January 15, 2025- Flexing Our Hope Muscles
News and Actions for Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Good morning lovely people,
I am feeling good after attending last night’s Mass Call with Indivisible, Working Families Party and Mobilize. I was having a rough day and I forced myself to attend. It’s truly amazing how being in community with like-minded folk (even virtually) can make me feel better and soothe a lot of my concerns about the state of our democracy.
I will share the recorded call tomorrow when it’s available; however, I did record a number of the actions shared with us in today’s newsletter.
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, we won’t be able to win every fight. But…. YES every fight we take on is worthy. We will have to play a long game but it’s worth it.
This is the way.
News:
Pete Hegseth was interrogated by Senate committees yesterday. Tom Nicols of The Atlantic breaks it down here. Robert Hubbell does a great job synthesizing several articles on this hearing here.
Hamas accepted a draft proposal that would lead to a cease-fire in Gaza, two officials told the Associated Press. The U.S. is hopeful it’ll come together: “I believe we will get a ceasefire,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today. “It’s right on the brink. It’s closer than it’s ever been before.”
Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report into Donald Trump’s alleged election interference concludes that the president-elect would’ve been criminally convicted at trial if he hadn’t won the 2024 election. Don’t mind us, we’re just staring wistfully out the window.
House Republicans passed a bill that would ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports at federally funded schools. The bill now goes to the GOP-controlled Senate for consideration. Last month, NCAA President Charlie Baker told Congress that of over half a million college athletes in the U.S., fewer than ten are transgender.
A new brush fire broke out in Ventura County, California on Monday evening, as firefighters make progress with containing the three other fires that have ravaged the area. Strong winds are expected to persist through Wednesday.
Chinese officials have discussed selling TikTok to centibillionaire conspiracy theorist Elon Musk, according to the Wall Street Journal. But ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, reportedly thinks the best path forward is to allow the app to be banned, retain ownership of it, and then negotiate again when Trump takes office. As a colleague in our semi-famous Crooked Slack put it, “This is truly the worst timeline.”
Former First Lady Michelle Obama won’t attend Trump’s inauguration next week, which her husband plans to attend, according to People. She also skipped former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral last week, in which she could’ve been seated near Trump.
Good News:
NBC reports, the Supreme Court on Monday turned away appeals filed by various oil companies trying to shut down a lawsuit in Hawaii that seeks to hold them accountable for climate change.
The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday struck down abortion restrictions by conservative cities and counties, helping to ensure the state remains a go-to destination for people from other states with bans, MSN reports.
Mickey Disgdiertt awakes at 4 a.m. each day with the same mission: Feeding feral cats near his house not far from Hogtown Creek Headwaters Nature Park in Gainesville. In an interview with NPR, he said it’s because it “fulfills him.”
President Joe Biden announced Monday that his administration had approved federal student loan relief for more than 150,000 borrowers, bringing the number whose student debt has been canceled during his administration to over 5 million, he said in a White House release.
Action Items:
If you have 1 minute….
Sign the Grassroots Choice Letter endorsing Ben Wikler for DNC Head.
If you have an additional 1 minute of time …
Click here to send a direct message to your Senator to oppose Russ Vought's nomination for OMB Director
If you have 2 minutes . . .
Calling all Health Professionals: Public Health Awakened is urging folks to use this form to send a letter to your Senators opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services. Once you fill our your information, there will be a draft letter describing the reasons we - as public health professionals - are opposing the nomination. Sign the e-petition here.
If you have 3 minutes . . .
Call your Senator (202) 224-3121 and tell them to oppose Russ Vought's nomination for OMB Director:
Hi there! I am a constituent who lives in ________, and I am calling to urge the Senator to vote NO on the nomination of Russ Vought as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director. He is too extreme, dangerous to our rights, freedoms, democracy, the rule of law, and a danger to our national security. America deserves leadership grounded in unity and dedicated to the greater good, not driven by extreme political ideologies. Please vote NO on Russ Vought.
If you have 3 minutes more minutes . . .
Call your House Rep to voice your support for California wildfire victims. Find yours here. You can say:
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m deeply concerned and angered by Republican threats to hold aid for California hostage to a debt ceiling increase. It is immoral and repugnant. California is literally subsidizing the rest of the United States, red states in particular, through the federal budget. In 2022, the most recent year for which information is available, it paid $83 billion more to the federal government than it got back. How dare anyone withhold funds from them in their moment of need, or tie that aid to anything? Give California what they need, no strings attached. Thank you. [H/T]
If you have at least five minutes . . .
Go to NixtheNoms.com and review the talking points opposing Patel, RFK Jr, Hegseth, and Vought. Use the tools to call/email (preferably both) your Senators (even Democractic senators) exposing your opposition to the confirmations of the Frightful Four.
If you have 10 minutes . . .
Write a Letter to the Editor of a Local Newspaper Opposing Kash Patel: Letters to the editor can be a powerful tool in educating your community members about key issues and publicly pressuring your Member of Congress to represent do the right thing. Use our user-friendly tool to submit a letter to your local paper urging your Senators to vote NO on Kash Patel's nomination. Write a letter to the editor calling out Trump’s dangerous nomination of Kash Patel as FBI Director, inserting key points and your own words, stories, and ideas to ensure it is as strong as possible. This tool makes it easy!
Upcoming Events:
On Sunday, January 19 at 7:30 PM ET–
I was so excited to learn about this! I've been dreading Inauguration Day, but I know Heather Cox Richardson will help me feel better. Let's not be sad this weekend, let's take this opportunity to get together with like-minded people. Join me by clicking here!
On Thursday, January 23–
MomsRising is calling our first mass community meeting of 2025 immediately after Inauguration day. Please join MomsRising’s post-inauguration community meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23, 8:30 pm ET/ 5:30 pm PT. Click here to RSVP.
On February 1, there will be an election to determine the new leader of the DNC.
This is an INCREDIBLY important position. As in, make or break. To say that I support WisDem’s Chair Ben Wikler is an understatement. Please help him win using the list below:
Ben's Team has asked us to amplify him on social media: Please Follow him on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads and repost him!
Use the digital toolkit to post for Ben on all social outlets
Sign Robert Reich's petition to the 448 voting members of the DNC endorsing Ben
Donate and Help Fundraise for him
Closing Words:
I'm going to let Daily Show's Jessica Williams close us out this morning:
Have a wonderful day, all!
Thanks, Lydia!