – suggesting the public expects and wants unyielding defense of democracy when moments of truth arrives. Moreover, where Democrats have fought, embraced their role of opposition as described here by Jamelle Bouie, we have already dealt Trump serious setbacks: forcing the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz and blocking the Republican scheme on the debt ceiling. Let’s reach out to our elected officials, make sure they’re aware of these poll results, and urge them to fight vigorously and tirelessly for our values and to make the case for Democrats as an alternative rather than conceding ground – remind them the constituents who wanted them to fight like hell still do. And let’s thank those who represent us who are already engaged in that fight.

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• TURN OUT ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS IN JANUARY ELECTIONS

  Early indications are that 2024 will go down in history, with Earth exceeding 1.5 degrees of warming above pre-Industrial revolution temperatures for the first time. We can't wait to develop a green majority. The Environmental Voter Project is taking this on, and has several opportunities for us to encourage pro-environment but infrequent voters in the special elections in Virginia next week, along with a special election for supervisor in Black Hawk County, Iowa and the primaries to replace Reps. Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz in Florida January 28th. Let’s sign up to help turnout here.

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• USE THIS TOOLKIT TO HELP CHANGE THE CONVERSATION ON IMMIGRATION

  Misinformation continues to fuel fear and division on immigration, with Trump and his allies insisting the attack in New Orleans committed by a native-born American was the fault of “migrants.” But we can help change the conversation. Red, Wine and Blue has a way we can share facts and real stories of immigrants who enrich our nation, counter the noise and spread the truth. They’ve made it simple with a tool to post ready-to-share content, complete with images and a link to a fact-packed PDF to start meaningful conversations with friends and family. Let’s start by checking it out here. (We can also check out this list of pro-immigrant groups near us to get involved with here.)

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• PARDON LAWYER IN CHEVRON POLLUTION CASE
  34 Members of Congress, led by Jim McGovern (D-MA) have sent a letter to the White House asking that Stephen Donziger, who successfully led a legal team that found Chevron responsible for $9.5 billion for the after-effects of its dumping of toxic waste in Ecuador. Instead of paying the judgment, Chevron retaliated and was able to get Donziger convicted of a contempt of court misdemeanor. He was disbarred and placed under house arrest for 993 days, a sentence that was four times longer than any comparable offense. Donziger’s treatment sets a dangerous precedent for all who attempt to fight injustice through legal means and his pardon request is supported by numerous human rights organizations as well as 68 Nobel Laureates. Let’s add our voices to this injustice and ask President Biden to pardon Stephen Donziger. We can find language to use here and other pardons to push the White House for here.

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• THE LONG GAME: CONTEST EVERY RACE

  In 2024, Ballotpedia watched 76,780 elections across the country and found that 70% went uncontested. In 2022, “Democrats failed to field a single candidate for fully half of all partisan offices—well over three times the rate of Republican no-shows.” The organization Contest Every Race estimates that, each year, Democrats fail to run a candidate in 100,000 elections, allowing Republicans to simply sail into office and jettisoning the meaningful airing of alternative views on issues like abortion access, schools, racial justice, climate change, economic justice, and more. Many of these uncontested races are for important local offices, like election boards, city councils, school boards, district attorneys and sheriffs, county commissions, and regulatory boards. Contest Every Race is building a movement to run Democrats in every election, everywhere. Let’s join their mailing list to follow what they’re doing and be ready to help.